Allison Binney

Allison C. Binney possesses a deep and extensive background and experience related to policy-making affecting American Indian tribal governments and enterprises and successfully navigating the federal regulatory process. Her work focuses on advising and representing tribal governments and entities on their interactions with Congress and various federal agencies.

She also advises non-tribal entities on their relationships with tribal governments. From 2007 to 2011, she served as staff director and chief counsel to the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. She also served as general counsel to the committee from 2005 to 2007.
While at the committee, Allison was involved in efforts to enact or reauthorize a number of Native American-related laws, including:

• The tribal provisions within the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
• The Tribal Law and Order Act
• The Indian Health Care Improvement Act
• Congressional approval of several Indian water settlements
• Congressional approval of the settlement of the Cobell class action litigation, involving more than 500,000 Native American individuals
• Legislation related to housing and the leasing and development of Indian lands, homeland security and language and cultural preservation.

Experience:

• Advises clients regarding American Indian law and policy.
• Served as staff director and chief counsel to the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs.
• Member of Sherwood Valley Band of Pomo Indians in California.

Representative Work:

• Assisted several tribal clients in obtaining congressional approval of settlements of litigation against the federal government.
• Successfully lobbied Congress and federal agencies for increased federal appropriations in the areas of health care, housing, drug investigations and opioid abuse prevention.
• Advised several clients on navigating the National Historic Preservation Act.
• Represented tribal governments in obtaining amendments to their gaming compacts with states.
• Worked with several clients to vigorously lobby for the passage of the Tribal General Welfare Exclusion Act.
• Recently represented a tribal nation in the successful closure of a longstanding audit with the Internal Revenue Service.

Affiliations:

• Advisory Council for the Center for Native American Youth.
• Co-Chair of the board of directors for the Neighborhood Legal Services Program.

Education:

• J.D., Arizona State University College of Law, 2000
• B.A., California State University, Chico, 1997

Bar Admissions:

• District of Columbia