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<br />FEDERAL WATER RIGHTS LEGISLATION
<br />
<br />FEDERAL WATER RIGHTS LEGISLATION-THE
<br />PROBLEMS AND THEIR BACKGROUND
<br />
<br />(By T. Richard WitmerO)
<br />
<br />INTRODUCTION
<br />
<br />For a numner of years, bills have been introduced in Congress to
<br />declare, reform, clarify, ameud, mouify, confirm, or rcstate various
<br />proposItions of law having to do with the use of tho inland waters of
<br />the United States by the Federal Government and its licensees and
<br />. wards. The House uills t,hat have bcen introduced include the follow-
<br />ing:
<br />
<br />82d Congress: H.R. 5735 (Engle), H.R. 5736 (Budge), n.R.
<br />7601 (Bndge),
<br />8:3d Cong,'ess: H.R. 007 (Budge), H.R. 8624 (D'Ewart).
<br />84t.h Congress: H.R. 741, H.R. 3404, H.R. 6147 and H.R. 8325
<br />(Ilndgo), H.R. 8347 (Engle), H.R 8.,60 (Young), H.R. 9489
<br />(Thomson of "'yoll1ing), H.R. %05 (Dawson of Utah), R.R.
<br />10873 (Coon).
<br />8"th Congress: n.R. 2211 (Rudge), H.R. 5871 (Dixon).
<br />86th Congress: fLR. 12:34 (Iludge), H.R. 2363 (Thomson of
<br />Wyoming), H.R 4567 (Aspmall), H.R. 4604 (Pfost), H.lt
<br />4607 (Say]or), I-LR. [,,,55 (uogers of Texas), R.R. 5587 (King
<br />of Ut"h), H.H. "Gl8 (Dixon), H.R. 57]8 (Morris of New Mexico),
<br />H.lt. !\74R (Gennt), H.R 6]40 (Udall).
<br />These bills have taken nInny fo,'ms. SOllie have been b"sed on the
<br />premisn thnt tho law llS it. is presently administered is nn uncon-
<br />stit,utiollal invaRioll of the rig-Ilts of t.he States; ot.hers on the nssump~
<br />tion t.llRt, though (',on"titlltioilRt, it ollg;ht t.o be different. from what it
<br />is; still ofhcl'~ illl t.ho helief t.hnt it is In n stato of confusion and that
<br />what is Iwelled if.; cllll'i lie.nt.joll.
<br />, Many of the bills have ueen written to apply to tho entire United
<br />States;' ot.hers havo been written to apply only to tho .Vestel'n States.'
<br />Ma.ny have be-en wl'itt..en broa,dly in terms of complinl\c.1) with loca.l
<br />subst.ant.ive water law and wouhlrequire all Federal oflieers and agen-
<br />cies to "proceed in conformity with the laws of [the] States or Ter-
<br />ritories wit.h regard to the control, nppropriation, use, or distribution
<br />of water" or worus to that eUect;3 ot.hers stress the procedural side
<br />
<br />.
<br />,
<br />
<br />.Counsel. Committee on IDterlor and Iosular Alfalrll. Rouse ot Repre8enh.tlTelll.
<br />1 H.R. 513[) (ns reported) and M.R. 1691. 82d Cong.: B.R. 991. 83d Cong.: n.R. 141, 84th
<br />Cong.; U.ll. 2211. l'I5th Congo i B.n. 1234, B.R. firsts:!, B.R. 5:i81. B.li. 6618, B.R. ti118.
<br />ud H.Il. u148, 86tb eOnA'.
<br />. B.H. li13:i (8.8 Intrndueed) and B.R. 5138 82d Cong.. U.R. 8624 S3d Cong.. B.R.
<br />21404:-, M.R. OU1J..H.H. 8J25. B.K. 8347,-U.a. 81::00, B.R. 9.489, B.R. 9505, and B.R. i0813,
<br />84th ConR.; H.Il. ~Ml1. 85th Conl".: J:l.K. 2303, B,R. 4:l67. B.R. 4604, B.R. 4607, ap.d
<br />B.R. 6140. 86th C(lRg.
<br />. B.B. G'lalS and B.B. tine, 824 COD&'.; B.B. 8624:. 88d COIl&'. i B.B. 34.04. 8ftb COOl'.
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