Chippewa Cree Tribe of the Rocky Boy's Reservation Indian Reserved Water Rights Settlement and Water Supply Enhancement Act of 1999
Public Law 106-163 · S. 438 · 106th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Bill Clinton (D) on Dec 9, 1999 · Native Americans
Sponsor: Sen. Conrad Burns (R-MT)
Cosponsors (1): Sen. Max Baucus
Passage votes
- HouseUnanimous consent
- SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Chippewa Cree Tribe of the Rocky Boy's Reservation Indian Reserved Water Rights Settlement and Water Supply Enhancement Act of 1999 - Requires the Chippewa Cree Tribe (Tribe) of the Rocky Boy's Reservation in Montana, in exchange for benefits granted under this Act, to execute a waiver and release of certain water rights claims against the United States.
Title I: Chippewa Cree Tribe of the Rocky Boy's Reservation Indian Reserved Water Rights Settlement - Approves and ratifies the Water Rights Compact entered into on April 14, 1997, by the Tribe and the State of Montana, as modified by this Act. Directs the Secretary of the Interior to execute and implement the Compact.
Requires the United States, the Tribe, or the State of Montana to petition the Montana Water Court to enter and approve the proposed decree agreed to by such parties. Provides that if approval by the appropriate court does not become final within three years after the filing of the decree or the decree is approved but subsequently set aside: (1) the approval and ratification of the Compact by the United States shall be null and void; and (2) this Act shall be of no further force and effect.
(Sec. 102) Directs the Secretary to administer and enforce the Tribal Water Right until the approval of a tribal water code by the Tribe. Satisfies any entitlement to Federal Indian reserved water of any tribal member solely from the water secured to the Tribe by the Compact.
Authorizes the Tribe, subject to the approval of the Secretary and the State and Compact conditions, to transfer any portion of the Tribal water right for use off the Reservation by service contract, lease, exchange, or other agreement.
(Sec. 103) Directs the Secretary: (1) through the Bureau of Reclamation, to plan, design, and construct specified water development projects on the Reservation; and (2) at the request of the Tribe, to enter into an agreement with the Tribe to carry out such activity through the Tribe's annual funding agreement entered into under the self- governance program under the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act.
(Sec. 104) Establishes the Chippewa Cree Indian Reserved Water Rights Settlement Trust Fund to fulfill the purposes of this Act, subject to certain restrictions on expenditures. Sets forth management and investment requirements, terms, and conditions.
(Sec. 105) Authorizes appropriations for the Fund and its various accounts, for on-Reservation water development projects, and for Bureau administrative costs.
(Sec. 106) Describes the State contribution to the settlement.
Title II: Tiber Reservoir Allocation and Feasibility Studies Authorization - Requires the Secretary to allocate a specified amount of stored water to the Tribe without cost. Grants the Tribe the right to devote the water to any use within or outside the Reservation.
(Sec. 202) Directs the Secretary, through the Bureau, to: (1) perform a municipal, rural, industrial, domestic, and incidental drought relief feasibility study of water and related resources in North Central Montana to evaluate alternatives for a municipal, rural, and industrial water supply for the Reservation; and (2) conduct a regional feasibility study to evaluate such water and related resources to determine limitations and how such resources can best be managed to serve the needs of Montana's citizens. Authorizes appropriations for such feasibility studies.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Indian Affairs Committee · Senate · hearings by (full committee), markup by, referred to, reported by- Energy and Natural Resources Committee · Senate · discharged from, referred toSubcommittee: Water and Power Subcommittee
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 17 actions.
- Dec 9, 1999Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 106-163.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Nov 30, 1999PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Nov 18, 1999FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On passage Passed without objection.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Young (AK) asked unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table and consider.
- FloorFloor · Considered by unanimous consent.
- Nov 4, 1999FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- Oct 1, 1999CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
- Jul 22, 1999CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Indian Affairs Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
- Jun 30, 1999CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Indian Affairs Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Senate Indian Affairs Committee
- May 28, 1999CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Indian Affairs Committee
- Feb 23, 1999CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Water and Power Subcommittee of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
- Feb 22, 1999IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.