I
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2820
To provide for the ownership and operation of the irrigation works on the
Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community’s reservation in Maricopa
County, Arizona, by the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
SEPTEMBER 9, 1999
Mr. HAYWORTH (for himself and Mr. PASTOR) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Resources
A BILL
To provide for the ownership and operation of the irrigation
works on the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Commu-
nity’s reservation in Maricopa County, Arizona, by the
Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. FINDINGS; PURPOSE.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds and declares
that—
(1) it is the policy of the United States, in ful-
fillment of its trust responsibility to Indian tribes, to
promote Indian self-determination and economic
self-sufficiency;
(2) meaningful Indian self-determination and
economic self-sufficiency largely depend on develop-
ment of viable Indian reservation economies;
(3) the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Com-
munity (hereinafter referred to as the ‘‘Commu-
nity’’) has defined and settled water rights;
(4) the Community operates under the Tribal
Self-Governance Act;
(5) the irrigation works within the Community
and their operation are funded through the sale of
delivered water to water users within the Commu-
nity, not by annual appropriations of the Congress;
(6) the Community has operated the irrigation
works within the Community since the inclusion of
the works in the Community’s Self-Governance Com-
pact Annual Funding Agreement with fair and wise
management of such works, and is clearly capable of
fully managing the operation of these irrigation
works; and
(7) it is appropriate that the United States
transfer to the Community any remaining authority
and responsibility that the United States may have
for the irrigation works to—
(A) advance the goals of Federal Indian
policy;
(B) fulfill the trust responsibility of the
United States to the Community;
(C) promote Indian self-determination, eco-
nomic self-sufficiency, and self-governance;
(D) enable the Community in its develop-
ment of a diverse, efficient reservation economy;
and
(E) enable the Community to better serve
the water needs of the water users within the
Community.
(b) PURPOSE.—It is the purpose of this Act to au-
thorize and direct the Secretary of the Interior to transfer
to the Community any remaining authority and responsi-
bility held by the Secretary for the Community irrigations
works.
SEC. 2. OPERATION OF IRRIGATION WORKS BY THE SALT
RIVER PIMA-MARICOPA INDIAN COMMUNITY.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Beginning on the effective date of
this Act, the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community
shall have full operating authority over the irrigation
works within the Community to deliver water of the Com-
munity to the lands of the Community. The Community
shall operate such irrigation works under uniform laws
and regulations so as to assure fairness in the delivery
of water to water users. Notwithstanding any other provi-
sion of law, the Secretary of the Interior shall take such
action as may be necessary to ensure and facilitate the
Community having full operating authority over said irri-
gation works.
(b) TRUST RESPONSIBILITY NOT DIMINISHED.—The
trust responsibility of the United States to the allotted
landowners of land within the boundaries of the reserva-
tion of the Community shall not be diminished by this Act.
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