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Secretary Norton Administers Oath of Office to New
Members of the National Indian Gaming Commission
Swearing-in ceremony first ever held at NIGC headquarters
WASHINGTON -- At a well-attended ceremony held today at the National Indian Gaming Commission headquarters in Washington, D.C., Secretary of the Interior Gale A. Norton administered the oath of office to newly confirmed and appointed members of the Commission. The new members of the commission include, Philip N. Hogen of South Dakota, confirmed by the U.S. Senate as Chairman, Cloyce V. Choney of Oklahoma and Nelson W. Westrin of Michigan, both appointed as associate members. Commission members will serve three-year terms.
"I am delighted with the background and experience that these talented professionals bring to the challenges of this very important Commission," Secretary Norton said. "I believe that they will do an outstanding job of resolving issues, increasing cooperation and building consensus in regulating Indian gaming around the country."
The National Indian Gaming Commission was created in 1988, when Congress enacted the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. An independent federal regulatory agency, NIGC is responsible for regulating gambling activities on Indian lands. It consists of three-members a chairman and two associate members. The chairman is appointed by the President, with the consent of the U.S. Senate, and the two associate members are appointed by the Secretary of the Interior. Associate members do not require confirmation by the Senate. Commission members serve for a term of three years.
Today's ceremony marks the first time in the history of the14 year-old agency that an Interior Secretary administered the oath of office to its members at the NIGC headquarters.
Chairman
The Senate's unanimous vote came late Thursday, Nov.14, 2002, marking the beginning of Philip Hogen's first term as chairman and his second term on the commission. Hogen first served on the commission as an associate member and vice-chairman from 1995 to 1999. Hogen succeeds Montie Deer, whose service as chairman of the commission ended in September.
Since Oct. 21, 2001, Hogen served as the Interior Department's associate solicitor for Indian affairs. In this capacity, he has oversight responsibilities for legal matters pertaining to the Bureau of Indian Affairsand the Interior Department's fulfillment of its government-to-government relationship with Indian tribes and trust responsibilities to Indians and Indian tribes. Hogen also served as the Interior Department's first director for the Office of American Indian Trust from 1992 to 1993.
Prior to his appointment with the Interior Department, Hogen practiced law in Rapid City, South Dakota with a focus on Indian law, gaming law and public affairs. He also served as U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota from 1981 to1991 and received the Attorney General's Award for Dedication and Leadership in Prosecution of Crimes within Indian Country. From 1975 to 1981, he was Jackson County, S.D., States Attorney.
Hogen, 58, is a Kadoka native and a member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe. He graduated from Augustana College in Sioux Falls in 1967 and earned his law degree in 1970 from the University of South Dakota School of Law in Vermillion, S.D. He and his wife Marty have two grown children and reside in the Black Hills of South Dakota.
Associate members
Secretary Norton appointed Cloyce V. Choney, a tribal member and former FBI agent, and Nelson W. Westrin, a state gaming board representative to serve as associate members of the commission. The appointment of associate members does not require confirmation by the U.S. Senate.
Cloyce V. Choney served as the chief executive officer for Indian Territory Investigations. He is a former special agent with the FBI. During his 26 years with the bureau, he received several awards and commendations for outstanding service, including the Director's Award for Excellence in 2001. He also served as chairman of the Native American/Alaska People Advisory Committee. Mr. Choney served as President of National Native American Law Enforcement Association (1996-1997). A member of the Comanche Nation of Oklahoma, Choney served in the U.S. Army (1969-1975), where he earned the rank of captain. He holds a bachelor's degree from Oklahoma State University.
Nelson W. Westrin served as the first executive director of the Michigan Gaming Control Board, named in 1996 by Gov. John M. Engler. He worked closely with tribal officials while carrying out the state's oversight of Native American casino gaming operations in Michigan. From 1993-1997, he served as the Racing Commissioner for the State of Michigan. Prior to that, he was Assistant Attorney General for the State of Michigan (1977-1993), and he was assigned (1984-1993) to the Lottery and Racing Division. Westrin holds a bachelor's degree from Michigan State University (1969), and a law degree from Detroit College of Law (1974).
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