Lisa Murkowski actually said...

This amendment is needed to fulfill the promise of the Settlement Act for the tribes, which is to be able to make use of their water rights ...

Indian water rights are vested property rights and resources for which the United States has a trust responsibility.

the land transfer provisions in the proposed Fort Belknap settlement are unique unto themselves.

Negotiated settlements, rather than protracted litigation, has become the preferred approach to resolving Indian water rights disputes.