II 
114TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 1296 
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
SEPTEMBER 26, 2016 
Received 
AN ACT 
To amend the San Luis Rey Indian Water Rights Settlement 
Act to clarify certain settlement terms, and for other 
purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SAN LUIS REY SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT IM-
PLEMENTATION. 
The San Luis Rey Indian Water Rights Settlement 
Act (Public Law 100–675) is amended by inserting after 
section 111 the following: 
‘‘SEC. 112. IMPLEMENTATION OF SETTLEMENT. 
‘‘(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds and recognizes as 
follows: 
‘‘(1) The City of Escondido, California, the 
Vista Irrigation District, the San Luis Rey River In-
dian Water Authority, and the Bands have approved 
an agreement, dated December 5, 2014, resolving 
their disputes over the use of certain land and water 
rights in or near the San Luis Rey River watershed, 
the terms of which are consistent with this Act. 
‘‘(2) The Bands, the San Luis Rey River In-
dian Water Authority, the City of Escondido, Cali-
fornia, the Vista Irrigation District, and the United 
States have approved a Settlement Agreement dated 
January 30, 2015 (hereafter in this section referred 
to as the ‘Settlement Agreement’) that conforms to 
the requirements of this Act. 
‘‘(b) APPROVAL AND RATIFICATION.—All provisions 
of the Settlement Agreement, including the waivers and 
releases of the liability of the United States, the provisions 
regarding allottees, and the provision entitled ‘Effect of 
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Settlement Agreement and Act,’ are hereby approved and 
ratified. 
‘‘(c) AUTHORIZATIONS.—The Secretary and the At-
torney General are authorized to execute, on behalf of the 
United States, the Settlement Agreement and any amend-
ments approved by the parties as necessary to make the 
Settlement Agreement consistent with this Act. Such exe-
cution shall not constitute a major Federal action under 
the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 
4321 et seq.). The Secretary is further authorized and di-
rected to take all steps that the Secretary may deem nec-
essary or appropriate to implement the Settlement Agree-
ment and this Act. 
‘‘(d) CONTINUED
FEDERALLY
RESERVED
AND 
OTHER WATER RIGHTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other 
provision of law, including any provisions in this 
Act, the Bands had, have, and continue to possess 
federally reserved rights and other water rights held 
in trust by the United States. 
‘‘(2) FUTURE
PROCEEDINGS.—In any pro-
ceeding involving the assertion, enforcement, or de-
fense of the rights described in this subsection, the 
United States, in its capacity as trustee for any 
Band, shall not be a required party and any decision 
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by the United States regarding participation in any 
such proceeding shall not be subject to judicial re-
view or give rise to any claim for relief against the 
United States. 
‘‘(e) ALLOTTEES.—Congress finds and confirms that 
the benefits to allottees in the Settlement Agreement, in-
cluding the remedies and provisions requiring that any 
rights of allottees shall be satisfied from supplemental 
water and other water available to the Bands or the Indian 
Water Authority, are equitable and fully satisfy the water 
rights of the allottees. 
‘‘(f) NO PRECEDENT.—Nothing in this Act shall be 
construed or interpreted as a precedent for the litigation 
or settlement of Indian reserved water rights.’’. 
SEC. 2. DISBURSEMENT OF FUNDS. 
The second sentence of section 105(b)(1) of the San 
Luis Rey Indian Water Rights Settlement Act (Public 
Law 100–675) is amended by striking the period at the 
end, and inserting the following: ‘‘, provided that— 
‘‘(i) no more than $3,700,000 per 
year (in principal, interest or both) may be 
so allocated; and 
‘‘(ii) none of the funds made available 
by this section shall be available unless the 
Director of the Office of Management and 
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Budget first certifies in writing to the 
Committee on Natural Resources of the 
House of Representatives and the Com-
mittee on Indian Affairs of the Senate that 
the federal budget will record budgetary 
outlays from the San Luis Rey Tribal De-
velopment Fund of only the monies, not to 
exceed $3,700,000 annually, that the Sec-
retary of the Treasury, pursuant to this 
section, allocates and makes available to 
the Indian Water Authority from the trust 
fund.’’. 
Passed the House of Representatives September 22, 
2016. 
Attest: 
KAREN L. HAAS, 
Clerk. 
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