Author: Donovan Quintero

Conservation groups are condemning new legislation from Rep. Paul A. Gosar (R-Ariz.) that would wipe out protections for two Arizona national monuments created to block new uranium, copper and gold mining.

Delegate Shaandiin Parrish, the Budget and Finance Committee chair, said the Council spent months building a data-driven fiscal 2026 comprehensive budget, only to see President Buu Nygren’s line-item vetoes cut programs that directly serve families, chapters and youth.

The Council has certified a $694 million budget for fiscal 2026, but President Buu Nygren on Sept. 15 exercised his line-item veto authority, cutting select appropriations he argued lacked accountability and fiscal discipline. The action highlights the president’s unique constitutional authority in financial matters – an authority the Council cannot override under Navajo law.

The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs has advanced William “Billy” Kirkland’s nomination to serve as assistant secretary for Indian Affairs at the Department of the Interior, moving it to the full Senate for a final vote. 

The Navajo Nation Council approved a $624 million budget for fiscal 2026 earlier this month, but Nygren vetoed $22.8 million in line items on Sept. 16, including $8.8 million from the Legislative Branch and $15.7 million from the Executive Branch.