HR302Referred to Committee

Water Rights Protection Act

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Introduced
In Committee
3
Passed One Chamber
4
Passed Both
5
Signed into Law
119th
Congress
2025-01-09
Introduced
6
Cosponsors
HR
ⓘ
Type

Sponsor

Celeste Maloy
Celeste Maloy
Republican · UT · Representative
Votes with party: 96.3% (602 recorded votes)

Full profile: /officials/M001228

Source: Congress.gov · FEC

Cosponsors (6)

Members who have signed on to support this bill since introduction. Source: Congress.gov.

6 cosponsors on record at Congress.gov. The named list is syncing into Govwatch and will appear here shortly — view on Congress.gov in the meantime.

Latest Action

The most recent step in the bill's legislative path. Committee Activity below shows referrals and reports; the full action-by-action history including floor proceedings lives at Congress.gov →

Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 334.

2025-11-25

Source: Congress.gov

Committee Activity

Currently in

Previously

Plain-English Summary

Water Rights Protection Act of 2025 This bill limits the transfer of water rights from water users to the Department of the Interior or the Department of Agriculture (USDA). First, the bill prohibits Interior and USDA from conditioning the issuance or renewal of land use or occupancy agreements (e.g., permits and leases) on the transfer of any water right to the United States. Next, it prohibits Interior and USDA from requiring water users, including Indian tribes, to acquire water rights in the name of the United States as a condition of the issuance or renewal of a land use or occupancy agreement. Finally, it prohibits Interior and USDA from conditioning or withholding the issuance or renewal of land use or occupancy agreements on (1) limiting the date, time, quantity, location of diversion or pumping, or place of use of a state water right beyond any applicable limitations under state water law; or (2) modifying the terms and conditions of groundwater withdrawal, guidance and reporting procedures, or conservation and source protection measures established by a state. Interior and USDA must also ensure that federal action imposes no greater restriction or regulatory requirement than under applicable state water law. Further, Interior and USDA must not take actions that adversely affect state authority in permitting water usage or in adjudicating water rights.

Plain-English rewrite of the Congressional Research Service summary published on Congress.gov. Cached and reviewed.

Subjects

Public Lands and Natural Resources
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Related legislation

Bills by the same sponsor or covering overlapping subjects.