Sec. 532. Office of Native Affairs and Policy, Federal Communications Commission
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The Commission, acting through the Office of Native Affairs and Policy and at the request of an Indian tribe, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, or a qualifying Tribal entity, shall provide technical assistance to apply for and participate in— the Tribal Broadband Fund; other Federal universal service support mechanisms; other Federal funding opportunities for broadband or infrastructure development; and the Tribal Spectrum Market established under section 534. A request for technical assistance made under this subsection from an Indian tribe, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, or a qualifying Tribal entity shall receive priority where telecommunications or broadband services on Tribal lands— have not been deployed; or have been inadequately deployed to provide broadband services over those Tribal lands, resulting in unserved and underserved Tribal residents.
The assistance under this subsection includes assistance for associated backhaul, repairs to damaged infrastructure, or new infrastructure to deploy broadband service. In addition to the technical assistance provided under subsection (a), the Commission shall provide technical assistance that includes training programs and grant assistance to Indian tribes, qualifying Tribal entities, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, inter-Tribal government organizations, Tribal Colleges and Universities, and colleges and universities with Tribal-serving institutions with expertise on Tribal broadband policy for the purpose of immediate deployment of telecommunications or broadband services and infrastructure over Tribal lands.
The Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Commerce, and the Commission shall provide technical assistance to Indian tribes, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, and qualifying Tribal entities (and, if located on Tribal lands, to schools, libraries, health care facilities, public safety entities, Tribal chapter houses, community centers, government buildings of an Indian tribe, and locations where Tribal, State, and Federal elections and census activities are carried out) to resolve barriers to the deployment and adoption of broadband service and other services provided using spectrum, including the following:
Classes or other education related to computer literacy. Acquisition of computers and related hardware and software. Use of broadband service and computers for public safety and emergency communications services and interoperability. Use of spectrum and wireless broadband service and computers where Tribal, State, and Federal elections and census activities are carried out. Use of spectrum and broadband service and computers to respond to public emergencies, including health and biohazard threats and natural disasters.
Such other areas as the Commission, or a relevant Federal agency that has a role conducting activities on Tribal lands, determines to be advisable to increase the deployment and adoption of broadband service and other services provided using spectrum on Tribal lands, or where an Indian tribe, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, or a qualifying Tribal entity holds a valid and active spectrum license or right-of-way access. Nothing in this section may be construed to limit or supersede— the responsibilities of the Commission or another Federal agency; or the engagement with Indian tribes, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands or Native Hawaiian communities, and qualifying Tribal entities by the Commission or any other Federal agency.
Section 6 of the Communications Act of 1934 ( 47 U.S.C. 156 ) is amended— in the section heading, by inserting after ; appropriations ; and authorization of appropriations by adding at the end the following: For necessary expenses of the Office of Native Affairs and Policy of the Commission, there is authorized to be appropriated to the Commission, and there is appropriated, out of any monies in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, $950,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2031.
The Commission shall use 20 percent of the funding appropriated pursuant to paragraph
(1)to establish within the Office of Native Affairs and Policy of the Commission a position of Federal Funding Director. The Federal Funding Director shall have the following duties: Coordinate with Indian tribes, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, and interested qualifying Tribal entities to access the funding opportunities of the Commission or other funding opportunities that may be available through another Federal agency, and assist with the application processes for the Tribal Broadband Fund and other universal service contributions or accounts, auctions proceeds, or any other accounts or reserve funds available to the Commission, for the purpose of providing a source of support for infrastructure deployment, middle mile and long-haul fiber buildout, adoption of digital literacy, and other related resources for the deployment of and full access to telecommunications, broadband, spectrum use and future development, and wireless services (including wireless broadband service) for effective and efficient use on Tribal lands. Coordinate with other Federal agencies that provide telecommunications and infrastructure funding to Indian tribes, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, or interested qualifying Tribal entities to assist with expedited broadband service and other telecommunications deployment over Tribal lands. The amount made available under paragraph
(1)for fiscal year 2024 and each fiscal year thereafter shall be adjusted annually to reflect the change in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In this subsection, the terms defined in section 539 of the Honoring Promises to Native Nations Act shall have the meanings given those terms in that section. .
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Sec. 532
Office of Native Affairs and Policy, Federal Communications Commission
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