S. 4809Senate116th Congress (2019-2021)In Committee

Extending Tribal Broadband Priority Act of 2020

Introduced October 19, 2020

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 14, 2026 at 3:34 PM UTC

The Extending Tribal Broadband Priority Act of 2020 tells the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to set up a new priority window for tribal entities to apply for licenses in the 2.5 GHz spectrum band. The window must be created within 30 days of the law’s enactment and will be open for at least 180 days. The bill also lifts certain procedural rules that could slow the FCC’s actions.

Key Provisions

  • The FCC must establish a new tribal priority window for any 2.5 GHz band frequencies that are still available and were not claimed during the previous tribal window created in 2019.
  • The FCC must begin accepting applications as soon as the window is created and keep it open for 180 days, or longer if the agency decides.
  • The FCC is exempted from the Regulatory Flexibility Act, the Paperwork Reduction Act, and similar procedural requirements that might otherwise delay the creation of the window or the acceptance of applications.

Legislative Activity

Stay on top of the latest movement without scrolling through every action

1 earlier action
SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

October 19, 2020

View full timeline
SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

October 19, 2020

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

October 19, 2020

Bill Text

Latest available legislative text

Reading Mode
Latest
Introduced in SenateIssued October 19, 2020

II

116th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 4809

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

October 19, 2020

Ms. Warren (for herself, Mr. Markey, Mr. Merkley, Ms. Smith, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Udall, Mr. Schatz, Mr. Wyden, Ms. Klobuchar, Ms. Cortez Masto, Ms. Baldwin, Ms. Rosen, and Mr. King) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

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.

1.

Short title

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

2.

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).