By suzanne downing 
The US Senate has confirmed William “Billy” Kirkland III, of the Navajo Nation, to serve as assistant secretary for Indian Affairs at the Department of the Interior, filling one of the Trump administration’s key vacancies overseeing tribal relations and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Kirkland’s confirmation came in a party-line vote as part of a batch of more than 100 nominees advanced despite the partial federal government shutdown that has furloughed more than half of BIA employees across 38 states.
His appointment ends a months-long vacancy that began when Bryan Newland of the Bay Mills Indian Community stepped down at the close of the Biden Administration.
President Donald Trump first nominated Kirkland in February. The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs held a hearing in July, where Chair Lisa Murkowski described him as an “unconventional choice” given his limited background in Indian law, but noted that his White House experience could elevate Native issues to a higher profile in the administration. The committee advanced his nomination on September 10 by a 7–4 party-line vote.
Kirkland was a member of the White House staff during Trump’s first term, as special assistant to the president. He was director of external affairs for former Vice President Mike Pence. A longtime Republican activist, Kirkland worked on numerous state and local Republican campaigns, including the campaign of former Governor Sonny Perdue of Georgia.
Born north of the Navajo Nation’s Four Sacred Mountains, Kirkland earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Georgia.
As Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, Kirkland will oversee the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Bureau of Indian Education. He is expected to prioritize government-to-government relations and tribal sovereignty amid ongoing budget pressures caused by the shutdown.
Suzanne Downing
The older I age the more I become convince us Native Americans and Alaska Natives likely assimilated into American culture better and healthier without government interferences like programs and departments or in Alaska corporations made for us
Such as BIA should be dismantled
The government inferences put too many families in situations that generations grew up thinking they don’t have to work and work harder or longer hours to take care of their families while these tribal employments, programs, and departments have a history of family nepotism hiring and promoting family and tribal members who never were in the right position in life to never a giving any positive contributions to moving All natives ahead for the good of All Indian Country while they held their positions
Senator Lisa drew the right conclusion for the wrong reason – we hire lawyers as staff and trust the good ones when we need them. Billy Kirkland will have great lawyers on his staff to advise him as needed. Respect this man for the leadership he will provide and for the connections and relationships he has built that will elevate that leadership.