I 
115TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5172 
To assist Indian tribes in maintaining, expanding, and deploying broadband 
systems. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 6, 2018 
Mr. O’HALLERAN (for himself and Mr. PEARCE) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to 
the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently 
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provi-
sions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To assist Indian tribes in maintaining, expanding, and 
deploying broadband systems. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR INDIAN TRIBES 
IN APPLYING FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE 
TO 
MAINTAIN, 
EXPAND, 
OR 
DEPLOY 
BROADBAND SYSTEMS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Agriculture, 
through the Office of Tribal Relations in the Department 
of Agriculture, shall, in consultation with the Office of Na-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:44 Mar 09, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5172.IH
H5172
amozie on DSK30RV082PROD with BILLS
tive Affairs and Policy of the Federal Communications 
Commission— 
(1) create a database of Federal programs and 
activities under which Indian tribes and tribal orga-
nizations, and agencies and instrumentalities of In-
dian tribes and tribal organizations, may obtain fi-
nancial assistance for the maintenance, expansion, 
or deployment of broadband systems; 
(2) provide technical assistance to entities de-
scribed in paragraph (1) in applying for or using the 
financial assistance; and 
(3) submit to the Congress annual reports on— 
(A) the number of the entities to which the 
technical assistance was provided in the fiscal 
year covered by the report; 
(B) the number of applications for the fi-
nancial assistance that the entities submitted in 
the fiscal year covered by the report; and 
(C) the number of efforts made to facili-
tate the efforts of the entities to obtain the fi-
nancial assistance in the fiscal year covered by 
the report. 
(b) MODEL BROADBAND DEVELOPMENT PLAN.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Within 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:44 Mar 09, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5172.IH
H5172
amozie on DSK30RV082PROD with BILLS
Agriculture, through the Office of Tribal Relations 
in the Department of Agriculture, shall develop and 
publish in the Federal Register a model broadband 
development plan using the database created under 
subsection (a)(1), that— 
(A) identifies overlaps and unique target 
areas in each programs listed in the database; 
(B) identifies options for obtaining the fi-
nancial assistance referred to in subsection 
(a)(1), and propose opportunities to enable the 
entities described in subsection (a)(1) overcome 
any obstacles in doing so; 
(C) describes the goals of technical assist-
ance provided under subsection (a)(2); and 
(D) proposes a course for the provision of 
the technical assistance that is proven to en-
hance broadband access on tribal lands. 
(2) CONSULTATIONS REQUIRED.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—Subject to subpara-
graph (B), in developing the plan, the Secretary 
of Agriculture and the Federal Communications 
Commission shall jointly— 
(i) conduct an in-person consultation 
with the Indian tribes and tribal members 
involved, in a forum open to the public; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:44 Mar 09, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5172.IH
H5172
amozie on DSK30RV082PROD with BILLS
(ii) publish in the Federal Register 
the date of the consultation not later than 
14 days before that date; 
(iii) within 30 days after the date of 
the consultation, transcribe or record the 
consultation, and make the transcription or 
record available to the public; and 
(iv) not later than 30 days before fi-
nalizing the plan, make available to the 
public a document that demonstrates how 
the consultation affected the development 
of the plan. 
(B) WAIVER AUTHORITY.—The Secretary 
of Agriculture and the Federal Communications 
Commission may jointly waive the requirement 
of subparagraph (A) with respect to a group of 
Indian tribes if at least 5⁄6 of the Indian tribes 
involved agree to the waiver. 
(c) DEFINITION OF INDIAN TRIBE.—In this section, 
the term ‘‘Indian tribe’’ has the meaning given the term 
in section 102(2) of the Federally Recognized Indian 
Tribe List Act of 1994. 
(d) LIMITATIONS
ON AUTHORIZATION
OF APPRO-
PRIATIONS.—To carry out this section, there are author-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:44 Mar 09, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5172.IH
H5172
amozie on DSK30RV082PROD with BILLS