Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Water Rights Protection 
Act’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means, 
as applicable— 
(A) the Secretary of Agriculture; or 
(B) the Secretary of the Interior. 
(2) WATER
RIGHT.—The term ‘‘water right’’ 
means any surface water, groundwater, or water stor-
age use filed, permitted, certificated, confirmed, de-
creed, adjudicated, or otherwise recognized by a judi-
cial proceeding or by the State, in which the user ac-
quires possession of the water or puts the water to 
beneficial use, including water rights of federally rec-
ognized Indian Tribes. 
SEC. 3. POLICY DEVELOPMENT. 
In developing any rule, policy, directive, management 
plan, or similar Federal action relating to the issuance, re-
newal, amendment, or extension of any permit, approval, 
license, lease, allotment, easement, right-of-way, or other 
land use or occupancy agreement, the Secretary— 
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(1) shall— 
(A) recognize the longstanding authority of 
the States relating to evaluating, protecting, allo-
cating, regulating, permitting, and adjudicating 
water use; and 
(B) coordinate with the States to ensure 
that any rule, policy, directive, management 
plan, or similar Federal action is consistent 
with, and imposes no greater restriction or regu-
latory requirement, than applicable State water 
law; and 
(2) shall not— 
(A) assert any connection between surface 
water and groundwater that is inconsistent with 
such a connection recognized by State water law; 
or 
(B) take any action that adversely affects— 
(i) the authority of a State in— 
(I) permitting the beneficial use of 
water; or 
(II) adjudicating water rights; 
(ii) any definition established by a 
State with respect to the term ‘‘beneficial 
use’’, ‘‘priority of water rights’’, or ‘‘terms 
of use’’; or 
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(iii) any other right or obligation of a 
State established under State law. 
SEC. 4. TREATMENT OF WATER RIGHTS. 
The Secretary shall not— 
(1) condition the issuance, renewal, amendment, 
or extension of any permit, approval, license, lease, 
allotment, easement, right-of-way, or other land use or 
occupancy agreement on the transfer of any water 
right (including joint and sole ownership) directly or 
indirectly to the United States, or on any impair-
ment of title or interest, in whole or in part, granted 
or otherwise recognized under State law, by Federal 
or State adjudication, decree, or other judgment, or 
pursuant to any interstate water compact; 
(2) require any water user (including any feder-
ally recognized Indian Tribe) to apply for or acquire 
a water right in the name of the United States under 
State law as a condition of the issuance, renewal, 
amendment, or extension of any permit, approval, li-
cense, lease, allotment, easement, right-of-way, or 
other land use or occupancy agreement; or 
(3) condition or withhold the issuance, renewal, 
amendment, or extension of any permit, approval, li-
cense, lease, allotment, easement, right-of-way, or 
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other land use or occupancy agreement, in whole or 
in part, on— 
(A) limiting the date, time, quantity, loca-
tion of diversion or pumping, or place of use of 
a State water right beyond any applicable limi-
tations under State water law; or 
(B) the modification of the terms and condi-
tions of groundwater withdrawal, guidance and 
reporting procedures, or conservation and source 
protection measures established by a State. 
SEC. 5. EFFECT. 
(a) RECLAMATION CONTRACTS.—Nothing in this Act 
in any way interferes with any existing or future Bureau 
of Reclamation contract entered into pursuant to Federal 
reclamation law (the Act of June 17, 1902 (32 Stat. 388, 
chapter 1093), and Acts supplemental to and amendatory 
of that Act). 
(b) ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT.—Nothing in this Act 
affects the implementation of the Endangered Species Act 
of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). 
(c) FEDERAL RESERVED WATER RIGHTS.—Nothing in 
this Act limits or expands any existing or future reserved 
water rights of the Federal Government on land adminis-
tered by the Secretary. 
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(d) FEDERAL POWER ACT.—Nothing in this Act limits 
or expands authorities pursuant to sections 4(e), 10(j), or 
18 of the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 797(e), 803(j), 811). 
(e) INDIAN WATER RIGHTS.—Nothing in this Act lim-
its or expands any existing or future reserved water right 
or treaty right of any federally recognized Indian Tribe. 
(f) FEDERALLY HELD STATE WATER RIGHTS.—Noth-
ing in this Act limits the ability of the Secretary, through 
applicable State procedures, to acquire, use, enforce, or pro-
tect a State water right owned by the United States. 
(g) INTERSTATE COMPACTS.—Nothing in this Act af-
fects an allocation contained in, or limitations and require-
ments of, any interstate water compact or decree of the Su-
preme Court of the United States interpreting or enforcing 
an interstate water compact. 
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Union Calendar No. 334 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 302 
[Report No. 119–384, Part I] 
A BILL 
To prohibit the conditioning of any permit, lease, or 
other use agreement on the transfer of any water 
right to the United States by the Secretary of 
the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture, 
and for other purposes. 
NOVEMBER 25, 2025 
Reported from the Committee on Natural Resources with 
an amendment 
NOVEMBER 25, 2025 
Committee on Agriculture discharged; committed to the 
Committee of the Whole House on the State of the 
Union and ordered to be printed 
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