Sens Merkley, Wyden, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Expand Tribal Broadband Application Deadline

Sens Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Ron Wyden (D-OR), along with 11 of their Senate colleagues, have introduced a bill to expand the Federal Communication Commission 2.5 GHz Rural Tribal Priority Window to allow Tribal Nations and Native Hawaiian organizations the time they need to apply for spectrum licenses for unassigned spectrum over their own lands—a critical step to expanding broadband access in their communities. The Extending Broadband Tribal Priority Act of 2020 will require the FCC to open a new 2.5 GHz Rural Tribal Priority Window that lasts at least 180 days, to commence no later than 30 days after the bill is enacted. This bill will give Tribal Nations and Native Hawaiian organizations an adequate amount of time to apply for spectrum licenses to deploy much-needed internet services on their lands.