Tribal Lands: Clean Water Access Expansion
A senate committee must act next: committee consideration.
While the bill addresses a major public health need, it currently lacks Republican cosponsors and proposes significant new spending, which often faces hurdles in a divided Congress.
Scores run from -100 (strongly harmful) to +100 (strongly beneficial) for each group, combining impact, certainty, scope, and duration ratings of 1-5. How impact scoring works
The bill authorizes roughly $750 million a year from 2026 through 2030 for water pipes, sanitation systems, technical assistance, and operation and maintenance funding on Tribal lands, where nearly half of households currently lack reliable water or basic plumbing. It also removes matching-fund and 'inability to finance' requirements that have historically kept many Tribes from qualifying for federal water infrastructure aid.
“nearly half of all households on Tribal lands do not have access to reliable water sources, clean drinking water, or basic sanitation, and are significantly more likely than other households in the United States to lack indoor plumbing”
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.
Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.
Introduced in Senate
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
Democrats in the House and Senate introduced the Tribal Access to Clean Water Act, which would increase funding authorizations for federal programs investing in water infrastructure on tribal lands, including $500 million annually for the Indian Health Service sanitation facilities through 2030.
Senator Martin Heinrich announced the introduction of the Tribal Access to Clean Water Act to fulfill the government's trust responsibility. The legislation aims to remove barriers to federal programs and address the massive backlog of water projects in Indian Country and Native Hawaiian lands.
No votes recorded for this bill yet.
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Tribal Access to Clean Water Act of 2025
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