Notice of the Proposed Appointment of Teresa E. Poust to the National Indian Gaming Commission

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Office of the Secretary

Notice of the Proposed Appointment of Teresa E. Poust to the

National Indian Gaming Commission

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice informs the public of the proposed appointment of

Teresa E. Poust as an associate member of the National Indian Gaming

Commission. Interested parties have 30 days to comment on this proposed

appointment.

DATES: Comments must be received before or on March 11, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be submitted to the Director, Executive

Secretariat, United States Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street,

N.W., Mail Stop 7229, Washington, D.C. 20240.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Louis G. Leonard, III, Attorney-

Advisor, Division of General Law, United States Department of the

Interior, 1849 C Street, N.W., Mail Stop 6531, Washington, D.C. 20240;

telephone 202-208-5216.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act establishes

the National Indian Gaming Commission (Commission), composed of three

full-time members, a chairman, and two associate members. 25 U.S.C.

section 2704(b). Commission members serve for a term of 3 years. 25

U.S.C. section 2704(b)(4)(A). The chairman is appointed by the

President with the advice and consent of the Senate. 25 U.S.C. section

2704(b)(1)(A). The two associate members are appointed by the Secretary

of the Interior. 25 U.S.C. section 2704(b)(1)(B). Before appointing an

associate member to the Commission, the Secretary must ``publish in the

Federal Register the name and other information the Secretary deems

pertinent regarding a nominee for membership on the Commission and

shall allow a period of not less than thirty days for receipt of public

comment.'' 25 U.S.C. section 2704(b)(2)(B). Notice is hereby given of

the proposed appointment by the Secretary of Teresa E. Poust as an

associate member of the Commission for a term of 3 years.

Since 1992, Ms. Poust has served in several capacities as an

attorney and administrator for the Poarch Band of Creek Indians. Most

recently, as the Tribal Administrator, she directed 13 Tribal

departments including Law Enforcement, Human Resources, and Social

Services, and supervised Federal contracts and grant programs

involving, among others, the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Previously, in positions as Tribal Comprehensive Planner and Contract

and Grants Attorney, Ms. Poust oversaw the Tribe's compliance with

Federal and State law and regularly addressed Tribal gaming issues. She

also served as a member of the Board of Directors for the Tribe's

gaming activities. In addition, in 1990 and 1991, while pursuing her

law degree, Ms. Poust examined Indian law issues at a private law firm

and at the National Advisory Council on Indian Education, both located

in Washington, D.C. Ms. Poust also clerked in 1991 at the Division of

Indian Affairs, Office of the Solicitor, Department of the Interior,

and served as a research assistant for the Office of Trust and Economic

Development, Bureau of Indian Affairs, in 1988.

Ms. Poust is an enrolled member of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians

of Atmore, Alabama, a federally recognized tribe. She received her

Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from the California State

University in Fullerton in 1989. In 1992, she earned a Juris Doctor

from the Columbus School of Law of the Catholic University of America.

She is professionally associated with the Alabama and Escambia County

bar association. Ms. Poust does not appear to have any financial

interests, management responsibilities, or other circumstances that

would make her ineligible to serve on the Commission under 25 U.S.C.

section 2704(b)(5).

Any person wishing to submit comments on this proposed appointment

may forward written comments to the address listed above. Comments must

be received by the due date, which is 30 days from the date of the

publication of this notice.

Dated: February 3, 1999.

Edward B. Cohen,

Deputy Solicitor.

[FR Doc. 99-3044 Filed 2-8-99; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310-02-M