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To impose limitations on the authority of the Secretary of the Interior to claim title or other rights to water absent specific direction of law or to abrogate, injure, or otherwise impair any right…

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To impose limitations on the authority of the Secretary of the Interior to claim title or other rights to water absent specific direction of law or to abrogate, injure, or otherwise impair any right to the use of any quantity of water.

Introduced: February 1, 2005 See on congress.gov
This bill died when the 109th Congress ended
It never became law before the 109th Congress (2005–2006) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Feb 9, 2005
Referred to the Subcommittee on Water and Power.
Feb 1, 2005
Referred to the House Committee on Resources.
Feb 1, 2005
Introduced in House
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service
Prohibits the Secretary of the Interior from claiming title or other rights to water in a State, other than for Indian reservation lands, absent specific direction of law, or from exercising authority so as to abrogate, injure, or otherwise impair any right to the use of any quantity of water: (1) that has been allocated in accordance with provisions of the Department of Justice Appropriations Act relating to suits for the adjudication of water rights by or pursuant to interstate compact and by a decision of the United States Supreme Court; (2) by requiring a change in the nature of use or the transfer of any right to use water or creating a limitation on the exercise of any right to use water; or (3) by modifying the delivery, diversion, nondiversion, allocation, or storage of any water to be delivered by contract.
What's happening now February 9, 2005

Referred to the Subcommittee on Water and Power.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 487: To impose limitations on the authority of the Secretary of the Interior to claim title or other rights to water absent specific direction of law or to abrogate, injure, or otherwise impair any right to the use of any quantity of water.. 109th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/109-HR-487/
MLA
"H.R. 487: To impose limitations on the authority of the Secretary of the Interior to claim title or other rights to water absent specific direction of law or to abrogate, injure, or otherwise impair any right to the use of any quantity of water.." 109th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/109-HR-487/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 487, 109th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/109-HR-487/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 487: To impose limitations on the authority of the Secretary of the Interior to claim title or other rights to water absent specific direction of law or to abrogate, injure, or otherwise impair any right to the use of any quantity of water.](https://openamerica.io/bill/109-HR-487/)
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