East Idaho Times

The U.S. Senate has unanimously passed legislation that will enable the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of Duck Valley to receive more than $5 million in interest owed to them from the 2009 Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation Water Rights Settlement Act. This milestone was achieved with the backing of U.S. Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch, both Republicans from Idaho.

Senator Crapo expressed his satisfaction with the Senate's unanimous support for the legislation, stating, "The Senate’s unanimous support for this much-needed fix takes the next step in upholding the federal government’s full interest terms of the 2009 settlement with the Duck Valley Reservation. I urge the House of Representatives to quickly take up the measure and send it to the President to be signed into law. This error must be corrected expeditiously."

Senator Risch also highlighted the importance of rectifying the oversight made in the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes' water rights settlement. He stated, "The Shoshone-Paiute Tribes’ water rights settlement mistakenly excluded interest payments, which unfairly cut these communities short. The passage of our legislation is a good step in correcting this error and provides the Tribes the proper interest they are owed."

Tribal Chairman Brian Mason conveyed his gratitude to Senators Cortez Masto, Crapo, Rosen, and Risch for their efforts in securing Senate passage of the legislation. He emphasized the significance of the bill, stating, "This legislation will restore the value of the trust funds provided to the Tribes to the level intended by Congress in our 2009 congressionally approved water settlement and is an important step to fulfilling the economic potential of the Duck Valley Reservation."

The bill, S. 950, was introduced by Senator Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada on March 22, 2023, with Senators Crapo and Risch as original co-sponsors. The bill aims to correct the oversight made in excluding interest payments from the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes' water rights settlement, ensuring that the Tribes receive the full amount owed to them by the federal government. Interest payments are a common feature in Indian water settlements, making this correction necessary for fairness and justice.

Upon signing into law, the bill will enable the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation to collect the full amount they are owed, thus rectifying the mistake and providing the Tribes with the financial support they rightfully deserve.

Click this link to access more information: https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/us-senate-unanimously-passes-legislation-to-pay-owed-interest-to-shoshone-paiute