United States-Mexico Transboundary Aquifer Assessment Act
Latest action · Dec 22, 2006 Became Public Law No: 109-448.
Progress
Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.
- IntroducedJan 31, 2005
- Passed SenateJul 26, 2005
- Passed HouseDec 6, 2006
- To the PresidentDec 20, 2006
- Became lawDec 22, 2006Public Law 109-448
Summary
(Sec. 4) Establishes a United States-Mexico transboundary aquifer assessment program to characterize, map, and model groundwater resources along the border. Describes as the program's objectives to: (1) develop an integrated approach to assess priority transboundary aquifers, including creating or enhancing a geographic information system database for each priority aquifer; (2) consider expanding existing agreements between the U.S. Geological Survey, the participating states (Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas), the water resources research institutes, and appropriate U.S. and Mexican authorities to conduct joint scientific investigations and archive and share relevant data; and (3) produce scientific products for each priority aquifer to provide water managers and natural resource agencies with necessary information.
Directs the Secretary of the Interior to designate as priority transboundary aquifers the: (1) Hueco Bolson and Mesilla aquifers; (2) Santa Cruz River Valley aquifers; and (3) San Pedro aquifers.
Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) designate additional aquifers which underlie Texas or New Mexico; and (2) provide grants or enter into agreements with water resources research institutes and participating state entities to carry out the program.
Directs the Secretary to develop partnerships with relevant organizations in Mexico to carry out the program.
(Sec. 5) Directs the Secretary to: (1) coordinate activities with water resource agencies in the participating states, affected Indian tribes, and other entities conducting monitoring and metering activities, including the International Boundary and Water Commission; and (2) work with participating state water resource agencies, water resources research institutes, and other relevant entities to develop a study plan, timeline, and cost estimate for each priority transboundary aquifer to be studied under the program.
Prohibits the Secretary from initiating any field studies before consulting and coordinating with the participating state water resource agency with jurisdiction over the aquifer.
(Sec. 6) Prohibits anything in this Act from affecting: (1) the jurisdiction or responsibility of a participating state with respect to managing its surface or groundwater resources; (2) the water rights of any person or entity using water from a transboundary aquifer; or (3) state water law, or an interstate compact or international treaty governing water.
Prohibits anything in this Act from delaying or altering the implementation or operation of any works constructed, modified, acquired, or used within the territorial limits of the United States relating to the waters governed by the Treaty Between the United States and Mexico Regarding Utilization of Waters of the Colorado and Tijuana Rivers and of the Rio Grande, Treaty Series 994.
(Sec. 7) Sets forth program reporting requirements.
(Sec. 8) Authorizes FY2006-FY2016 appropriations. Obligates 50% of such funds for entities in the participating states (including Sandia National Laboratories, state agencies, universities, the Tri-Regional Planning Group, and other relevant organizations) and Mexico to conduct program activities, including the binational collection and exchange of scientific data.
(Sec. 9) Terminates the Secretary's authority under this Act 10 years after its enactment.
Cosponsors 2
Members who signed on, in the order they did. All signed on Jan 31, 2005.
| Seat | Cosponsor | Signed on | |
|---|---|---|---|
| R-AZ | Jon Kyl | Original | Jan 31, 2005 |
| R-NM | Pete V. Domenici | Original | Jan 31, 2005 |
Committees 2
Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.
| Chamber | Committee | What it did |
|---|---|---|
| Senate | Energy and Natural Resources Committee | Referred Jan 31, 2005Markup Feb 9, 2005Reported Mar 7, 2005 |
| House | Natural Resources Committee | Referred Jul 28, 2005 |
| Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Subcommittee | Referred Aug 1, 2005Hearings May 10, 2006 |
Actions 23
Everything that happened, newest first.
- Dec 22, 2006Signed by President.
- Dec 22, 2006Became Public Law No: 109-448.
- Dec 20, 2006Presented to President.
- Dec 9, 2006Resolving differences -- Senate actions: Senate agreed to House amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR 12/8/2006 S11830-11831; text as Senate agreed to House amendment: CR 12/8/2006 S11830-11831)
- Dec 6, 2006Mrs. Drake moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- Dec 6, 2006Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR 12/7/2006 H8853-8855)
- Dec 6, 2006DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 214.
- Dec 6, 2006Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR 12/7/2006 H8853-8854)
- Dec 6, 2006Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Dec 6, 2006Message on House action received in Senate and at desk: House amendment to Senate bill.
- May 10, 2006Subcommittee Hearings Held.
- Aug 1, 2005Referred to the Subcommittee on Water and Power.
- Jul 27, 2005Received in the House.
- Jul 27, 2005Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- Jul 27, 2005Referred to the House Committee on Resources.
- Jul 26, 2005Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- Jul 26, 2005Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S9018-9052; text as passed Senate: CR S9024-9026)
- Mar 7, 2005Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Domenici without amendment. With written report No. 109-17.
- Mar 7, 2005Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 28.
- Feb 9, 2005Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
- Jan 31, 2005Introduced in Senate
- Jan 31, 2005Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3280)
- Jan 31, 2005Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (text of measure as introduced: CR S659-660)
In the Congressional Record 2
Days the Record’s own index lists this bill, newest first, with the pages and the members it names. Pages starting H are the House, S the Senate, E Extensions of Remarks.
| Where | In the Record | Members | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senate | Debate and remarks S9024Text printed S9024, S9025Amendments S9008 | Jeff Bingaman D-NM (amendment), Pete V. Domenici R-NM (amendment) | Jul 26, 2005 |
| Senate | Debate and remarks S659Text printed S659 | Jeff Bingaman D-NM (text) | Jan 31, 2005 |
Research
What has been written about this bill: committee reports, cost estimates, the sponsor’s authority statement, printed hearings and the Congressional Research Service’s work.
Committee report
Congressional Budget Office cost estimates 2
- Feb 14, 2005S. 214, United States-Mexico Transboundary Aquifer Assessment Act<p>Cost estimate for the bill as ordered reported by the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on February 9, 2005</p>
- Feb 14, 2005S. 214, United States-Mexico Transboundary Aquifer Assessment ActCost estimate for the bill as ordered reported by the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on February 9, 2005
Printed hearings 2
Hearings whose printed record names this bill, newest first: hearings on it, and wider hearings where it came up.
| Number | Hearing | Committee | Held |
|---|---|---|---|
| S. Hrg. 109-145 | LIMBAUGH AND WEIMER NOMINATIONS46 pages | Energy and Natural Resources Committee | Jul 14, 2005 |
| S. Hrg. 109-55 | WATER SYMPOSIUM103 pages | Energy and Natural Resources Committee | Apr 5, 2005 |
CRS reports 2
Congressional Research Service work that CRS links to this bill or the law it became, newest first.
Cite it 2
Products on other subjects that cite it, usually among other measures.
| Product | Title | Kind | Published |
|---|---|---|---|
| R45430 | Sharing the Colorado River and the Rio Grande: Cooperation and Conflict with Mexico Archived | Report | Dec 12, 2018 |
| R43312 | U.S.-Mexican Water Sharing: Background and Recent Developments Archived | Report | Mar 2, 2017 |
Amendments 1
Amendments offered to this bill.
| Amendment | Description | Offered by | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| SA 1585 | To designate the San Pedro aquifers as priority transboundary aquifers. | Jeff Bingaman D-NM | Amendment SA 1585 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent. |
Related bills 1
Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.
| Bill | Title | Relationship | Latest action |
|---|---|---|---|
| HR 469 | United States-Mexico Transboundary Aquifer Assessment Act | Identical bill | May 10, 2006 |
Titles 5
Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.
- Official Title as Introduced
- A bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to cooperate with the States on the border with Mexico and other appropriate entities in conducting a hydrogeologic characterization, mapping, and modeling program for priority transboundary aquifers, and for other purposes.
- Short Titles as Introduced
- United States-Mexico Transboundary Aquifer Assessment Act
- Short Titles as Reported to Senate
- United States-Mexico Transboundary Aquifer Assessment Act
- Short Titles as Passed Senate
- United States-Mexico Transboundary Aquifer Assessment Act
- Short Titles as Enacted
- United States-Mexico Transboundary Aquifer Assessment Act
Subjects
Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Water Resources Development.
- Aquifers
- Arizona
- Boundaries
- California
- Communication in science
- Data banks
- Economics and Public Finance
- Environmental Protection
- Federal aid to research
- Federal-Indian relations
- Federal-state relations
- Geographic information systems
- Government Operations and Politics
- Government paperwork
- Government publicity
- Governmental investigations
- Groundwater
- Hydrology
- Indian lands
- Infrastructure
- International Affairs
- International cooperation in science
- Laboratories
- Latin America
- Maps
- Mexico
- Minorities
- Native Americans
- New Mexico
- Regional planning
- Research and development facilities
- Research centers
- Research grants
- Saline waters
- Science, Technology, Communications
- Texas
- Treaties
- Water Resources Development
- Water supply
- Water use
Text 6
Each version as it was printed, newest first.
- Dec 12, 2006Enrolled Bill
- Dec 6, 2006Engrossed Amendment House
- Jul 27, 2005Referred in House
- Jul 26, 2005Engrossed in Senate
- Mar 7, 2005Reported to Senate
- Jan 31, 2005Introduced in Senate
Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov; cost estimates are the Congressional Budget Office's, and the hearings are the printed hearings GovInfo publishes, which can appear months after the hearing.