I 
115TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5055 
To amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to make acequias eligible for 
assistance, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 15, 2018 
Mr. BEN RAY LUJA´N of New Mexico (for himself and Ms. MICHELLE LUJAN 
GRISHAM of New Mexico) introduced the following bill; which was re-
ferred to the Committee on Agriculture 
A BILL 
To amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to make acequias 
eligible for assistance, and for other purposes. 
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 ‘‘Acequia Conservation 
Program Eligibility Act’’. 
SEC. 2. ELIGIBILITY FOR ACEQUIAS. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—Section 1201(a) of the Food Se-
curity Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3801(a)) is amended by 
adding at the end the following: 
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‘‘(28) ACEQUIA.—The term ‘acequia’ means an 
entity that— 
‘‘(A) is a political subdivision of a State; 
‘‘(B) is organized for the purpose of man-
aging the operation of an irrigation ditch; and 
‘‘(C) does not have the authority to impose 
taxes or levies.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) DEFINITIONS.—Section 1201(a)(18)(B) of 
the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 
3801(a)(18)(B)) is amended by inserting ‘‘acequia,’’ 
after ‘‘Indian tribe,’’. 
(2) CONSERVATION SECURITY PROGRAM.—Sec-
tion 1238A(b)(2) of the Food Security Act of 1985 
(16 U.S.C. 3838a(b)(2)) is amended by inserting 
‘‘land of an acequia,’’ before ‘‘and forested land’’. 
(3) CONSERVATION STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM.— 
Section 1238G(f) of the Food Security Act of 1985 
(16 U.S.C. 3838g(f)) is amended by inserting ‘‘or 
acequias’’ after ‘‘Indian tribes’’. 
(4) ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS FOR CON-
SERVATION
PROGRAMS.—Section 1244(a) of the 
Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3844(a)) is 
amended— 
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(A) in the subsection header, by inserting 
‘‘AND ACEQUIAS’’ after ‘‘INDIAN TRIBES’’; and 
(B) by adding at the end of paragraph (2) 
the following: 
‘‘(G) Acequias.’’. 
(5) AGRICULTURAL CONSERVATION EASEMENT 
PROGRAM.—Subtitle H of title XII of the Food Se-
curity Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3865 et seq.) is 
amended— 
(A) in section 1265A(2)(A), by striking 
‘‘or an Indian tribe’’ and inserting ‘‘, or an In-
dian tribe or acequia,’’; 
(B) in section 1265C— 
(i) in subsection (b)(1)(D), by insert-
ing ‘‘and acequias’’ after ‘‘Indian tribes’’; 
(ii) in subsection (d)(2), by striking 
‘‘or Indian tribe’’ and inserting ‘‘Indian 
tribe, or acequia’’; and 
(iii) in subsection (e), by striking ‘‘or 
Indian tribe’’ and inserting ‘‘Indian tribe, 
or acequia’’; and 
(C) in section 1265D(a)(2), by adding ‘‘, 
other than land of an acequia’’ before the semi-
colon. 
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(6) REGIONAL
CONSERVATION
PARTNERSHIP 
PROGRAM.—Section 1271A(4)(E) of the Food Secu-
rity Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3871a(4)) is amended 
by inserting ‘‘, including an acequia’’ before the pe-
riod at the end. 
Æ 
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