Ken Calvert (R-CA)
Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians Water Rights Settlement Act
A Republican bill with 1 Democratic cosponsor · See the cosponsor
Last activity — Referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill settles water rights claims for the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians in California. It ratifies an agreement between the Tribe, the Coachella Valley Water District (CVWD), and the Desert Water Agency (DWA). The Act confirms the Tribe's right to use up to 20,000 acre-feet of groundwater per year and establishes a settlement trust fund. It also authorizes the transfer of certain Federal lands to the Tribe and the sale of "Facility Land" to CVWD. Additionally, it allows the Tribe to implement its own possessory interest tax.
Yes· 3 of 13
- Scored +10
Would Native Americans be better off under this?
Directly provides water rights settlement, funding, and land transfers to the Agua Caliente Tribe.
- Scored +7
Does this narrow racial gaps in how people are treated?
Recognizes and quantifies water rights for the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians.
- Scored +6
Would farmers be better off under this?
Ensures equitable distribution of water for irrigation for allottees.
The opposite· 3 of 4
- Scored -5
Does this reduce what the federal government spends?
The bill increases federal spending through mandatory appropriations for the settlement trust fund.
- Scored -3
Does this leave more decisions to the states?
Preempts state and local laws regarding water rights and certain property taxes.
- Scored -2
Does this make the government pay for what it commits to?
Increases federal spending obligations.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
- Improved Water Infrastructure: The creation of the Agua Caliente Development Projects Account provides funds for projects that improve water supply, reliability, infrastructure, and quality for the Reservation and the Indio Subbasin (Section 6(h)(1)).
- Protection of Cultural Resources: The bill requires CVWD to stop ground-disturbing activity if Tribal Cultural Resources are discovered and gives the Tribe the right to decide on the treatment and disposition of those resources (Section 13(g)).
- Allottee Water Access: The Act ensures that Allottees are entitled to a just and equitable distribution of water for irrigation purposes (Section 5(h)(3)).
- Funding for Groundwater: The Agua Caliente Groundwater Augmentation Account provides money to reimburse water districts for projects that support groundwater levels under the Reservation (Section 6(h)(2)).
- Traditional Use of Water: Tribal Members maintain the right to use water from wells, streams, seeps, and springs on the Reservation for traditional and cultural purposes without it counting against the Tribal Water Right, provided it is non-consumptive (Section 5(n)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Loss of Legal Claims: The Tribe and the United States must waive and release a wide range of claims, including those for water rights, damages from groundwater overdraft, and losses resulting from the collection of replenishment assessment charges (Section 9(a)).
- New Tax Obligations: The Act authorizes the Tribe to impose a Tribal Possessory Interest Tax on those with a possessory interest in land or improvements (Section 11(b)(1)).
- Gaming Restrictions: Federal lands transferred to the Tribe under this Act are specifically prohibited from being used for class II or class III gaming (Section 12(g)).
- Limited Individual Recourse: Allottees must exhaust all remedies under Tribal Law before they can initiate an action against the United States or petition the Secretary regarding water allocations (Section 5(i)(3)(C)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would Native Americans be better off under this? — Directly provides water rights settlement, funding, and land transfers to the Agua Caliente Tribe. Would farmers be better off under this? — Ensures equitable distribution of water for irrigation for allottees. Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — Improves water supply and infrastructure in the Indio Subbasin. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Improves water access and infrastructure for tribal residents. Would business owners be better off under this? — Resolves legal uncertainty regarding water rights for local entities.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this invest in rural communities? — Funds water infrastructure and reliability in a rural tribal region. Does this better protect public land such as parks and forests? — Transfers federal lands into trust for the Tribe and sells specific land to the water district. Does this better protect air, water and wildlife? — Establishes protections for Tribal Cultural Resources during ground-disturbing activities.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this narrow racial gaps in how people are treated? — Recognizes and quantifies water rights for the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians. Does this protect the freedom to practise a religion? — Protects the right to use water for traditional and cultural purposes. Is this likely to lift people out of poverty? — Provides funding for tribal water infrastructure which supports economic stability.
- Economy And Finance
- Is this likely to grow the economy? — Resolving long-standing water rights litigation provides economic certainty for the region. Is this likely to create jobs? — Investment in water infrastructure projects may create local construction and engineering jobs. Does this reduce what the federal government spends? — The bill increases federal spending through mandatory appropriations for the settlement trust fund. Does this make the government pay for what it commits to? — Increases federal spending obligations. Does this reduce what the federal government owes? — The bill mandates approximately $500 million in appropriations from the Treasury.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this leave more decisions to the states? — Preempts state and local laws regarding water rights and certain property taxes.
- 9/10/2026
- Referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries.
- 1/20/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 11/7/2025
- Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Raul RuizDemocrat · California