Hearing of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee - Nomination of Tracie Stevens

Statement

Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) introduced Tracie Stevens at a hearing of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee considering her nomination to serve as Chairman of the National Indian Gaming Commission. Murray expressed strong support for the nomination and urged her colleagues to vote to confirm Stevens.

"Tracie has been an effective leader, has demonstrated knowledge of complex policy issues, and has done a great job of clearly communicating with my office on issues of importance to Washington state and the nation," Senator Murray said at the hearing today. "I also must say that I am personally excited that Tracie was nominated because she is an enrolled member of the Tulalip Tribes of Washington….I believe Tracie will do a great job as chair of the NIGC. She has developed the relationships, experience, and trust necessary to be an effective leader. So I am proud to be here today to join in introducing her. And I strongly support her nomination to chair the National Indian Gaming Commission."

Stevens, a member of the Tulalip Tribes of Washington state, has been the Senior Advisor to the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs at the U.S. Department of Interior since July 2009. Prior to this role, Stevens served as a Senior Policy Analyst with the Tulalip Tribes government affairs office. In this capacity, she also served as the Chair of the Gaming Subcommittee for the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, Secretary of the Board of the Directors for the Washington Indian Gaming Association, and as the Northwest Delegate for the National Indian Gaming Association. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences from the University of Washington.

U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) delivered the following remarks introducing Stevens at the Senate Indian Affairs Committee hearing:

"Mr. Chairman, it is my pleasure to be here today to introduce Tracie Stevens, from my home state of Washington, who has been nominated to chair the National Indian Gaming Commission.

"I have known Tracie for a long time, and I am very confident that the skills she has developed over the course of her career will serve her well in this position.

"She has strong, practical, on-the-ground, knowledge of the industry from her work in operations at the Tulalip Casino in Washington state.

"And she is a proven leader in this field. She has developed strong relationships at the local, state and national level as the Northwest Delegate & Executive Board Member of the National Indian Gaming Association, Chair of the Gaming Subcommittee of the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, and Secretary of the Board of Directors of the Washington Indian Gaming Association.

"Tracie has also done an outstanding job at her current position at the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

"She has been an effective leader, has demonstrated knowledge of complex policy issues, and has done a great job of clearly communicating with my office on issues of importance to Washington state and the nation.

"I also must say that I am personally excited that Tracie was nominated because she is an enrolled member of the Tulalip Tribes of Washington.

"And I know she understands the diverse communities in my home state.

"Mr. Chairman, I believe Tracie will do a great job as chair of the NIGC. She has developed the relationships, experience, and trust necessary to be an effective leader.

"So I am proud to be here today to join in introducing her. And I strongly support her nomination to chair the National Indian Gaming Commission. Thank you."

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