Sec. 501. Findings
368 words·~2 min read·
/bill/117/s/5186/is/section-501·A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
Congress finds that— the Federal Government has failed to honor its trust responsibility to promote Tribal self-determination through the support of economic development on Tribal lands; the Federal Government has failed to assist Indian tribes with the individualized economic development necessary for Indian tribes— to exercise self-determination; and to make knowledgeable decisions as to how to best develop and manage the resources on Tribal lands for the benefit of the Indian tribe;
Native Americans experience— a poverty rate that is approximately twice the national average; and higher rates of unemployment than any other group of people in the United States; due to the remote location of many Indian tribes, individuals may have long commutes, which are further exacerbated by inadequate roads and infrastructure due to chronic underfunding and lack of transportation; Indian tribes have had limited access to, or, in many cases, no direct access to, electricity, water, broadband, and adequate infrastructure; only 65 percent of American Indians and Alaska Natives living on Tribal lands have access to fixed broadband services; only 69 percent of American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian households residing on rural Tribal lands have telephone services; and the lack of access described in subparagraphs
(A)and
(B)is in stark contrast with the national average of 98 percent of households that have access to telephone services, and 92 percent of individuals living outside of Tribal lands that have access to fixed broadband services; approximately 1,500,000 people living on Tribal lands lack access to broadband; 75 percent of rural Indian Health Service facilities still lack reliable broadband networks for American Indians and Alaska Natives to access telehealth or clinical health care services, which is a critical need in the most geographically isolated areas of the United States, furthering economic inequities on Tribal lands; according to the Bureau of Indian Education, up to 95 percent of Native American students at some Bureau of Indian Education schools cannot access internet services at home; lack of internet access negatively affects the ability to conduct business online, which took on increased importance since the beginning of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID–19) pandemic; and very few Indian tribes have established telecommunications companies to provide residential phone and internet services.