On April 27, 2026, Secretary Doug Burgum of the Department of Interior (DOI) issued a public notice of a proposed appointment of William (Billy) Kirkland III to serve as an associate member of the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) for a term of three years.
The NIGC is comprised of three members, two Associate members of the NIGC are appointed by the Secretary of the Interior, while the NIGC Chair is appointed by the President, with the advice and consent of the U.S. Senate.
The announcement of the proposed appointment allows for thirty days for receipt of public comments. Comments must be received on or before May 27, 2026. Comments may be sent to the Office of the Solicitor, Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street NW, Mail Stop 6341, Washington, DC 20240, and mark the envelope with “NIGC Appointment Comment.”
Mr. Kirkland is an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation. He currently serves as the Assistant Secretary—Indian Affairs at the United States Department of the Interior. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on October 7, 2025.
Please let us know if you have any questions.
# # #
Inquiries may be directed to:
Joseph Webster (jwebster@hobbsstraus.com)
Carolina M. Wasinger (cwasinger@hobbsstraus.com)
