FCC Committed on Tribal Broadband, Pai Says in Letters to Congress

The FCC is taking its commitment seriously to promote broadband on Indian land, Chairman Ajit Pai said in letters to two members of Congress posted Friday. Pai told Rep. Mike Quigley, D-Ill., the FCC is following up on an April GAO report. The report said some tribal representatives believe federal agencies don’t consider their input and consultations start too late. “There is always room for improving communications. Consistent with GAO’s recommendation, I have asked FCC staff to explore ways of documenting how FCC staff could communicate with Tribes about how Tribal input was used in FCC decisions on telecommunications infrastructure projects,” Pai said. Pai told Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., the agency is acting to promote broadband in tribal areas. Pai said outreach is planned in several venues in his state, including at the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission’s upcoming rural networks conference in Farmington.