Remarks by US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo at the White House Tribal Nations Summit

At the Department of Commerce, we are laser-focused on building a 21^st century economy, and that starts with high-speed internet. For too long, tribal communities have been cut off from reliable, affordable internet. But that’s changing. Through the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program, we have awarded over $1.8 billion to more than 220 tribal entities to expand high-speed internet network deployment and digital skills training. In July 2023, we announced another billion in additional funds available for this program. When I met in 2022 with tribal leaders in Arizona, they told me how these grants are going to transform the way their communities work, learn, and access health care while enabling them to preserve their cultural traditions. Together, we can bring opportunity to our tribal communities and ensure that tribal businesses and workers are equipped for success.