Senate Commerce Committee ranking member Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and Communications Subcommittee ranking member John Thune, R-S.D., criticized Commerce Department Inspector General Peggy Gustafson for what they say is a failure to adequately do oversight of NTIA's tribal broadband connectivity program. Congress mandated when it authorized the program via the FY 2021 appropriations and COVID-19 aid law (see 2012220061) that the Commerce IG "review TBCP grants awarded by NTIA and make recommendations to address any waste, fraud or abuse with respect to these grants," with the first two reports due May 16 and Nov. 16 this year, Wicker and Thune said in a letter to Gustafson. The IG office's failure to meet those deadlines "is deeply concerning for two reasons: 1) NTIA has a long and well-documented history of misusing federal dollars when attempting to expand broadband access; and 2) your office has had a significant and ongoing problematic history." Congress has also "recently heard testimony of funds being used to overbuild existing broadband networks which makes it even more alarming your office would disregard its oversight responsibilities," the GOP leaders said. They want Gustafson to "provide a specific timeline" by Dec. 16 for providing the reports to Congress. Commerce didn't comment. Thune earlier this week began a bid for stronger oversight of all federal broadband programs funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and other recent measures (see 2212060067).

FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel visited Isleta and Laguna pueblos in New Mexico Tuesday to discuss tribal library broadband connectivity with tribal leaders and library representatives. The visit "aims to amplify agency efforts to ensure tribal library institutions have equitable access to E-rate," said a news release. The FCC's changes to ensure tribal libraries' access to the program and tribal libraries pilot program "will provide one-on-one help to Tribal libraries throughout the sign-up and benefit process and help make participating in E-rate easier," Rosenworcel said (see 2210200046).

NTIA awarded more than $73 million in tribal broadband connectivity program grants to nine tribal entities Wednesday. The new funding will connect more than 3,000 unserved households, businesses and anchor institutions, said a news release. "The Biden administration is committed to fostering meaningful partnerships with tribal nations," said Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo: "These grants ... highlight the Biden administration’s unprecedented commitment to closing the digital divide in Native communities."

The FCC chair, secretary of the Interior and the Commerce Department's assistant secretary for communications and information will meet at least quarterly to plan policies and programs aimed at broadband and wireless services on tribal lands, per an MOU signed by the agencies. The MOU said the aim is better coordination among federal agencies on ways to help deploy and develop broadband and other wireless services on tribal lands, plus expanded access to spectrum over tribal lands and the Hawaiian homelands. Under the MOU, the agencies will also discuss initiatives aimed at encouraging tribes and the Native Hawaiian community to take part in existing programs such as Lifeline through outreach and promotion to eligible households on tribal lands. Interior said it also is establishing an Office of Indigenous Communications and Technology to help tribal nations and tribal entities manage and develop wireless services on tribal lands. Interior said OICT will try to facilitate work between tribes and the tech industry, review spectrum leasing opportunities as a route to advancing Tribal self-determination and help develop national tribal broadband policy guidance. The MOU was announced during a White House Tribal Nations Summit Wednesday. The MOU "is an important, concrete step to ensure that Tribal voices are at the table when decisions are being made on how best to promote deployment of broadband to their communities," Public Knowledge said. It also will ensure a coordinated effort by the FCC, Interior and NTIA to engage with tribal leaders and communities and help ensure they have necessary information for getting access to resources, such as E-rate and the tribal Broadband Connectivity Fund, PK said.

NTIA awarded more than $224 million in additional tribal broadband connectivity program support to 18 tribal entities Thursday. Tribes in Alaska, Arizona, California, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, South Dakota and Virginia received funding to reach 21,468 unserved tribal households, said a news release. NTIA said it plans to announce an additional notice of funding opportunity "in the coming months."

The FCC encouraged entities interested in applying for the affordable connectivity program's outreach grants to present "innovative outreach strategies" that can be implemented at the multistate or national level, due to the limited funding available, said Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau staff during a webinar Tuesday. Attendees sought guidance on how to navigate the application process and how the bureau will base its funding decisions.

A new study by CTIA and Recon Analytics questions whether citizens broadband radio service spectrum, often cited as the potential sharing model of the future, is a suitable replacement for exclusive, licensed spectrum. Meanwhile, the Biden administration is moving on release of a national spectrum strategy (see 2209260048). Carriers already said they hope the strategy will lay out bands that can be cleared for licensed use. Wi-Fi advocates fired back.

Applications for the FCC's affordable connectivity program national outreach grants and tribal outreach grants are due by Jan. 9, said a notice of funding opportunity released Thursday (see 2209200076). A separate notice for the Your Home, Your Internet and ACP navigator pilot grant programs will be released Nov. 21, said a news release. "Our outreach partners have already demonstrated creativity, perseverance, and a continued commitment to ensuring everyone, everywhere has the internet connections they need," said Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, "and these outreach grants aim to supercharge those successful efforts.”

Historically black colleges and universities, tribal colleges and universities, and minority-serving institutions say inadequate or nonexistent infrastructure is a common barrier to accessing reliable, high-speed broadband, said NTIA's Office of Minority Broadband Initiatives (OMBI) in its inaugural report to Congress Thursday. The report also cited an affordability gap and the cost of devices as a barrier to adoption. Affordable and reliable high-speed internet "is still far from ubiquitous and its benefits are not equitably shared," the report said. Despite "promising improvements," the report highlighted "persistent disparities in internet subscriptions and device usage along lines of race, ethnicity, and income." The report is "a milestone in our mission to address high-speed internet deployment challenges in vulnerable communities,” said NTIA Administrator Alan Davidson: “The newly created Office of Minority Broadband Initiatives will lead the way to ensure that these critical anchor institutions and the communities they serve have access to high-speed, affordable internet service.” OMBI said it plans to focus on four areas in the coming years: building the capacity of anchor institutions and their communities, evaluating the connecting minority communities pilot program for best practices to "expand digital access and adoption," coordinating with other agencies on the Biden administration's "Internet for All" initiatives, and exploring partnerships with digital equity stakeholders. OMBI said it awarded five grants totaling more than $20 million through the connecting minority communities pilot.

Broadband advocates, industry and academics urged policymakers Wednesday to develop standards for measuring broadband beyond speed. Some during the Marconi Society virtual event sought a focus on how local communities implement sustainable broadband programs funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.