Pechanga Band of Indians Water Rights Settlement Technical Amendments Act

Alex Padilla

Democrat · CA · Senator

Source: Congress.gov · FEC

• Adam B. Schiff (D-CA)Original· 2026-04-28

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S2083)

2026-04-28

Source: Congress.gov

This bill makes technical corrections to a previous agreement that settled water rights disputes for the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Mission Indians, a Native American tribe in California. The changes are intended to clarify or fix minor issues in how that water rights settlement operates without fundamentally changing the agreement itself. The bill affects the tribe's access to water resources and how those rights are managed.

AI-assisted summary generated from the official bill metadata (title, subjects, actions) sourced from Congress.gov. Cached and reviewed. Always verify against the official text linked below.

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [S. 4417 Introduced in Senate (IS)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 4417 To amend the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Mission Indians Water Rights Settlement Act to make technical corrections, and for other purposes. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES April 28, 2026 Mr. Padilla (for himself and Mr. Schiff) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To amend the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Mission Indians Water Rights Settlement Act to make technical corrections, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Pechanga Band of Indians Water Rights Settlement Technical Amendments Act''. SEC. 2. PECHANGA BAND OF INDIANS WATER RIGHTS SETTLEMENT TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS. (a) Definition of Reservation.--Section 3403(33) of the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Mission Indians Water Rights Settlement Act (Public Law 114-322; 130 Stat. 1757) is amended-- (1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``means the land'' and all that follows through the period at the end of the subparagraph and inserting the following: ``means-- ``(i) land set aside for the Band by the Executive order dated June 27, 1882; ``(ii) land set aside for the Band by the Executive order dated January 9, 1907; and ``(iii) land added to the reservation of the Band on any of the following dates: ``(I) August 29, 1893. ``(II) March 11, 1907. ``(III) February 21, 1931. ``(IV) May 25, 1931. ``(V) August 12, 1971. ``(VI) August 8, 1988. ``(VII) November 1, 1988. ``(VIII) October 10, 2008.''; (2) by redesignating subparagraph (B) as subparagraph (C); and (3) by inserting after subparagraph (A) the following: ``(B) Inclusions.--The term `Reservation' includes-- ``(i) any contiguous land held in trust by the United States for the Band on the enforceability date; and ``(ii) any contiguous land-- ``(I) located within the Santa Margarita River Watershed; and ``(II) placed into trust by the United States for the Band after the enforceability date.''. (b) Additional Uses of Pechanga Water Quality Account.--Section 3409(h)(4) of the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Mission Indians Water Rights Settlement Act (Public Law 114-322; 130 Stat. 1769) is amended by striking ``groundwater desalination activities within the Wolf Valley Basin'' and inserting ``activities to address water quality issues within the Wolf Valley Basin''. (c) Effect of Section.-- (1) Definition of pechanga settlement agreement.--In this subsection, the term ``Pechanga Settlement Agreement'' has the meaning given that term in section 3403 of the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Mission Indians Water Rights Settlement Act (Public Law 114-322; 130 Stat. 1755). (2) Pechanga settlement agreement.-- (A) Finding.--Congress finds that the parties to the Pechanga Settlement Agreement have agreed to amend the Pechanga Settlement Agreement (and any exhibit to the Pechanga Settlement Agreement) as necessary to conform the Pechanga Settlement Agreement (and the exhibits to the Pechanga Settlement Agreement) in accordance with the amendments made by this section. (B) Authorization.--The Secretary of the Interior shall promptly execute the amendments to the Pechanga Settlement Agreement (or any exhibit to the Pechanga Settlement Agreement) described in subparagraph (A). (3) Enforceability date.--Nothing in this section (or an amendment made by this section) affects-- (A) the status of satisfaction of any condition precedent described in section 3407(e) of the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Mission Indians Water Rights Settlement Act (Public Law 114-322; 130 Stat. 1765); or (B) the validity of the finding published by the Secretary of the Interior pursuant to that section on October 1, 2020, in…

the notice entitled ``Statement of Findings: Pechanga Band of Luiseno Mission Indians Water Rights Settlement Act'' (85 Fed. Reg. 61966) that those conditions precedent were fully satisfied. (4) Existing water rights.--Nothing in this section alters, or requires the alteration of, any water right in existence on the date of enactment of this Act. <all>

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