$1B In Grants To Go For Broadband On Tribal Lands

The Biden administration is making available $1 billion in federal grants to expand the availability of high-speed internet on tribal lands.

Vice President Kamala Harris, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and Interior Secretary Deb Haaland announced the funding Thursday. It comes from the Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration. The program will prioritize the delivery of broadband to underserved households on tribal lands. It also invites proposals that address the digital divide, including those related to telehealth, education and workforce development. The Federal Communications Commission has estimated that about one-third of people living on tribal lands lack access to high-speed internet. But others say the figure is much higher.