Bryan Newland Explained

Bryan Newland
Office:Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Indian Affairs
Term Start:September 8, 2021
President:Joe Biden
Leader:Deb Haaland
Predecessor:Tara Sweeney
Education:Michigan State University (BA, JD)
Birth Place:Chippewa County, Michigan, U.S.
Office1:Chair of the Bay Mills Indian Community
Term Start1:2017
Term End1:2021
Successor1:Whitney Gravelle
Spouse:Erica Newland
Children:2
Party:Democratic

Bryan Todd Newland is an American attorney and tribal leader serving as the Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Indian Affairs.

Early life and education

Newland was born and raised in the Bay Mills Indian Community, located in Chippewa County, Michigan. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in social relations from Michigan State University and a Juris Doctor from the Michigan State University College of Law.[1]

Career

From 2009 to 2012, Newland served as a senior advisor to the Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Indian affairs. He then joined the Fletcher Law Firm in Lansing, Michigan.[2] He served as chief judge of the Bay Mills Indian Community from 2013 to 2017 and as tribal chair from 2017 to 2021. He was also a regent of the Bay Mills Community College from 2016 to 2021.[3] In 2020, Newland wrote an op-ed endorsing Pete Buttigieg's 2020 presidential campaign, arguing Buttigieg "speaks to issues important to Tribal Nations and our citizens."[4]

Interior Department Nomination

Newland was formally nominated by President Joe Biden to lead the Bureau of Indian Affairs on April 22, 2021.[5] His nomination was endorsed by the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) and members of the United States Senate Committee on Indian Affairs.[6] [7] Hearings on his nomination were held before the United States Senate Committee on Indian Affairs on June 9, 2021. The committee favorably reported his nomination to the Senate floor on July 14, 2021. The Senate confirmed Newland's nomination on August 7, 2021, via voice vote.[8]

Newland was sworn into the position in September 2021.

Newland attended Michigan State University College of Law with Kathryn Fort, Professor, attorney, author, Director of Clinics at Michigan State University College of Law, and author of "American Indian Children and the Law" (Carolina Academic Press). [9]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2021-04-22. President Biden Announces 12 Key Climate and Infrastructure Administration Nominations. 2021-06-20. The White House. en-US.
  2. Web site: Bryan Newland: Faculty Profile: Michigan State University College of Law. 2021-06-20. www.law.msu.edu.
  3. Web site: Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary - Indian Affairs Bryan Newland Indian Affairs. 2021-06-20. www.bia.gov.
  4. Web site: Bryan Newland: A president who will empower tribal nations. 2021-10-16. Indianz.
  5. News: Interior Department hires former top cop to review jail deaths on his watch . en . NPR.org . 2022-02-28.
  6. Web site: 2021-06-09 . Nominee to oversee Indigenous affairs has widespread support . 2022-02-28 . AP NEWS . en.
  7. Web site: NCAI Applauds President Biden's Nomination of Bryan Newland as Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs NCAI. 2021-10-16. www.ncai.org.
  8. Web site: PN457 - Nomination of Bryan Todd Newland for Department of the Interior, 117th Congress (2021-2022) . www.congress.gov . 14 June 2022 . 7 August 2021.
  9. Web site: Kathryn E. Fort: Faculty Profile: MSU College of Law . 2024-04-13 . www.law.msu.edu.