{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://downing.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-downings-bill-crow-tribe-water-rights-settlement-amendments-act", "CONGRESSMAN DOWNING'S BILL CROW TRIBE WATER RIGHTS SETTLEMENT AMENDMENTS ACT PASSES BOTH CHAMBERS OF CONGRESS, HEADS TO PRESIDENT\u2019S DESK", "2026-09-24", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "MT", "Troy Downing", "D000634", "downing.house.gov", "downing", "https://downing.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, the Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Amendments Act of 2025, passed the U.S. Senate. Senator Steve Daines spearheaded the bill in the Senate, while Congressman Troy Downing championed it in the House of Representatives. The legislation updates the Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 2010 to provide the Crow Tribe with greater flexibility to develop water infrastructure and keep long-overdue projects on the reservation moving forward.\n\nThe original settlement ratified the water rights compact between the Crow Tribe and the State of Montana. It authorized the Bureau of Reclamation to rehabilitate the Crow Irrigation Project (CIP) and construct a Municipal, Rural, and Industrial (MR&I) water system.\n\nS. 240 modernizes that framework by converting the MR&I component from a single centralized project into a more flexible, localized approach. Instead of one large system, the legislation allows the Tribe to develop smaller water and wastewater projects tailored to the needs of individual communities across the reservation.\n\nIn addition, the legislation extends the Crow Tribe's exclusive right to develop a hydropower project at the Yellowtail Afterbay Dam for five years, through 2030, helping support future energy development on the reservation.\n\n\u201cToday, S. 240, the Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Amendments Act of 2025, passed the U.S. Senate. This legislation gives the Crow Tribe greater flexibility to develop critical water infrastructure and keep long-overdue projects moving forward on the reservation. We must continue honoring our commitments to the Crow Tribe and strengthening Montana\u2019s water infrastructure,\" said Congressman Downing. \"Thank you to Senator Daines for leading this bill in the Senate and sending it to the President\u2019s desk.\"\n\n\u201cThis bill is a necessity for the Crow Tribe and surrounding communities and will ensure the tribe has the resources they need to deliver safe, reliable access to clean water to the reservation and complete a hydropower project to bring new baseload generation to the region. I\u2019m grateful for Representative Downing\u2019s work to get this passed in the House and am thrilled to see it pass the Senate- let\u2019s get it across the finish line!\u201d said Senator Steve Daines.\n\n\u201cThe federal government must ensure tribal water settlements work as intended. S. 240 gives the Crow Tribe greater flexibility to complete critical drinking water and irrigation projects while extending its exclusive right to pursue hydropower development at Yellowtail Afterbay Dam. I commend Senator Daines and Rep. Downing for championing a practical solution that strengthens tribal self-determination and supports long-term economic growth on the Crow Reservation,\u201d said House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman.\n\nRead the bill HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-25T10:04:52Z", "2026-09-25T10:05:46Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://downing.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-downings-bill-crow-tribe-water-rights-settlement-amendments-act"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.5267760027199984, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}