S. 640: Technical Corrections to the Northwestern New Mexico Rural Water Projects Act, Taos Pueblo Indian Water Rights Settlement Act, and Aamodt Litigation Settlement Act
Sponsor
Ben Luján
Democrat · NM
Bill Progress
Latest Action · Dec 15, 2025
Passed the Senate, received in House
New Mexico tribes are owed years of missed water-fund interest
Why it matters
When Congress set up three tribal water settlement funds in 2009 and 2010, the laws never let the money earn interest. S. 640 authorizes about $18.5 million to make up that gap for the Navajo Nation, Taos Pueblo, and the Aamodt-settlement pueblos.
S. 640 is a narrow cleanup bill, not a new water settlement. It patches two older laws so three tribal water trust funds in New Mexico can finally receive the interest they were never set up to earn.
Here's what went wrong. When the Navajo, Taos Pueblo, and Aamodt water settlements were funded in 2009 and 2010, the laws that created the trust funds didn't allow the deposited money to accrue interest. The bill's sponsors say that left the tribes short. S. 640 authorizes a one-time "adjusted interest" deposit into each fund to cover the difference.
The dollars: about $6.36 million for the Navajo Nation Water Resources Development Trust Fund, about $7.79 million for the Taos Pueblo Water Development Fund, and about $4.31 million for the Aamodt Settlement Pueblos' Fund. Roughly $18.47 million in all. The Aamodt money is earmarked for the pueblos' share of operating, maintaining, and replacing their water facilities and regional system.
The bill also directs the Treasury to waive certain money the Aamodt pueblos might otherwise owe back to the government from interest earned before September 15, 2017. And it goes out of its way to leave the underlying settlements alone: the bill states that nothing in it disturbs the earlier federal findings that the Taos and Aamodt settlement conditions were already met. The goal is to fix the accounting without reopening settled water rights.
S. 640 Bill Summary
What S. 640 actually does.
Navajo fund gets its missed interest
Authorizes $6,357,674.46 for deposit into the Navajo Nation Water Resources Development Trust Fund as an adjusted interest payment, and excludes that deposit from an existing deposit cap.
Taos Pueblo fund gets its missed interest
Authorizes $7,794,297.52 for deposit into the Taos Pueblo Water Development Fund, on top of the amounts the original settlement already provided.
Aamodt pueblos' fund gets its missed interest
Authorizes $4,314,709.18 for the Aamodt Settlement Pueblos' Fund, earmarked for the pueblos' share of operating, maintaining, and replacing their water facilities and regional system.
Treasury waives certain Aamodt repayments
Directs the Treasury Secretary to waive money the pueblos might otherwise owe the United States on interest earned before September 15, 2017.
The old settlements stay closed
States that nothing in the bill reopens the earlier federal findings that the Taos and Aamodt settlement conditions had already been satisfied.
Future interest can be appropriated too
Authorizes appropriation of any investment earnings, including interest, credited to the covered trust funds going forward.
Who benefits from S. 640?
The Navajo Nation
Stands to gain roughly $6.36 million in adjusted interest for its water resources trust fund, money tied to a settlement that has shaped water development across the Nation.
Taos Pueblo
Would receive about $7.79 million, the largest of the three deposits, strengthening the fund behind its water rights settlement.
The Aamodt Settlement Pueblos
Tesuque, Nambé, Pojoaque, and San Ildefonso would split about $4.31 million for water system operations and maintenance, plus a waiver on certain repayments to the federal government.
Households on tribal and regional water systems
People served by these settlement-funded water projects benefit when the funds behind operations, maintenance, and long-term replacement are made whole.
Who is affected by S. 640?
The Department of the Interior
Would oversee the deposits into the three tribal funds and implement the corrected funding structure.
The Department of the Treasury
Would process the authorized deposits and carry out the waiver of certain Aamodt-related payments.
Congressional appropriators
Would decide whether and when to actually fund the roughly $18.47 million the bill authorizes.
Federal taxpayers
Cover the added spending, which the bill frames as correcting interest the funds should have earned under the original settlements.
Cost & Funding
Authorization
$18,466,681.16 total in authorized adjusted interest payments
- $6,357,674.46 for the Navajo Nation Water Resources Development Trust Fund
- $7,794,297.52 for the Taos Pueblo Water Development Fund
- $4,314,709.18 for the Aamodt Settlement Pueblos' Fund
- These are authorizations, not automatic spending — appropriators still have to fund them
- Any investment earnings credited to the covered trust funds are also authorized to be appropriated
- Treasury would waive certain Aamodt-related payments owed on interest earned before September 15, 2017
What Congress Is Saying
S. 640 has come up 5 times in the Congressional Record so far.
S. 640 also appeared in 1 more Senate floor reference and 2 routine cosponsor filings.
S640 Legislative Journey
House: Action Taken
Dec 15, 2025
Held at the desk.
Passed 8692-8693
Dec 11, 2025
Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. (text: CR S8692-8693)
+2 more actions this day
Committee Action
Nov 4, 2025
Committee on Indian Affairs. Reported by Senator Murkowski without amendment. With written report No. 119-95.
Passed Committee
Mar 5, 2025
Committee on Indian Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
Committee Action
Feb 19, 2025
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.
About the Sponsor
Ben Luján
Democrat, NM · 17 years in Congress
Committees: United States Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control, Indian Affairs, Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
View full profile →
Cosponsors (1)
This bill has 1 cosponsor: 1 Democrat. Cosponsors represent 1 state: New Mexico.
Committee Sponsors
Indian Affairs Committee
0 of 11 committee members cosponsored
No committee members have cosponsored this bill
5 Democrats across this committee haven't cosponsored yet. Mobilize their constituents
S. 640 Quick Facts
- Committee
- Indian Affairs
- Chamber
- Senate
- Policy
- Native Americans
- Introduced
- Feb 19, 2025
Passed the Senate, received in House
Dec 15, 2025
Official Sources
Official bill page with full text, actions, and the Senate Indian Affairs Committee report.
Congressional Budget Office score for the bill's roughly $18.5 million in authorized adjusted-interest payments.
BIA overview of how enacted tribal water settlements, including the Navajo, Taos Pueblo, and Aamodt agreements, are structured and funded.
Committee that reported S. 640 (Report 119-95); announcement of the markup advancing the bill to the full Senate.
The 2009 law that created the Navajo Nation Water Resources Development Trust Fund, which Section 2 of S. 640 amends.
The 2010 law that established the Taos Pueblo and Aamodt settlement funds, which Sections 3-5 of S. 640 amend.
Who is lobbying on S. 640?
2 organizations lobbying on this bill
PUEBLO OF TAOS | 7 |
NAVAJO NATION | 5 |
Showing 1-2 of 2 organizations
S. 640 Common Questions
What does S. 640 actually do?
It authorizes about $18.5 million in "adjusted interest" for three New Mexico tribal water settlement funds. The original settlement laws never let those funds earn interest, and the bill goes back to make up the difference.
Why didn't these tribal water funds earn interest in the first place?
When the funds were set up in 2009 and 2010 under the Navajo, Taos Pueblo, and Aamodt water settlements, the laws that created them didn't authorize the deposited money to accrue interest. The bill's sponsors say that left the tribes short.
How much does each fund get under S. 640?
The Navajo Nation Water Resources Development Trust Fund gets $6,357,674.46, the Taos Pueblo Water Development Fund gets $7,794,297.52, and the Aamodt Settlement Pueblos' Fund gets $4,314,709.18 — about $18.47 million in all.
What can the Aamodt pueblos spend their money on?
Their $4.31 million is earmarked for the pueblos' share of operating, maintaining, and replacing the Pueblo Water Facilities and the Regional Water System built under the settlement.
Does S. 640 forgive money the Aamodt pueblos owed the government?
Yes. The bill directs the Treasury Secretary to waive certain money that might otherwise be owed back to the United States on interest earned before September 15, 2017.
Does S. 640 reopen the old tribal water settlements?
No. The bill states that nothing in it disturbs the earlier federal findings that the Taos Pueblo and Aamodt settlement conditions had already been satisfied. It's a financial fix, not a reopening of water rights.
Is the money guaranteed once S. 640 passes?
Not automatically. The bill authorizes the deposits, but appropriators still have to fund them in a future spending bill before the money actually lands in the trust funds.
Has S. 640 become law?
Not yet. The Senate passed it by unanimous consent on December 11, 2025, and it's now held at the desk in the House. It still needs a House vote and the President's signature.
Based on S. 640 bill text
S. 640 Bill Text
“To amend the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 to make a technical correction to the Navajo Nation Water Resources Development Trust Fund, to amend the Claims Resolution Act of 2010 to make technical corrections to the Taos Pueblo Water Development Fund and Aamodt Settlement Pueblos’ Fund, and for other purposes.”
Source: U.S. Government Publishing Office
Get notified when S. 640 moves
Committee votes, floor action, cosponsor changes — straight to your inbox.
Bill alerts + Legisletter's monthly briefing. Unsubscribe anytime.
Native Americans Bills
9 related bills we're tracking
Tribal Trust Land Homeownership Act of 2025
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 439.
Feb 23, 2026
Special Diabetes Program for Indians Reauthorization Act of 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Sep 18, 2025
To authorize leases of up to 99 years for land held in trust for federally recognized Indian Tribes.
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.
Mar 4, 2026
Native American Entrepreneurial Opportunity Act
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 424.
Feb 17, 2026
Tribal Trust Land Homeownership Act of 2025
Held at the desk.
Dec 15, 2025
Chugach Alaska Land Exchange Oil Spill Recovery Act of 2025
Received in the Senate.
Mar 4, 2026
Helping Our People Act of 2026
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
Jan 27, 2026
Cape Fox Land Entitlement Finalization Act of 2025
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Mar 3, 2026
Taos Pueblo Indian Water Rights Settlement Amendments Act of 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
Nov 20, 2025
Trending Right Now
Bills gaining momentum across Congress
AADAPT Act
Ordered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 48 - 0.
May 21, 2026
Buying American Cotton Act of 2026
Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
Jan 22, 2026
West Bank Violence Prevention Act of 2025
Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Apr 28, 2025
Tracking Native Americans in Congress? Monitor bills, track cosponsor momentum, and launch advocacy campaigns — all from one advocacy platform.