H.R. 8665House116th Congress (2019-2021)In Committee

Extending Tribal Broadband Priority Act of 2020

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 14, 2026 at 3:39 PM UTC

The Extending Tribal Broadband Priority Act of 2020 tells the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to create a new priority window for tribal entities to apply for unused portions of the 2.5 GHz spectrum. The goal is to give Native American tribes another chance to obtain broadband‑supporting frequencies that were not claimed during the earlier 2019 tribal priority window.

Key Provisions

The FCC must establish the new tribal priority window within 30 days of the law’s enactment, using the same rules that applied to the 2019 window.
The window applies only to parts of the 2.5 GHz band that remain unassigned and for which no tribal application was received during the 2019 window.
Tribal applicants can submit proposals during a period that starts when the window opens and lasts at least 180 days, or longer if the FCC decides.
The FCC is exempted from certain procedural statutes (e.g., the Regulatory Flexibility Act and Paperwork Reduction Act) that could otherwise delay the creation of the window or the acceptance of applications.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action

HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Energy and Commerce Committee

October 23, 2020

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

October 23, 2020

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Energy and Commerce Committee

October 23, 2020

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued October 23, 2020

116th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 8665

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

October 23, 2020

Ms. Haaland (for herself, Ms. Craig, Mr. Cole, Ms. Kendra S. Horn of Oklahoma, Mr. Gallego, and Mr. Young) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

A BILL

To direct the Federal Communications Commission to establish a new Tribal priority window for the 2.5 gigahertz band, and for other purposes.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Extending Tribal Broadband Priority Act of 2020.

Establishment of new 2.5 GHz Tribal priority window

(a)

Commission defined

In this section, the term Commission means the Federal Communications Commission.

(b)

New Tribal priority window

The Commission shall—

(1)

not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act, establish a new Tribal priority window for the 2.5 gigahertz band, under the same terms and conditions as the Tribal priority window established in the Report and Order in the matter of Transforming the 2.5 GHz Band adopted by the Commission on July 10, 2019 (FCC 19–62), for any portions of the band—

(A)

that remain available for assignment in accordance with that Report and Order; and

(B)

for which the Commission did not receive an application during the Tribal priority window established in that Report and Order; and

(2)

accept applications in the new window established under paragraph (1) during the period that—

(A)

begins on the date on which the window is established; and

(B)

ends on the date that is 180 days after the date on which the window is established, or such later date as the Commission considers appropriate.

(c)

Exception from certain procedural requirements

To the extent that the Commission determines that section 553 of title 5, United States Code, chapter 6 of that title (commonly known as the Regulatory Flexibility Act), subchapter I of chapter 35 of title 44, United States Code (commonly known as the Paperwork Reduction Act), or any other provision of law would prevent the Commission from establishing the new Tribal priority window by the date required under paragraph (1) of subsection (b) or from beginning to accept applications in that window as required under paragraph (2)(A) of that subsection, that provision shall not apply to any action taken by the Commission, or any rule or order issued by the Commission, to establish that window or to begin accepting applications in that window (as the case may be).