Protecting Indian Water Rights Settlements Act of 2026

The Protecting Indian Water Rights Settlements Act of 2026 creates two new funding accounts to support the implementation of specific Indian water rights settlements. One account provides $45 million annually through 2035 for ongoing operations and maintenance related to five existing settlements, while the second account offers $250 million annually for the same period to fund new or continuing settlements approved by Congress. These funds are automatically deposited into the Treasury and made available to the Secretary of the Interior without needing further approval for each use. The legislation allows the Interior Secretary to decide how quickly and in what order to distribute the money to ensure settlements are completed efficiently.