Matteo Renzi: “Mr. Chairman, on June 23, 2003, President Bush signed into law the Zuni Indian Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of…”

“Mr. Chairman, on June 23, 2003, President Bush signed into law the Zuni Indian Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 2003. This new law settles a longstanding dispute over the water rights of Zuni Heaven among the local, county, State, tribal, Federal and private interests and restores and protects the wetland environments that previously existed on Zuni lands. Specifically, this recently enacted law provides the Zuni people with the resources and protections necessary to acquire water rights from willing sellers. The Zuni Indian Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act authorized appropriations for $3.5 million for the Zuni people to help them acquire and develop these water rights. This funding is to be used for the acquisition of water as well as associated lands by the Zuni tribe to facilitate the enforceability of the settlement agreement, including the acquisition of at least 2,350 acre-feet per year of water rights before December 31, 2006. Mr. Chairman, on behalf of the Zuni people, I would appreciate it if you could do all you can to support the inclusion of this funding when we conference this bill with the Senate.”