Q: In this task, you are given text for US Congressional and California state bills, your task is to generate a summary for this bill.
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ''Native American Telecommunications
Act of 1997''.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF INDIAN TELECOMMUNICATIONS POLICY.

(a) Amendment.--Title I of the Communications Act of 1934 is
amended by inserting after section 11 (47 U.S.C. 161) the following new
section:

''SEC. 12. ESTABLISHMENT OF INDIAN TELECOMMUNICATIONS POLICY.

''(a) Findings.--The Congress finds that--
''(1) Indian and Alaskan Native people live in some of the
most geographically remote areas of the country, with 50
percent of Indian and Alaskan Native people living in Oklahoma,
California, South Dakota, Arizona, New Mexico, Alaska, and
Washington;
''(2) Indian poverty in reservation areas is 3.9 times the
national average rate;
''(3) the average phone penetration rates for rural Native
Americans is only 50 percent and actual penetration rates are
often much lower;
''(4) what phone service there is in Indian country is
often substandard and prohibitively expensive;
''(5) the Telecommunications Act of 1996 establishes a
Federal-State Joint Board which issued recommendations on how
to make quality telephone service affordable to all and to
define what is deemed to be 'universal service';
''(6) the Telecommunications Act of 1996 requires the
Federal Communications Commission to implement the
recommendations from the Joint Board by May 8, 1997;
''(7) the benefits of Federal universal service policies
have often not reached Indian country;
''(8) the Federal Government and the States have not
historically adequately required telecommunications carriers to
provide telecommunications services on Indian lands; and
''(9) the United States recognizes the sovereignty of
Indian tribes in relation to the States through a government-
to-government relationship, as reflected in the Constitution,
treaties, Federal statutes, and the course of dealings of the
United States with Indian tribes.
''(b) Policy Required.--Within 120 days after the date of enactment
of this section, the Commission shall initiate a proceeding to develop
and establish an official policy regarding the relations between the
Commission and American Indians, including Alaskan Natives. In
establishing such policy, the Commission shall--
''(1) recognize--
''(A) the special needs of American Indians,
including Alaskan Natives, as determined under
subsection (a);
''(B) the sovereign authority of tribal
governments; and
''(C) the trust obligations of the United States;
''(2) promote the exercise of sovereign authority of tribal
governments over the establishment of communications policies
and regulations within their jurisdictions;
''(3) seek to promote Native Americans', including Alaskan
Natives', participation in the consumption and provision of
telecommunications services on Indian lands; and
''(4) not preclude the opportunity for improved
negotiations between tribes and the States.
''(c) Notice Obligations.--The policy established pursuant to
subsection (b) shall include procedures for giving Native Americans,
including Alaskan Natives, notice and the opportunity for meaningful
participation and comment in any proceedings affecting tribal lands,
including competitive bidding conducted under section 309(j) of bands
of frequencies in geographic coverage areas under the jurisdiction of
tribal governments.
''(d) Forbearance.--The Commission shall forbear from applying any
provision of this Act or any regulation thereunder to the extent that
such forbearance--
''(1) is necessary to ensure compliance with the trust
responsibility of the United States; and
''(2) is consistent with the public interest.
''(e) Triennial Review.--The Commission shall review and revise as
necessary the policies established pursuant to subsection (b) at least
once every 3 years after the establishment of such policies.''.
(b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 309(j)(3)(B) of such Act (47
U.S.C. 309(j)(3)(B)) is amended by inserting ''Indian tribes, Alaskan
Native villages,'' after ''including''.

SEC. 3. DESIGNATION OF ELIGIBLE TELECOMMUNICATIONS CARRIERS FOR THE
PROVISION OF UNIVERSAL SERVICE.

Section 214(e) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 214(e))
is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
''(6) Service areas within indian lands.--With respect to
the designation of eligible telecommunications carriers for,
and of service areas within, any lands under the jurisdiction
of a tribal government (within the meaning of section 7871 of
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. 7871)), the
Commission shall exercise the authority of, and comply with the
requirements of this subsection on, State commissions. In
exercising such authority and complying with such requirements,
the Commission shall comply with the policies established
pursuant to section 12 of this Act.''.

SEC. 4. ATTAINMENT OF UNIVERSAL SERVICE PRINCIPLES IN INDIAN COUNTRY.

Section 254 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 254) is
amended--
(1) in subsection (b)--
(A) by redesignating paragraph (7) as paragraph
(8); and
(B) by inserting after paragraph (6) the following
new paragraph:
''(7) Access by native americans.--Because States have not
historically exercised the authority to require
telecommunications carriers to deliver services on Indian
lands, and because of the trust responsibilities of the United
States, the responsibility to ensure the availability of
quality telecommunications services to Native Americans,
including Alaskan Natives, at just, reasonable, and affordable
rates is a Federal responsibility that should be assured by
means of the Federal universal service support mechanisms
established under this section, taking into account any support
mechanisms established by the States.''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
''(l) Maintenance of Native American Subscribership and
Affordability Data.--The Commission shall prescribe such regulations as
are necessary to obtain reliable statistics concerning the extent of
subscribership to, and the affordability of, telecommunications on
Indian lands. Such data shall be maintained by the Commission in a form
that is easily accessible to the public. The Commission shall
periodically review and summarize such data in its annual reports under
section 4(k), and shall, on the basis of such review, take such other
actions as are necessary to carry out the purposes of this section with
respect to the delivery of universal telecommunications services to
Native Americans, including Alaskan Natives, at just, reasonable, and
affordable rates.''.

SEC. 5. INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT POLICY INITIATIVES.

Section 103 of the National Telecommunications and Information
Administration Organization Act (47 U.S.C. 902) is amended by adding at
the end the following new subsection:
''(d) Native American Telecommunications Infrastructure Policy
Initiatives.--In carrying out the authority to serve as the President's
adviser under subsection (b)(2)(D), the Assistant Secretary and the
NTIA shall be responsible for designing and proposing policy
initiatives to encourage investment in, and the deployment of,
telecommunications systems on Indian lands.''.
A:
Native American Telecommunications Act of 1997 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 (the Act) to require the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to initiate a proceeding to develop and establish an official policy regarding the relations between FCC and American Indians (including Alaskan Natives). Requires the policy to include procedures for giving Native Americans notice and the opportunity for meaningful participation and comment in any proceedings affecting tribal lands, including competitive bidding conducted for bands of frequencies in geographic coverage areas under the jurisdiction of tribal governments.
Requires a review and revision as necessary of such policies at least every three years.
Requires the FCC to exercise the authority of, and comply with the requirements of the Act on, State commissions with respect to the designation of eligible telecommunications carriers for, and of service areas within, any lands under the jurisdiction of a tribal government.
Declares it to be a Federal responsibility to assure the availability of quality telecommunications services to Native Americans by means of universal service support mechanisms.
Requires the FCC to: (1) prescribe regulations necessary to obtain reliable statistics concerning the extent of subscribership to, and the affordability of, telecommunications on Indian lands; and (2) periodically review and summarize such data in its annual reports; and (3) take necessary actions to deliver universal telecommunications services to Native Americans at just, reasonable, and affordable rates.
Amends the National Telecommunications and Information Administration Organization Act to make the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration responsible for designing and proposing policy initiatives to encourage investment in, and the deployment of, telecommunications systems on Indian lands.