The proposal carries a price tag of $5 billion — larger than any such agreement enacted by Congress.Democratic U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona said the legislation marks a historic step forward in resolving what has been a decades-long dispute with the Navajo Nation as well as the Hopi and San Juan Southern Paiute tribes.The legislation would ratify a settlement agreement that was approved by each of the tribes in May.
"Securing water rights for these tribes upholds their sovereignty and lays the path for their growth and prosperity through increased investment in water infrastructure," Kelly said.Democratic U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva of Arizona said the federal government’s obligation to the tribes to provide drinking water could not be more pressing as climate change exacerbates what he referred to as a multi-generational drought.For the San Juan Southern Paiute, tribal President Robbin Preston Jr.