Jeff Bingaman: “I rise today to commemorate President Obama's signing of the historic Claims Resolution Act of 2010. The act contains…”

“I rise today to commemorate President Obama's signing of the historic Claims Resolution Act of 2010. The act contains measures that resolve long-standing claims against the United States including claims relating to three Indian water rights adjudication cases in New Mexico. In addition, the act provides significant funding to implement the settlement agreements. The signing of the Claims Resolution Act of 2010 represents a significant achievement for the people of New Mexico. I would like to express my gratitude to the many New Mexicans who have worked on these settlement agreements over many years. I would also like to commend the Obama administration for its efforts to engage with the settlement parties to finalize the settlements in ways that will strengthen the relationship between the Federal Government and the tribes and protect the non-Indian residents in the settlement areas. Having the full support of the administration was a very important part of our success. The Aamodt and Abeyta settlements represent agreements that end long-standing litigation and provide numerous benefits that could never have been possible through the courts. The funding we have provided will ensure that the projects can move forward quickly.”