HR 302 119th Congress House Public Lands and Natural Resources Administrative law and regulatory procedures Department of Agriculture Department of the Interior Indian lands and resources rights Intergovernmental relations Land use and conservation Licensing and registrations State and local government operations Water use and supply

Water Rights Protection Act

Introduced: January 9, 2025 Introduced by: Maloy, Celeste Republican · Utah See on congress.gov

Everywhere this bill has been 8 steps

Introduced

In committee

Reported out

Passed House

Passed Senate

To President

Became law

Nov 25, 2025

Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 334.

Nov 25, 2025

Committee on Agriculture discharged.

Nov 25, 2025

Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-384, Part I.

Feb 14, 2025

Referred to the Subcommittee on Conservation, Research, and Biotechnology.

Feb 12, 2025

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held

Feb 12, 2025

Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute by the Yeas and Nays: 22 - 16.

Jan 9, 2025

Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Jan 9, 2025

Introduced in House

Votes taken on this bill 2

Date	Chamber	What was voted on	Result	Yes–No
Oct 3, 2018	Senate · vote #220	On the Motion (Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment …	Agreed To	93–6	See who voted →
Oct 1, 2018	Senate · vote #219	On the Cloture Motion H.R. 302	Agreed To	90–7	See who voted →

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Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

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.

What's happening now November 25, 2025

Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 334.

Hearings & markups 1

Mark up on • H.R. 231 (Rep. Hageman), “Colorado River Basin System Conservation Extension Act of 2025”; • H.R. 249 (Re…
Markup Feb 12, 2025 · 10:00 AM EST · Natural Resources Committee

Bill text 2 versions

Introduced in House Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML
Reported in House Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

Committees of jurisdiction 3

Agriculture Committee
House of Representatives
Conservation, Research, and Biotechnology Subcommittee
House of Representatives · subcommittee of Agriculture Committee
Natural Resources Committee
House of Representatives

Lobbying activity 11

Registered lobbyists who named this bill in their disclosure filings. Source: federal Lobbying Disclosure Act filings.

PUBLIC LANDS COUNCIL
for PUBLIC LANDS COUNCIL · District of Columbia · 1st Quarter (Jan 1 - Mar 31) 2026
PUBLIC LANDS COUNCIL
for PUBLIC LANDS COUNCIL · District of Columbia · 4th Quarter (Oct 1 - Dec 31) 2025
ASSOCIATION OF CALIFORNIA WATER AGENCIES
for ASSOCIATION OF CALIFORNIA WATER AGENCIES · District of Columbia · 4th Quarter (Oct 1 - Dec 31) 2025
ASSOCIATION OF CALIFORNIA WATER AGENCIES
for ASSOCIATION OF CALIFORNIA WATER AGENCIES · District of Columbia · 3rd Quarter (July 1 - Sep 30) 2025
PUBLIC LANDS COUNCIL
for PUBLIC LANDS COUNCIL · District of Columbia · 3rd Quarter (July 1 - Sep 30) 2025
ASSOCIATION OF CALIFORNIA WATER AGENCIES
for ASSOCIATION OF CALIFORNIA WATER AGENCIES · District of Columbia · 2nd Quarter (Apr 1 - June 30) 2025

See all 11 filings →

Cosponsors 6

Arizona · Jan 9, 2025

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APA

U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 302: Water Rights Protection Act. 119th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/119-HR-302/

MLA

"H.R. 302: Water Rights Protection Act." 119th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/119-HR-302/.

Bluebook (legal)

H.R. 302, 119th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/119-HR-302/.

Markdown link

[H.R. 302: Water Rights Protection Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/119-HR-302/)