Skip to content
Alert: Senator Cruz’s office will remain open throughout the US Government Shutdown. We will continue assisting constituents and fighting for the Lone Star State and for the country.
  1. Newsroom
  2. Press Releases

Sen. Cruz Introduces Legislation to Hold Mexico Accountable for Lack of Water Deliveries to Texas

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and John Cornyn (R-Texas), members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, introduced the Ensuring Predictable and Reliable Water Deliveries Act of 2025. The bill strengthens enforcement of the 1944 Water Treaty relating to the utilization of the waters of the Colorado and Tijuana Rivers and of the Rio Grande between the United States and Mexico, and holds the Mexican government accountable for not meeting its water delivery requirements under the treaty, which mandates that Mexico deliver 350,000 acre-feet of water per year over a five-year cycle, a total of 1.75 million acre-feet.

The last five-year cycle ended in October 2025. According to the International Boundary and Water Commission, as of October 24, 2025, Mexico ended the cycle having delivered approximately 885,000 acre-feet, barely 50 percent of its total obligation of 1.75 million acre-feet. 

The bill imposes restrictions and measures against Mexico if it does not meet its average annualized obligation.

Sen. Cruz said, “Mexico has consistently failed to meet its obligations under the 1944 Water Treaty, cycle after cycle. 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, and it continues to fail to meet its obligation to deliver water to the United States under the 1944 Water Treaty. These failures are catastrophic for Texas farmers and ranchers, who rely on regular and complete deliveries by Mexico under the treaty and are on the front lines of this crisis, facing water shortages that threaten agriculture and livestock. Without stronger congressional pressure and oversight, Mexico will continue to fail to meet its obligations. My bill applies that pressure and strengthens oversight. I urge my colleagues to pass this legislation to protect Texas agriculture, ranching, and the American food supply.”

Sen. Cornyn said, “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. I am proud to cosponsor this legislation alongside Senator Cruz, which will put added pressure on Mexico to live up to its obligations under the Treaty, ensure the South Texas agriculture community has the water it needs, and impose harsher penalties on Mexico should they choose to continue withholding the water we’re owed.”

Read the bill text here.

BACKGROUND

This legislation would require the U.S. Secretary of State to report to Congress within 180 days of enactment and annually thereafter whether Mexico:

  • Met its 350,000 acre-feet of water dues for the previous year.
  • Has the ability to deliver its 1.75M acre-feet of water dues by the end of the applicable five-year cycle, and
  • Has impacted significant economic sectors or activities in Mexico that rely on either water delivered by the U.S. or water from the six Rio Grande tributaries that Mexico is obligated under the Treaty to use for U.S. deliveries.

If the report determines that Mexico has not met its obligations, the President is authorized to impose any of the following measures:

  • Deny all non-Treaty requests by Mexico. Emergency water deliveries for ecological, environmental, or humanitarian crises may still proceed if certified as vital to U.S. national interests.
  • Limit or terminate engagement with Mexico related to the identified sectors in the report. excluding counterdrug cooperation.

Sen. Cruz has led the push to ensure that Mexico delivers water to Texas that it is obligated to provide under the 1944 Water Treaty:

  • Sen. Cruz led the effort in the U.S. Senate to secure a $280 million block grant, with the help of USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins. This block grant is critical in supporting the Texas producers in the Rio Grande Valley suffering from Mexico’s failure to meet its obligations.
  • Sen. Cruz championed a provision providing support for South Texas agricultural producers suffering from Mexico’s failure to meet its obligations under the 1944 Treaty on Utilization of Waters of the Colorado, Tijuana, and Rio Grande Rivers.
  • Sens. Cruz and John Cornyn filed an amendment creating a new framework to ensure Mexico complies with Water Treaty obligations.
Previous
Next