I 114th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 1296 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 4, 2015 Mr. Hunter (for himself, Mr. Calvert , Mr. Grijalva , Mr. Peters , Ms. Loretta Sanchez of California , Mr. Vargas , Mr. Cole , Mr. Huffman , and Mr. Rohrabacher ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources A BILL To amend the San Luis Rey Indian Water Rights Settlement Act to clarify certain settlement terms, and for other purposes.

1. San Luis Rey settlement agreement implementation The San Luis Rey Indian Water Rights Settlement Act ( Public Law 100–675 ) is amended by inserting after section 111 the following: 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 Indian 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 Indian Water Authority, the City of Escondido, California, 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 Settlement Agreement and Act, are hereby approved and ratified. (c) Authorizations The Secretary and the Attorney General are authorized to execute, on behalf of the United States, the Settlement Agreement and any amendments approved by the parties as necessary to make the Settlement Agreement consistent with this Act. Such execution 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 directed to take all steps that the Secretary may deem necessary or appropriate to implement the Settlement Agreement 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 proceeding involving the assertion, enforcement, or defense 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 by the United States regarding participation in any such proceeding shall not be subject to judicial review 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, including 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. .