U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today secured passage of his bipartisan bill, the “Montana Water Rights Protection Act,” out of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, clearing the way for a Senate vote on the bill.
“For decades, the CSKT water dispute has gone unresolved in Montana, leading to uncertainty for thousands of Montanans across our state. That’s why I introduced the bipartisan Montana Water Rights Protection Act which permanently settles the CSKT water dispute, protects the water rights of all Montanans, creates jobs, modernizes critical infrastructure needs in Northwestern Montana, protects Montana agriculture, avoids costly litigation and has the Trump administration’s support,” Daines said. “I am glad to see this Committee take steps to advance my important legislation for Montana and resolve this dispute.”
Daines’ bipartisan bill settles the century-long Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT) water dispute, creates more than 6,000 jobs, modernizes critical Northwestern Montana infrastructure, avoids costly litigation, protects the water rights of all Montanans and provides certainty for Montana’s farmers and ranchers.
Last month in a U.S Senate hearing, the Trump administration expressed support for Daines’ bipartisan bill with the Department of the Interior Assistant Secretary Tim Petty discussing the benefits of the bill, including job creation and modernizing infrastructure needs.
Without Daines’ efforts, Montana’s agriculture economy would face a $1.3 billion hit, a significant loss of jobs, and substantial uncertainty for Montana’s farmers and ranchers.
For more information on Daines’ efforts related to the “Montana Water Rights Protection Act”, click HERE.
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