Fall session begins Monday

WINDOW ROCK

The 24th Navajo Nation Council fall session begins at 10 a.m. Monday.

 

The first day traditionally begins with reports from President Jonathan Nez, followed by Chief Justice Joanne Jayne, then Speaker Seth Damon and finally, acting Controller Elizabeth Begay.

The Council body will be allocated an unrestricted amount of time to ask questions before moving on to old business and, eventually, new business.

Throughout the year, the 24th Navajo Nation Council attempted to tackle several contentious issues, including Damon’s controversial helium development bill.

Damon’s legislation, a monstrous 828-page document, has stalled and been sent back to several committees.

The Navajo Nation Oil and Gas Company was not welcomed with open arms during several public meetings that were held at the Tsé Ałnáozt’i’í’ Chapter over the summer. Critics opposing the development argued that development would disturb pristine lands and damage sacred sites.

Damon’s helium development legislation is not on the fall session agenda. NNOGC has been conducting several public meetings to garner public support.

Legislations to be considered

Delegate Kee Allen Begay has two legislations on the fall agenda. If they pass, they could set a precedent for Navajo veterans.

One of Begay’s legislations would establish a direct relationship with the U.S. Department of VA. Specifically, if it passes, it could help build a veterans hospital on the reservation and create a veterans group home.

Marine Corps veteran Harry Joe Ashley, who enlisted twice to serve his country, said he’s been requesting a home for years. Because he did not have a homesite lease, the Gad Łeeyání, Arizona, native, located south of the Wide Ruins Chapter, has struggled to keep warm during the winter season.

Ashley is one of 8,286 Navajo veterans registered with the Navajo Nation Veterans Affairs.

Volunteers began constructing a hogan for Ashley but fell short of completing it when they ran out of funds to buy the supplies needed to finish his home. Ashley continues to live in a donated travel trailer as the winter season nears.

Begay seems to have been on a mission to oust Navajo Nation Veterans Affairs Director James Zwierlein. The councilperson, an Army veteran, questioned Zwierlein’s appointment to the Committee for Tribal and Indian Affairs at the U.S. Department of VA.

Begay’s legislation would end the contractual system used to hire an executive director for NNVA. The legislation would also change the Navajo Nation Veterans Advisory Council to the Navajo Nations Veterans Board of Commissioners. In addition, the legislation would create term limits for the yet-to-be-created board of commissioners.

The U.S. Department of VA officially recognized the Navajo Nation as being the first tribe in the U.S. to achieve accreditation to file VA benefit claims.

U.S. Department of VA Sec. Denis McDonough announced it on June 28, in Gallup, while visiting the area.

Five Navajo Nation veterans offices in Tse Bonito, Shiprock, Crownpoint, Chinle, and Tuba City have been filing federal claims on behalf of Navajo veterans.

Begay’s legislation will amend several areas in Title 2 of the Navajo Nation Code if it passes both the Council and the president’s office.

Other legislations on the fall agenda are:

• Allocating $900,000 from the Unreserved, Undesignated Fund Balance to the Division of Economic Development/Tourism Department for personnel and operating expenses for the remainder of fiscal 2022.
• Approving $540,528 in supplemental funding from the UUFB to Rehoboth Christian School to fund student transportation costs, a Navajo Language teacher position, and summer school expenses.
• Allocating $5 million from the Síhasin Fund for the assessment and remediation of the former Navajo Forest Products Industry location in Navajo, New Mexico.
• Allocating $10,031,897 from the Síhasin Fund for the Mariano Lake Chapter Multipurpose Building project.
• Allocating $5,000,000 in Síhasin Funds to the Navajo Nation Oil and Gas Company for the development and construction of the Tsé Si’ą́ní convenience store and approving and adopting the Tsé Si’ą́ní c-store expenditure plan.

Marches planned

Two marches, a domestic violence awareness march and a disability awareness walk, will be held before the fall session begins.

The domestic awareness walk starts at the Navajo Nation Museum, and the disability awareness walk begins at the Chevron gas station.

Both marches begin at 8 a.m. Monday.

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