Tribal Connect Act of 2020

Bill: 116-s-4529
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Heinrich, Martin [D-NM]
Introduced: 2020-08-13
Policy area: Native Americans
Subjects: Congressional oversight

Educational technology and distance education

Government information and archives

Indian social and development programs

Internet and video services

Internet, web applications, social media

Libraries and archives

Performance measurement

Telecommunication rates and fees

Telephone and wireless communication
Latest action: action_date: 2020-08-13
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.

Summaries:
action_date: 2020-08-13
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><b>Tribal Connect Act of 2020</b></p> <p>This bill expands tribal access to the Schools and Libraries Universal Service Support (E-rate) program, which provides discounted broadband internet access and telecommunications services to certain schools and libraries. It also establishes a pilot program to provide E-rate support to certain community-serving institutions.</p> <p>First, a tribe may designate a tribal library or tribal library consortium, including a public-serving library of a tribal college or university, as a library or library consortium that is eligible for E-rate support. The tribe may make this designation regardless of whether the library or consortium is eligible for certain assistance from a state library administrative agency. </p> <p>In addition, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) must establish a program to provide E-rate support to tribes for qualifying essential community-serving institutions (e.g., community centers). E-rate support may be provided to institutions designated by tribes if (1) the institutions are exclusively owned by the tribes; and (2) the institutions intend to deliver publicly available internet access to students, teachers, librarians, and community members.</p> <p>Further, the bill requires the FCC to (1) provide technical assistance and training, (2) develop performance measures, and (3) review and submit annual reports. </p>

tv_txt: II 116th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 4529 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES August 13, 2020 Mr. Heinrich introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs A BILL To improve access by Indian Tribes to support from the Schools and Libraries Universal Service Support program (E-rate) of the Federal Communications Commission, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Tribal Connect Act of 2020 . 2. Eligibility of tribal libraries and qualifying essential community-serving institutions for e-rate support Section 254 of the Communications Act of 1934 ( 47 U.S.C. 254 ) is amended— (1) in subsection (h)(4), by inserting , except as provided in subsection (m), before is a library or library consortium ; and (2) by adding at the end the following: (m) Eligibility of tribal libraries and qualifying essential community-Serving institutions for E-Rate support (1) Definitions In this subsection— (A) the term broadband internet access service has the meaning given the term in section 8.1(b) of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor regulation; (B) the term E-rate program means the universal service program for schools and libraries authorized under subsection (h)(1)(B), the rules of which are set forth under subpart F of part 54 of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor regulation), as authorized under subsection (h)(2)(A); (C) the term E-rate support means universal service discounts on eligible services in accordance with subpart F of part 54 of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor regulation), as authorized under subsection (h)(2)(A); (D) the term Indian Tribe has the meaning given the term Indian tribe in section 20.100 of title 25, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor regulation; (E) the term qualifying essential community-serving institution means a facility exclusively owned by an Indian Tribe, including a tribal government building, chapter house, longhouse, community center, senior center, or other similar public building; and (F) the term Tribal College or University has the meaning given the term in section 316(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1059c(b) ). (2) Eligibility of tribal libraries for e-rate support (A) Designation of tribal libraries as libraries eligible for e-rate support (i) In general An Indian Tribe that is eligible for support under section 261 of the Library Services and Technology Act ( 20 U.S.C. 9161 ) may designate a tribal library or tribal library consortium, including a public-serving library of a Tribal College or University, as a library or consortium that is eligible for E-rate support, without regard to whether the library or library consortium is eligible for assistance from a State Library Administrative Agency under the Library Services and Technology Act ( 20 U.S.C. 9121 et seq.), if the library or library consortium is eligible for support from an Indian Tribe under such section 261. (ii) Rule of construction Nothing in clause (i) shall be construed to exempt a tribal library from any requirement under the E-rate program not described in that clause, including the other requirements relating to eligible recipients under section 54.501 of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor regulation). (B) Tribal essential community-serving institution demonstration program (i) In general The Commission, in consultation with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and any other agency with relevant responsibilities, shall establish a pilot program to be known as the Tribal Essential Community-Serving Institution Program , under which the Commission shall provide E-rate support to Indian Tribes for qualifying essential community-serving institutions, as designated by an Indian Tribe. (ii) Eligibility E-rate support obtained under this subparagraph shall only be available to an Indian Tribe if the proposed qualifying essential community-serving institution intends to deliver publicly available internet access and telecommunications services to students, teachers, librarians, and members of the community. (iii) Eligibility for E-rate after the demonstration program A qualifying essential community-serving institution that receives E-rate support under this subparagraph shall be eligible for E-rate support at the end of the 3-year period described in subparagraph (C). (C) Use of contributions Of the amount collected for the Universal Service Fund under subsection (d), $100,000,000 shall be made available for the 3-fiscal-year period beginning after the date of enactment of the Tribal Connect Act of 2020 to the Commission to carry out this paragraph. (3) Training and technical assistance for tribal schools and libraries (A) Annual reports The Commission shall— (i) direct the Administrator of the Schools and Libraries Universal Service Support program to submit an annual report to the Commission regarding the actions of the Schools and Libraries Universal Service Support program to ensure that tribal schools and libraries can participate fully and effectively in the E-rate program, including— (I) outreach efforts targeted to tribal schools and libraries to promote awareness of the E-rate program; (II) specific E-rate training programs for tribal schools and libraries; and (III) other technical assistance initiatives regarding the program’s application process that are available to tribal schools and libraries; and (ii) submit each annual report described in clause (i) to— (I) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate; (II) the Committee on Indian Affairs of the Senate; (III) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives; and (IV) the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives. (B) Review of annual reports The Commission shall review each annual report required under subparagraph (A) to determine whether additional steps are necessary to ensure that tribal schools and libraries can participate fully and effectively in the E-rate program. (C) Universal service fund technical assistance and training The Commission, in consultation with the Institute of Museum and Library Services, shall provide technical assistance and training to Indian Tribes with respect to Universal Service Fund programs. (4) Coordination and performance measurement The Commission shall— (A) improve the reliability of the data of the Commission relating to institutions that receive E-rate support by defining the term tribal on the application for E-rate support; and (B) (i) develop performance goals and measures to track progress on achieving the strategic objective of the Commission of ensuring that all Indian Tribes have affordable access to broadband internet access service for educational purposes for students, teachers, librarians, and members of the community; (ii) in coordination with the Institute of Museum and Library Services, identify all tribal libraries and developing tribal libraries in the United States; and (iii) not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this subsection, submit to Congress and make public a report on the goals and measures developed under clause (i) and the list of libraries identified under clause (ii). .