Congress·In Committee·H.R. 8461

Western Tribal Water Act of 2026

Tribal Water: Expanding Drinking Water Programs for Reservations

Apr 23·View on Congress.gov·Read full text

Next up: A house committee

The Western Tribal Water Act of 2026 is currently in the early stages of the legislative process. It was sent to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on April 22, 2026. These committees must review the bill before it can move forward, but no further action has occurred since that date.

Legislative Progress

House

Senate

President

Law

Could go either way

The bill has support from both parties and addresses a clear infrastructure need, but it must still clear two separate House committees before it can move forward.

Key Points

This bill continues a federal program that helps Indian Tribes build and fix drinking water systems. It specifically adds 10 new projects in the Upper Colorado River Basin to the list of those eligible for federal support.
Tribes in the Western United States, especially the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe in Colorado, would benefit directly. The bill highlights a $50 million project needed to fix old pipes and delivery systems that provide water to tribal members.
Many tribal communities face serious water shortages or rely on failing equipment. There is currently a need for over $100 million in water repairs in the Upper Colorado River area alone to ensure reliable access to clean water.
The plan would provide $60 million each year for 2027 and 2028. This money would be used to fund construction and repairs for water infrastructure that is currently aging or broken.

Impact Analysis

Govbase has not yet run an impact analysis on this legislation.

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions

Apr 23, 2026House

Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, 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.

Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.

Apr 23, 2026

Introduced in House

The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.

No votes, news coverage, or related bills recorded for this bill yet.

Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

Western Tribal Water Act of 2026

Bill NumberHR 8461

Congress119th Congress

ChamberHouse of Representatives

Latest ActionReferred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, 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.

Data Sources

Congress.gov

Official legislative information

Read Full Bill Text

Sponsor

Cosponsors

(1)

D: 1

Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.