Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren vetoed the Right of the Dine’ to Know what the Navajo Government is doing in their Name with their Beeso/Money in their Mother Hogan/Navajo Council Chambers, in their Chapter Houses, and especially in the Navajo Nation Office of the President and Vice President today, Nov. 3, 2023.

The Navajo Nation Council voted 15 in favor, 3 opposed on approving virtual attendance at chapter/local govt meetings on Oct. 17, 2023, day two of the annual Fall Session of the Navajo Council.

I do not understand President Nygren’s rational for closing the door on our Dine’ relatives to immediately participate in their Navajo government. Nygren explained his veto of CO-85-23 to the Navajo Council in his Nov. 3, 2023, letter to Navajo Naton Council Speaker Crystalyne Curley.

According to Nygren, the Navajo Council also approved virtual attendance for chapter officials. But the Navajo Council had a lengthy debate about that and they opposed virtual attendance by chapter officials.

And then Nygren tells the Navajo Council, “First, as elected leaders, we hold a sacred duty to serve. An important part of being a servant is allowing those who have elected us to office to voice their concerns and issues in our personal presence. This personal presence and engagement of our tribal leaders with their constituents at open meetings allows for meaningful, thoughtful and collaborative debate, which allows everyone to work toward a resolution. Virtual attendance diminishes and undermines the personal involvement that leaders have with their voters and community members.”

Awesome! I mean does that mean that Nygren has a plan for any Dine’ with a census number, who wants to attend a chapter meeting and, or meet with him, to travel back to the rez to attend meet Nygren face-to-face and, or to attend their chapter planning and regular meeting, chapter veterans’ meetings, chapter scholarship meetings, chapter community land use planning meetings from military service, attending trade school, placed in nursing homes, working and living off rez to support themselves and their families, and evicted from their homeland for Peabody to mine the coal under their hogans, corn fields, corrals, ceremonial grounds.

Nygren also says, “Second, it is encouraging to hear that chapter members are becoming more involved and participating in local matters. However, if chapters allow for virtual attendance of chapter members, chapters should at a minimum operate under a basic and uniform set of procedures. These procedures should address how callers will be screened and how verification of the identity of the chapter member will take place for voting purposes. Important issues are discussed at local level that have deep daily impacts and consequences on community members. Chapter meetings allow community members to engage in these debates and discussions personally with those they have elected to office. Again, virtual attendance undermines this.”

Nygren, in his veto message to Navajo Council, also argues for virtual attendance procedures. But there are procedures for virtual attendance, which were created when virtual attendance was approved during COVID. I wonder why Nygren did not do a survey or something to determine the impact of virtual attendance at the chapter/local government level before terminating virtual attendance of chapter meetings without even talking to the Dine’, especially the registered voters.

And remember Nygren’s argument for vetoing virtual attendance of chapter meeting is the promotion of face-to-face meetings, but Nygren did not have a face-to-face meeting with the Dine’ before taking away the Right of the Dine’ to participate in their Navajo government. And so why is he promoting the creation of a virtual attendance process after he vetoes virtual attendance?

Another reason that Nygren gives for vetoing virtual attendance at chapter/local government meetings is the problem that chapters are having in getting a quorum.

“Based on the reading of the resolution and the public comments, one issue appears to be obtaining a quorum,” Nygren informed the Navajo Council. “Chapter officials are encouraged to address the quorum issue at the chapter level. Another issue appears to be community engagement. Chapter leaders are encouraged to come up with ways to encourage community members and voters to engage in government and local matters. We should be asking ourselves, “What are we doing to engage our community members in the local governance process?”

Nygren actually asks this question of the Navajo Council in his veto message, “What are we doing to engage our community members in the local governance process?” SMH

And then Nygren throws out there this issue of virtual attendance also brought to his attention that Dine’ do not want to attend chapter/local government meetings and so maybe government reform is needed. Good Grief!!!! Does Nygren understand what he is saying?! Nygren is proposing local government reform but again, he fails to invite the Dine’ to sit face-to-face with him while he listens to the solutions of the Dine’, and not just Dine’ registered voters. All Dine’ have a Right to have a Voice and to be Fully Informed before decisions are made that impact them, their Dine’ Homeland, their beeso/money, and their Right to Know what their Navajo Government is doing with their beeso/money in their buildings with their staff.

Nygren, in his closing statement, gives live streaming his lip service. He give his support but no financial support. “Lastly, I recognize that streaming chapter meetings over the Internet has allowed for more transparency and participation from the community,” Nygren told the Navajo Council. “Chapter officials are highly encouraged to continue streaming their meetings online if it is within their budgets and capacity to do so.”

The Navajo Council can override Nygren’s veto of their resolution supporting virtual attendance of chapter meetings.

I’ve attached Nygren’s veto message, which is attached to the Navajo Council’s virtual attendance resolution. The Navajo Council’s resolution approving Virtual Attendance at Chapter Meetings has the official voting tally and you will see that the three Navajo Council Delegates, who opposed Virtual Attendance at Chapter Meetings, were Andy Nez, Brenda Jesus, and Eugenia Charles-Newton.

Here is Nygren’s veto letter to the Navajo Council via Speaker C. Curley.

Honorable Crystalyne Curley, Speaker
Office of the Speaker
Navajo Nation Council
P.O. Box 3390
Window Rock, AZ 86515

RE: C0-85-23, An Action Relating to the Law and Order Committee Resources and Development Committee, Naabik’iyati Committee, and the Navajo Nation Council; Amending Title 26 of the Navajo Nation Code to allow for Virtual Attendance at Chapter Meetings.

Dear Honorable Delegates of the 25th Navajo Nation Council:

Pursuant to the power granted by the Navajo People, I am exercising my veto authority in Navajo Nation Council Resolution No. CO-85-23. As amended, this legislation has the potential to make permanent amendments to Title 26 that would allow for chapter officials and chapter membership to attend chapter meetings by virtual appearance.

First, as elected leaders, we hold a sacred duty to serve. An important part of being a servant is allowing those who have elected us to office to voice their concerns and issues in our personal presence. This personal presence and engagement of our tribal leaders with their constituents at open meetings allows for meaningful, thoughtful and collaborative debate, which allows everyone to work toward a resolution. Virtual attendance diminishes and undermines the personal involvement that leaders have with their voters and community members.

Second, it is encouraging to hear that chapter members are becoming more involved and participating in local matters. However, if chapters allow for virtual attendance of chapter members, chapters should at a minimum operate under a basic and uniform set of procedures. These procedures should address how callers will be screened and how verification of the identity of the chapter member will take place for voting purposes. Important issues are discussed at local level that have deep daily impacts and consequences on community members. Chapter meetings allow community members to engage in these debates and discussions personally with those they have elected to office. Again, virtual attendance undermines this.

Based on the reading of the resolution and the public comments, one issue appears to be obtaining a quorum. Chapter officials are encouraged to address the quorum issue at the chapter level. Another issue appears to be community engagement. Chapter leaders are encouraged to come up with ways to encourage community members and voters to engage in government and local matters. We should be asking ourselves, “What are we doing to engage our community members in the local governance process?”

Further, if community members are not interested in participating in local matters, perhaps this opens the door to discussions on government reform at the local level. Is there a better form of government? Virtual attendance does not fix these issues.

Lastly, I recognize that streaming chapter meetings over the Internet has allowed for more transparency and participation from the community. Chapter officials are highly encouraged to continue streaming their meetings online if it is within their budgets and capacity to do so.

I look forward to having insightful discussions on how to improve local governance.
Dr. Btm Nygren,
THE NAVAJO NATION