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

Bryan Newland
Official portrait, 2021
Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Indian Affairs
Assumed office
September 8, 2021
PresidentJoe Biden
LeaderDeb Haaland
Preceded byTara Sweeney
Chair of the Bay Mills Indian Community
In office
2017–2021
Succeeded byWhitney Gravelle
Personal details
BornChippewa County, Michigan, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseErica Newland
Children2
EducationMichigan State University (BA, JD)

Early life and education

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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

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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

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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]

References

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