As Congress readies to recess for the holidays, the fate of two Indian water settlements remains uncertain. Although Gov. Katie Hobbs has already signed these agreements on behalf of Arizona last month, they still need to be ratified by federal lawmakers.
Senator Mark Kelly introduced legislation for the Northeastern Arizona Indian and Yavapai-Apache Nation water rights settlements earlier this year, and he used this analogy when asked for a status update from Capitol Hill.
“Remember this is Washington, D.C.,” Kelly told KJZZ News. ”This isn’t like NASA, you know, where you put the rocket ship on the launch pad, and you’re like, got a date, and you’re gonna get it into space. Sometimes I feel like if NASA had the rules of the Senate, the rocket never leaves the launch pad.”
The retired astronaut and U.S. Navy captain wouldn’t comment on whether the House and Senate will vote before this session ends. If not this time around, he’ll reintroduce the bills and essentially “start over again” when Republicans control both chambers starting next year.
“So we’re trying to get this through the process,” Kelly added. “It does take longer than we would like. So, just know that, we’re actively engaged with all the partners on this in Arizona, here in Washington. But my hope is that we get this done sooner rather than later and provide these critical resources to these tribes.”
Together, the pair of settlements would cost the federal government about $6 billion and resolve water claims for the Navajo Nation, Hopi and San Juan Southern Paiute tribes as well as the Yavapai-Apache Nation.
