For Immediate Release
July 14, 2021
Contact:
Manu Tupper or Mike Inacay (Schatz) at press@indian.senate.gov
SCHATZ LEADS BUSINESS MEETING TO ADVANCE NEWLAND NOMINATION
WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, led a business meeting to advance to the full Senate President Biden’s nomination of Mr. Bryan Todd Newland, of Michigan, to serve as Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs at the Department of the Interior.
The Assistant Secretary is the Department’s highest-ranking Senate-confirmed official in Indian Affairs and has the solemn responsibility of maintaining the United States’ government-to-government relationship with sovereign Tribal Nations. The committee held a hearing on Mr. Newland’s nomination last month and reviewed letters in support of his nomination from more than 40 Tribes and Tribal organizations.
Schatz expressed his full support for Mr. Newland and urged his colleagues to vote to advance his nomination.
“It is clear from the record that Mr. Newland is uniquely qualified to succeed in this role, and to serve this country with honor as the chief federal advocate at the Department of the Interior for American Indians, Native Hawaiians, and Alaska Natives,” said Chairman Schatz. “Mr. Newland’s combination of issue area expertise, previous public service, and genuine sincerity make him an ideal nominee to serve as Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs. Moreover, I support his swift confirmation for the same reasons his Tribal supporters do—because of his invaluable experience as a Tribal Leader; his personal and in-depth knowledge of the issues facing Tribes; his expertise in the complex areas of fee-to-trust, treaties, gaming, and leasing; his understanding of Interior’s unique role in fulfilling the federal trust responsibility to Native peoples; and his diplomatic and respectful approach to honoring Tribal sovereignty.”
Mr. Newland’s nomination passed the committee by voice vote.
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