Senate Democrats are pushing the Federal Communications Commission to expedite progress on broadband connectivity in Native communities.
In a last week to FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, the group of fourteen senators urged action on connecting Native communities to honor federal trust responsibility and ensure resources in the midst of COVID-19.
鈥淣ow more than ever,鈥� the senators wrote, 鈥渂roadband services are vital to providing and maintaining essential community services, including ensuring members have access to telemedicine, virtual learning, and teleworking capabilities.鈥�
A 2018 FCC noted nearly half of households on rural tribal lands don't have access to broadband service.
According to Tracy Morris, executive director at the think tank American Indian Policy Institute, internet disparities can affect all walks of life
鈥淓ducation, health, economic development, energy, water management, farming... Pretty much everything is at stake if we don't have access,鈥� she said.
But Morris says the coronavirus is just the latest obstacle to put the digital divide in focus.
鈥淚t's a very frustrating thing that it took a global pandemic to highlight an issue that we've been talking about for the last 15 years in Indian Country,鈥� she said.
Earlier this month, the FCC closed a priority window for rural tribes to apply for access to unassigned broadband spectrum, despite pleas for an extension from tribes and their allies.
All this comes as the Department of the Interior prepares to host a virtual next week to address solutions.
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