If confirmed to the post, Simermeyer would succeed Jonodev Osceola Chaudhuri, a citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation who served as Chair for a record four years and, before that, as acting Chair for almost two years. He departed in May and now works for a law and lobbying firm in Washington, D.C., and serves as the Ambassador for his tribe. Simermeyer worked alongside Chaudhuri for more than three years. Along with Vice Chair Kathryn Isom-Clause, who hails from the Pueblo of Taos, they oversaw the continued growth of the tribal gaming industry following a period of stagnancy that was connected to the national economic recession in 2008. But despite his lengthy service as an Associate Commissioner, Simermeyer has not been in a position to dictate the NIGC's agenda. There have been few hints about his policy views, except when he refused -- not just once but twice -- to join two final decisions in favor of the Ponca Tribe, whose leadership was finally able to open a casino last fall in Iowa after more than a decade of work. Simermeyer did not explain the reasoning for refusing to support the tribe's sovereign rights and was outvoted by Chaudhuri and Isom-Clause both times. No other NIGC final decisions have been posted during his tenure at the agency.Associate Commissioner Sequoyah Simermeyer updating the gaming subcommittee @NCAI1944 on privacy act regulations #NCAI2016 pic.twitter.com/ONqEFfpvlr
— NationalIndianGaming (@NIGCgov) October 12, 2016
The NIGC was established as a three-member body by the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act in 1988. The law requires the Chair to be nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate. The other two members need only be chosen by the Department of the Interior and subjected to a public notice process before being seated. Simermeyer joined the NIGC as an Interior appointee in November 2015. According to IGRA, at least two members of the NIGC must be citizens of to "any Indian tribe." The law does not state whether the tribe has to be federally recognized. The law also requires no more than two members to be from the same political party. When he worked at the Bureau of Indian Affairs, it was during the Republican George W. Bush administration. At the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, he served on the Republican staff. Isom-Clause, who has been at the NIGC since March 2016, was chosen by Interior during the Democratic Barack Obama administration. Simermeyer is "a #strong Native and #experienced," Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Tara Sweeney, another Trump nominee, said in a post on social media on Tuesday, pointing out both received degrees from the same Ivy League university. "Another @Cornell alumnus willing to serve the public! Congratulations on the nomination." "Congratulations to Sequoyah Simermeyer, who was nominated to be the next Chairman of the National Indian Gaming Commission," said Chris Stearns, a citizen of the Navajo Nation who serves on the Washington State Gambling Commission and was the first Native person to serve as its chair.Excellent report by the @NIGCgov's Sequoyah Simermeyer on Indian gaming at the @UNLVLaw's gaming law conference pic.twitter.com/b0yjaBpSqF
— Chris Stearns (@stearnsseattle) September 2, 2016
@POTUS T/Y for the nomination of Sequoyah Simermeyer for chair of @NIGCgov, the National Indian Gaming Commission. SS is a #strong Native and #experienced. Another @Cornell alumnus willing to serve the public! Congratulations on the nomination.
— Assistant Secretary Tara Sweeney (@ASIndianAffairs) June 25, 2019
Congratulations to Sequoyah Simermeyer, who was nominated to be the next Chairman of the National Indian Gaming Commission. https://t.co/aDktLKoJU1
— Chris Stearns (@stearnsseattle) June 25, 2019
TODAY: @POTUS announces the nomination of E. Sequoyah Simermeyer as the next Chair of the @NIGCgov.
— Senate Indian Affairs Committee (@IndianCommittee) June 25, 2019
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