Fremont-Madison Conveyance Act
Public Law 108-85 · S. 520 · 108th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by George W. Bush (R) on Sep 30, 2003 · Water Resources Development
Sponsor: Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID)
Cosponsors (1): Sen. Larry Craig
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- 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.
Fremont-Madison Conveyance Act - (Sec. 3) Directs the Secretary of the Interior to: (1) convey to the Fremont-Madison Irrigation District in Idaho, pursuant to a specified Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the District and the Secretary, the canals, lateral, drains, and other components of the water distribution and drainage system operated or maintained by the District; and (2) condition such conveyance on the District paying the administrative costs of the conveyance and related activities and the lesser of the net present value of the remaining obligations owed to the United States for the facilities conveyed or $280,000. Provides for amounts received to be deposited into the reclamation fund. Requires a report to Congress if the Secretary has not completed any conveyance required by this Act by September 13, 2004.
(Sec. 5) Requires the Secretary, in conveying the Teton Exchange Wells, to also convey the Idaho Department of Water Resources permit number 22-7022 to the District, including drilled wells under such permit and all appurtenant equipment.
Extends a specified water service contract between the Secretary and the District until all conditions described in this Act are fulfilled.
(Sec. 6) Requires the Secretary, prior to conveyance, to complete all environmental reviews and analyses as set forth in the MOA.
(Sec. 7) Exempts the United States from liability for damages arising out of any act, omission, or occurrence relating to the conveyed facilities, except for damages caused by acts of negligence committed by the United States prior to conveyance.
(Sec. 8) Increases the acreage within the District eligible to receive water from the Minidoka and Teton Basin Projects to reflect the number of acres within the District. States that such increase does not alter authorized water deliveries.
(Sec. 9) Requires the Secretary: (1) in collaboration with stakeholders in the Henry's Fork watershed, to initiate a drought management planning process to address all water uses in the watershed; and (2) report a final plan to Congress.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Natural Resources Committee · House · referred toSubcommittee: Water, Wildlife, and Fisheries Subcommittee
Energy and Natural Resources Committee · Senate · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: 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.
Related bills
1 bill the Library of Congress relates to this one.
H.R. 1106Identical bill
Fremont-Madison Conveyance Act
Data notes
Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 23 actions.
- Sep 30, 2003Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 108-85.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Sep 18, 2003FloorFloor · Presented to President.
- Sep 16, 2003FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 520.
- FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Calvert moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
- Jun 20, 2003CommitteeCommittee · Executive Comment Requested from Interior.
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the Subcommittee on Water and Power.
- Jun 17, 2003FloorFloor · Received in the House.
- FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the House Committee on Resources.
- Jun 16, 2003FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- Jun 9, 2003CalendarCalendar · Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 126.
- CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Domenici without amendment. With written report No. 108-62.
- May 21, 2003CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
- May 13, 2003CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water and Power. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 108-64.
- CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Water and Power Subcommittee of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
- Mar 17, 2003FloorFloor · Star Print ordered on on the bill.
- Mar 5, 2003CommitteeCommittee · Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in Senate
Data notes
Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.
Amendments
1 amendment offered to the bill, with the last recorded step of each.
- Agreed to
S.Amdt. 928SenateSen. Mike CrapoR-ID· offered Jun 16, 2003Agreed to
To make technical corrections.
Jun 16, 2003: Amendment SA 928 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
Data notes
Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.
Official record
The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.