Navajo Nation committee advances a $524,762,404 budget for fiscal 2027

The Naabik'íyáti' Committee has advanced legislation approving the Navajo Nation Comprehensive Budget for Fiscal Year 2027 to the Navajo Nation Council.

The committee acted on Friday, on a consent agenda during a special meeting, and voted 16 in favor and none opposed. Legislation No. 0192-26 appropriates $524,762,404 for the Navajo Nation's overall FY2027 operating budget.

The Navajo Nation Council has scheduled a special session on Tuesday, Sept. 8, and Wednesday, Sept. 9, to consider the comprehensive budget, which it has the authority to review and approve.

The legislation appropriates $19,890,837 to the FY2027 Legislative Branch operating budget; $15,974,787 to the Judicial Branch's FY2027 operating budget; and $451,441,975 to the Executive Branch's FY2027 operating budget.

It also separately appropriates $83,301,000 for statutory set-asides, including $19 million for the Diné Higher Education Grant Fund and $12,060,000 for the Navajo Nation Veterans Trust Fund. The $524,762,404 operating budget includes $37,454,805 for FY2027 fixed costs.

"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. The people called for fiscal accountability, and the Committee has prioritized a data-driven budget to support the budget amounts put forward," said legislation sponsor and Budget and Finance Committee Chairwoman Shaandiin Parrish.

Speaker Crystalyne Curley said 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 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," said Speaker Curley. "We're moving forward with sufficient time to have all proper documents in place."