241 
from doing anything authorized by section 552b of 
title 5, United States Code.’’. 
SEC. 1002. OFFICE OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—There is established within the Fed-
eral Communications Commission an Office of Indian Af-
fairs. 
(b) RELATIONSHIP TO TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS.—The 
Office shall recognize— 
(1) that the Federal government has a long-
standing policy of promoting tribal self-sufficiency 
and economic development as embodied in various 
Federal statutes; 
(2) that the Federal government has a trust re-
sponsibility to and a government-to-government rela-
tionship with recognized tribes; 
(3) its own general trust relationship with, and 
responsibility to, Federally-recognized Indian Tribes; 
and 
(4) the rights of Tribal governments to establish 
and implement their own communications priorities 
and goals for the welfare of their membership. 
(c) PURPOSES.—The Office shall— 
(1) work with Indian Tribes on a government- 
to-government basis consistent with the principles of 
Tribal self-governance to ensure, through regulations 
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and policy initiatives, and consistent with section 1 
of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 151), 
that Indian Tribes have adequate access to commu-
nications services and to further the goals and prior-
ities herein; 
(2) consult with Tribal governments prior to im-
plementing any regulatory action or policy that will 
significantly or uniquely affect Tribal governments, 
their members, land, and resources; 
(3) advise directly the Commission, offices, and 
Bureaus on matters of Tribal law and sovereignty, 
conducting outreach to Indian Tribes, coordinating 
and preparing an annual report on status of tele-
communications in Indian country, and such other 
duties as the Commission shall determine; 
(4) strive to develop working relationships with 
Tribal governments, and endeavor to identify innova-
tive mechanisms to facilitate Tribal consultation in 
agency regulatory processes that uniquely affect tele-
communications compliance activities, radio spec-
trum policies, and other telecommunications service- 
related issues on Tribal lands; 
(5) endeavor to streamline its administrative 
process and procedures to remove undue burdens that 
its decisions and actions place on Indian Tribes and 
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seek to remove those impediments to the extent author-
ized by law; 
(6) assist Indian Tribes in complying with Fed-
eral communications statutes and regulations; 
(7) seek to identify and establish procedures and 
mechanisms to educate Commission staff about Tribal 
governments and Tribal cultures, sovereignty rights, 
Indian law, and Tribal communications needs; 
(8) work cooperatively with other Federal de-
partments and agencies, Tribal, State, and local gov-
ernments to further the goals of this policy and to ad-
dress communications problems, such as low penetra-
tion rates and poor quality services on reservations, 
and other problems of mutual concern; 
(9) welcome submission from Tribal governments 
and other concerned parties as to other actions the 
Commission might take to further the goals and prin-
ciples presented herein; 
(10) facilitate incorporation of these Indian pol-
icy goals into the Commission’s ongoing and long- 
term planning and management activities, including 
its policy proposals, management accountability sys-
tem, and ongoing policy development processes; and 
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