Staff Reports
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. — The Naabik’íyáti’ Committee advanced legislation approving the Navajo Nation Comprehensive Budget for Fiscal Year 2027 on a consent agenda during a special meeting held Sept. 4. Legislation No. 0192-26 appropriates almost $525 million for the Navajo Nation’s overall FY2027 operating budget.
“The Comprehensive Budget for Fiscal Year 2027 was formulated based on priorities put forth by the Navajo people during the Budget and Finance Committee’s public hearings that addressed the comprehensive budget,” legislation sponsor and Budget and Finance Committee Chairwoman Shaandiin Parrish said. “The people called for fiscal accountability, and the Committee has prioritized a data-driven budget to support the budget amounts put forward.”
Legislation No. 0192-26 appropriates almost $20 million to the FY2027 Legislative Branch operating budget; nearly $16 million to the Judicial Branch’s FY2027 operating budget; and over $451 million to the Executive Branch’s FY2027 operating budget.
The legislation also separately appropriates over $83 million for statutory set-asides, including $19 million for the Diné Higher Education Grant Fund and over $12 million for the Navajo Nation Veterans Trust Fund.
The almost $525 million operating budget includes nearly $37.5 million for FY2027 fixed costs.
Speaker Crystalyne Curley said that despite the BFC and Naabik’íyáti’ Committee diligently working to review the FY2027 Comprehensive Budget, the Committees faced challenges in working with the Office of Management and Budget and the Office of the President and Vice President, which delayed the budget legislation from moving to the Naabik’íyáti’ Committee agenda.
“We need more communication and coordination with OMB and OPVP to complete necessary actions that the Committee has requested during the BFC budget meetings,” Curley said. “We’re moving forward with sufficient time to have all proper documents in place.”
The Naabik’íyáti’ Committee voted 16 in favor and none opposed on the consent agenda to advance Legislation No. 0192-26 to the Navajo Nation Council, which has the authority to review and approve the comprehensive budget.
The Navajo Nation Council has scheduled a special session for Sept. 8 and 9 to consider the FY2027 Comprehensive Budget.
