IV
107TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. CON. RES. 494
Expressing the sense of the Congress regarding the obligations of Mexico
under the Treaty Between the United States of America and Mexico
of 1944 relating to the use of the Colorado, Rio Grande, and Tijuana
Rivers.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
OCTOBER 1, 2002
Mr. ORTIZ (for himself, Mr. HINOJOSA, Mr. REYES, Mr. RODRIGUEZ, Mr.
GREEN of Texas, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Mr. PASTOR, Mr. BONILLA, Mr.
FROST, and Mr. BENTSEN) submitted the following concurrent resolution;
which was referred to the Committee on International Relations
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of the Congress regarding the obliga-
tions of Mexico under the Treaty Between the United
States of America and Mexico of 1944 relating to the
use of the Colorado, Rio Grande, and Tijuana Rivers.
Whereas under the Treaty Between the United States of
America and Mexico of 1944, the Governments of the
United States and Mexico assumed certain rights and ob-
ligations relating to the Colorado, Rio Grande, and Ti-
juana Rivers;
Whereas under the treaty Mexico is obligated to supply to the
United States over successive 5-year periods 350,000
acre-feet of water each year from the Rio Grande River,
•HCON 494 IH
and the United States is obligated to supply to Mexico
1,500,000 acre-feet of water each year from the Colorado
River;
Whereas from 1992 to 1997 Mexico accrued a deficit of
1,500,000 acre-feet of water owed to the United States,
and did not make prompt payment to the United States
under the 1944 treaty;
Whereas from 1998 to 2000 Mexico further accrued a deficit
owed to the United States of 700,000 acre-feet of water,
making no payments to the United States as provided
under the 1944 treaty;
Whereas as of September 2002, Mexico has a total water
debt of almost 1,700,000 acre-feet of water owed to the
United States;
Whereas the United States has made annual payments of
1,500,000 acre-feet of water to Mexico from 1992 to
2002 and has never been in violation of its obligation to
make payments of water under the 1944 treaty;
Whereas as of October 2, 2002, Mexico will be in formal vio-
lation of the 1944 treaty for the second consecutive 5-
year cycle;
Whereas the recent agreement signed by the Governments of
the United States and Mexico in August 2002, authorizes
the North American Development Bank to offer financial
resources to repair and upgrade Mexican irrigation canals
in Chihuahua and other projects on the United States
side of the border with Mexico, but fails to provide for
prompt payment to the United States of Mexico’s water
debt and is inadequate in establishing a prompt water
payment schedule, providing assistance to the South
Texas region for development of infrastructure improve-
•HCON 494 IH
ments, and providing economic assistance to farmers for
their losses;
Whereas there has been a lack of commitment by the execu-
tive branch of the United States Government during the
past two administrations to find a reasonable and fair so-
lution to this situation; and
Whereas because of this unresolved matter, the agricultural
sector in South Texas has suffered economic losses of
nearly $2,000,000,000 in the past ten years: Now, there-
fore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That the Congress calls upon the executive
branch—
(1) to take specific actions to ensure that the
Government of Mexico meets its obligations under
the Treaty Between the United States of America
and Mexico, and Protocol, signed in 1944, to supply
water from the Rio Grande River to the United
States; and
(2) to consult with and report to the Congress
on the actions taken under paragraph (1).
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