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S. 982 114th Congress Senate

Water Rights Protection Act

Official title: A bill to prohibit the conditioning of any permit, lease, or other use agreement on the transfer of any water right to the United States by the Secretaries of … Show full official titleShow less

Official title: A bill to prohibit the conditioning of any permit, lease, or other use agreement on the transfer of any water right to the United States by the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture, and to require the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture to develop water planning instruments consistent with State law.

Introduced: April 16, 2015 Introduced by: John Barrasso Republican · Wyoming See on congress.gov
Public Lands and Natural Resources Indian lands and resources rightsIntergovernmental relationsLand use and conservationLicensing and registrations
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State and local government operationsWater use and supply
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This bill died when the 114th Congress ended
It never became law before the 114th Congress (2015–2016) 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
Jun 18, 2015
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Senate Subcommittee on Water and Power. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 114-399.
Apr 16, 2015
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Apr 16, 2015
Introduced in Senate
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 Latest action June 18, 2015

Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Senate Subcommittee on Water and Power. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 114-399.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Water Rights Protection Act

Prohibits the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture from:

  • conditioning or withholding the issuance, renewal, amendment, or extension of any permit, approval, license, lease, allotment, easement, right-of-way, or other land use or occupancy agreement (permit) on the limitation or encumbrance of any water right or the transfer of any water right to the United States or any other designee, or any other impairment of any water right under state law by federal or state action;
  • requiring any water user (including a federally recognized Indian tribe) to apply for or acquire a water right in the name of the United States under state law as a condition of such a permit;
  • asserting jurisdiction over groundwater withdrawals or impacts on groundwater resources, unless consistent with state groundwater resource laws, regulations, and policies; or
  • infringing on the rights and obligations of a state in evaluating, allocating, and adjudicating state waters originating on or under, or flowing from, land owned or managed by the federal government.
 Related & companion bills 2
  • HR 1830 Identical bill Water Rights Protection Act
  • HR 2898 Western Water and American Food Security Act of 2015
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
 Cosponsors 5
All 5 Republican 5
R
Cruz, Ted
Texas · Jun 4, 2015
 R
Lee, Mike
Utah · Apr 28, 2015
 R
Crapo, Mike
Idaho · Apr 16, 2015
 R
Fischer, Deb
Nebraska · Apr 16, 2015
 R
Risch, James E.
Idaho · Apr 16, 2015
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 982: Water Rights Protection Act. 114th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/114-S-982/
MLA
"S. 982: Water Rights Protection Act." 114th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/114-S-982/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 982, 114th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/114-S-982/.
Markdown link
[S. 982: Water Rights Protection Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/114-S-982/)
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