On Thursday, September 25th, I visited the Council Chambers to discuss the FY26 Navajo Nation Budget and stayed late into the night. Following what I thought was consensus based on the principle of kinship, on Friday, September 26th, I sent a letter to Speaker Crystalyne Curley requesting a special Council session to address the Navajo Nation’s FY26 budget. I renewed this request on Sunday, September 28th. However, I have not heard back from Speaker Curley, and a special session has yet to be called.
I would like to thank Council Delegate Casey Allen Johnson, who introduced emergency amendment legislation to fund programs within the Executive Branch that were not adequately funded by the Council. This amendment allocates funding to 10 Executive Branch programs or offices. After dialoging with Council Delegates on Thursday, September 25, I reduced the initial Executive Branch request from approximately $15 million to $4.7 million.
The $4.7 million amendment, introduced by Delegate Johnson, includes funding for the Office of the Public Defender, the Department of Personnel Management, the Office of Navajo Labor Relations, and the School Clothing Program. Notably, the Office of the Public Defender and the Office of Navajo Labor Relations received no operating funds in the FY26 budget legislation (CS-44-25), meaning they will have no operating funds beginning tomorrow.
It’s important to note that our budget stalemate has been created by the politics of Speaker Curley and some Navajo Nation Council members. If there is any picketing to protest the failure to adequately fund the entire Navajo Nation government, I will picket with you to get the Council to pass this budget legislation. During this time, the Navajo public needs to hold their elected Council delegate accountable.
As such, I was hoping the Council would address these shortfalls before the new fiscal year begins on Wednesday, October 1st.
It’s simple. Council just needs to pass Legislation 0224-25. The ball is in Council’s court.
– Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren
