Key Highlights
- U.S. Senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn introduced new legislation to limit U.S. water deliveries to Mexico.
- The bill would allow the U.S. president to stop engaging with Mexico in certain business sectors that benefit from U.S. water.
- Mexico is behind on its obligations under the 1944 Water Treaty, owing 865,136 acre-feet of water as of October 2023.
- The legislation aims to compel Mexico to make minimum annual deliveries instead of allowing a five-year grace period for compliance.
Background on the Water Dispute
U.S. Senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn have introduced new legislation aimed at addressing the ongoing water dispute between the United States and Mexico. This conflict stems from Mexico’s failure to deliver water to Texas as required under a 1944 international water treaty, which mandates that the U.S. provide 1,500,000 acre-feet of water annually to Mexico.
Legislative Proposal
The proposed legislation would limit future U.S. water deliveries to Mexico and allow for a presidential directive to halt engagement in sectors benefiting from U.S. water if Mexico fails to meet its obligations under the treaty. Under the bill, Mexico is required to deliver 350,000 acre-feet of water annually as part of a five-year cycle, starting from six tributaries. However, these deliveries have been delayed, leading to significant impacts on the Rio Grande Valley’s agricultural sector.
Impacts and Future Implications
The delay in water supplies has had severe consequences for local farmers and ranchers who rely heavily on irrigation. As a result, Texas’ last sugar mill in Santa Rosa was forced to shut down due to water shortages. The legislation aims to address these issues by enforcing stricter compliance with the treaty terms.
According to Senator Cruz, “The Mexican government exploits the structure of the treaty to defer and delay its deliveries in each individual year until it becomes impossible for it to meet its overall obligations.” This sentiment reflects the frustration felt by U.S. lawmakers regarding Mexico’s failure to deliver water as promised under the 1944 Water Treaty.
The bill also mandates that the U.S. secretary of state submit a report to Congress within 180 days of its enactment, assessing whether Mexico has met its obligations and identifying sectors in Mexico that benefit from U.S. water.
If Mexico fails to meet these requirements, the president would be authorized to limit or terminate engagement with Mexico related to those sectors.
Senator Cornyn emphasized the need for enforcement mechanisms: “Mexico has repeatedly failed to uphold the 1944 Water Treaty, including last month when they missed the five-year deadline to deliver the 1.75 million acre-feet of water owed to the United States.” He added that this legislation aims to ensure that the South Texas agriculture community receives the water it needs and impose harsher penalties on Mexico should they continue withholding water.
The bill could potentially expedite an enforcement mechanism for the treaty if passed, adding pressure on Mexico to comply with its obligations. Without stronger congressional oversight, Senator Cruz warned, “Mexico will continue to fail to meet its obligations.” This underscores the urgency and importance of this proposed legislation in addressing a long-standing issue between the two countries.
