The Navajo Nation Council Budget and Finance Committee and the Resources and Development Committee are both scheduled to have special meetings today, Aug. 5.

Both committees are scheduled to begin their meetings at 1 p.m. The B&F Committee is meeting in their conference room in Window Rock, Ariz. The Resources & Development Committee is meeting in the Nataani room at the Navajo Department of Transportation in Tse Bonito, N.M.

The Health, Education and Human Services Committee is also meeting today, Aug. 4, and according to the Health, Education & Human Services Committee 2017 budget hearing agenda, they are conducting a hearing on the proposed 2017 budget for the Navajo Nation Division of Human Resources in the Council chambers in Window Rock.

According to the Budget & Finance Committee proposed agenda for Aug. 5, 2016, the committee is meeting in their conference in Window Rock, Ariz., and among their proposed agenda items is Legislation 0241-16: An Action Relating to Budget and Finance, Naabikiyati Committee and the Navajo Nation Council; Referring a Referendum Measure on Expenditure of Fund Principal Pursuant to 12 N.N.C. §904, Permanent Trust Fund, to Support the Navajo Nation Transportation Stimulus Plan.

Budget & Finance Committee Vice Chairperson and Council Delegate Dwight Witherspoon, Council Delegate is sponosoring 0241-16, which is similar to his Legislation 0157-15 because it called for a referendum for the Nation’s voters to approve or disapprove the Council’s use of funds from the Navajo Nation Permanent Trust Fund principal.

The only difference between 0241-16 and 0157-15 is the amount of money.

Legislation 0157-16 sought Council approval to appropriate $566.5 million from the Permanent Trust Fund principal to support the Transportation Stimulus Plan from the Nation’s Department of Transportation. But when 0157-15 went before the Council during its summer session in July, it failed to get the Council’s approval to come out of its tabling status.

The Council voted 2-16 on recalling 0157-15 to the Council floor for action.

Legislation 0241-16 seeks a total of $180 million from the PTF principal. The $180 million would be spent over a five year period in $36 million increments.

Another B&F agenda item of interest is Legislation 0218-16: An Action Relating to Budget and Finance, Naabikiyati Committees and the Navajo Nation Council; approving Supplemental Funding from the Unreserved, Undesignated Fund Balance in the Amount of $395,425.00 to the Navajo Nation Election Administration Office. Budget & Finance Committee member and Council Delegate Leonard Tsosie is sponsoring 0218-16.

The Resources & Development Committee proposed agenda for Aug. 5, 2016 consists of two measures.

For more information about the meetings and legislation of the Council and its standing committees, go to the following websites: http://nncouncil.org/ and http://www.navajonationcouncil.org/