(Washington, DC) – The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation Water Rights Settlement Act (H.R. 5293), authored by U.S. Congressman Dean Heller (R-NV).  This is Heller’s fourth bill to pass the House.

“Water in the arid western states is a precious commodity.  With the appropriate allocation of water rights, the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of Duck Valley can realize their full potential for raising livestock, farming, fisheries, and maintaining healthy wildlife populations.  The passage of this bill is a positive step towards settling water rights claims that have gone unresolved far too long,” said Heller. 
            
This bill would approve the water rights claims of the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation, the State of Nevada, and the upstream and individual water users who have entered into a settlement agreement to resolve all water rights disputes along the Owyhee River.  It also establishes a water rights development fund for water resource planning and development, cultural preservation, habitat restoration, and construction of water supply and sewer systems.