FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 25, 2016
MEDIA CONTACTS
Jared Touchin (928) 221-9253
Jolene Holgate (928) 380-4174
[email protected]
SpeakerBatescallsforincreasedcommunicationbetween
theNation’sthreebranchesofgovernmenttomoveNationforward
WINDOWROCK–The23rdNavajoNationCouncilvoted13-2toacceptareportprovidedby
SpeakerLoRenzoBates(Nenahnezad,Newcomb,SanJuan,TiisTsohSikaad,Tse’Daa’Kaan,Upper
Fruitland)duringtheopeningdayofthe2016WinterCouncilSessionintheCouncilChamberin
WindowRock.
Inthewrittenreport,SpeakerBatesfocusedontheprogressofrehabilitationeffortsforthe
FormerBennettFreezeArea,theprojectedrevenueshortfallfortheNavajoNation,SíhasinFund
expenditureplan,issuesatthestatelevel,waterrights,andfundingfortheNavajoIndian
IrrigationProjectamongothers.Additionally,healsoacknowledgedthatmovingforwardonthe
issueswouldrequireanincreaseincommunicationbetweenthethreebranchesofgovernment.
“Wecannotmoveforwardandhelpourpeoplewithoutcollaborationbetweenthebranchesof
government,”statedSpeakerBates.“IcalluponPresidentRussellBegayeandActingChiefJustice
AllenSloantocommunicateandmeetonaregularbasiswithmyCouncilcolleaguesandItomove
usforward.”
InDecember,CouncilmembersestablishedtheInter-AgencyTaskForcecomprisedof
representativesfromtheNavajoNationaswellasIndianHealthService,BureauofIndianAffairs,
NavajoTribalUtilityAuthority,andtheNavajoHousingAuthoritytocoordinatetherehabilitation
oftheFormerBennettFreezeArea.Sincethen,membersofCouncilhavemetwithofficialsfrom
eachentitytodiscusswaysofbringingpowerlinesandwaterlinestotheareaforhomesand
otherfacilitiesthatarenecessarytobuildcommunitiesandleadtoeconomicdevelopment.
SpeakerBatesalsoacknowledgedtheneedfortheNationtosecurewaterrightsthrough
agreementsthatbringprosperitytocommunitiesthroughwaterresources.
“Noonewilldisagreethatwaternotonlygiveslifetoourpeople,butitalsoallowsour
communitiestothriveeconomically.Inordertohavebusinesses,publicsafety,homes,andother
componentsthatserveasthefoundationforcommunities,wemustfirsthavebasicinfrastructure
inplacesuchaselectricityandwatersources,”addedSpeakerBates.
ThereportalsohighlightedCouncil’ssupportofahistoricbondfinancingagreementthatwas
finalizedinNovember.Thesigningoftheagreementistheresultofdecadesofdevelopmentthat
allowstheNationtoauthorizetheissuanceofbondsontheopenmarketforfirsttimeinhistory.
“Foryearsanddecades,ourNation’sleadershavediscussedwaysoffinancingcriticalprojects
withinourcommunitiesandbyfinalizingthebondfinancingagreement,itcreatesanother
avenueandadditionalfinancialleveragetofundsuchprojects,”SpeakerBatesstated.
Thereportalsoacknowledgesthevarioussubcommitteesandtaskforcesthathavebeen
establishedundertheCouncilincludingtheStateTaskForce,whichconsistsofninedelegates–
threefromArizona,Utah,andNewMexico.
Theeffortsofthetaskforcehavemadeanimpactatthestatelevelwhenadvocatingforissues
suchasthefairdistributionofTransactionPrivilegeTaxrevenueinArizona,educationalfundingin
Utah,andcapitaloutlayfundsinthestateofNewMexico–issuesthattheCouncilandtaskforce
willcontinuetoaddressaseachofthethreestatescontinueswiththeirlegislativesessions.
PriortoacceptingSpeakerBates’report,theCouncilalsoacceptedawrittenreportfrom
PresidentRussellBegayeaswellasareportprovidedbyNationalIndianGamingAssociation
chairman,ErnieStevens,Jr.TheCouncilalsounanimouslyacceptedaverbalreportprovidedby
theNavajoNationYouthCouncil.
OtherreportsincludedtheBureauofIndianAffairs,IndianHealthService,andtheOfficeofthe
Controller.WrittenreportswerealsoprovidedbytheOfficeoftheAttorneyGeneral,ActingChief
Justice,NavajoHousingAuthority,andNavajoTribalUtilityAuthority.
ToviewthefullreportfromSpeakerBates,pleasevisitnavajonationcouncil.orgorclickhere.The
NavajoNationCouncilisscheduledtoreconveneat10:00a.m.onTuesdayforthecontinuationof
the2016WinterCouncilSession.
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