Federal Communications Commission	DA 22-888


DA 22-888
August 25, 2022


CHAIRWOMAN ROSENWORCEL ANNOUNCES TERM EXTENSION OF THE COMMISSION’S NATIVE NATIONS COMMUNICATIONS TASK FORCE 

Chairwoman Rosenworcel today announces a twelve-month additional extension of the term of the Federal Communications Commission’s (Commission) Native Nations Communications Task Force Originally created in 2011 as the Native Nations Broadband Task Force, the Task Force was renamed in the 2018 NNCTF Renewal PN to reflect its involvement in issues including, but also reaching beyond, broadband deployment.
 (NNCTF or Task Force).  The current three-year term, which after a one-year extension granted on June 28, 2021, was set to expire on October 24, 2022, will now expire on October 24, 2023.See Acting Chairwoman Rosenworcel Announces Term Extension of the Native Nations Communications Task Force and Seeks Nominations, Public Notice, 36 FCC Rcd 10096 (2021); FCC Seeks Nominations for Tribal Government Representatives to Serve on Renewed Native Nations Communications Task Force, Public Notice, 33 FCC Rcd 1264 (2018) (2018 NNCTF Renewal PN); Chairman Pai Announces New Appointments to the Native Nations Communications Task Force, Public Notice, 35 FCC Rcd 2968 (2020), raising the number of Tribal seats from 22 to 25; Chairman Pai Announces New Appointments to the Native Nations Communications Task Force, Public Notice, 33 FCC Rcd 10152 (2018).  The Task Force currently has 30 members comprised of 22 representatives of Tribal Nations and 8 FCC senior staff.  Its work is led by two Co-Chairpersons – a Commission Co-Chair, Chief of the Office of Native Affairs and Policy, and a Tribal Co-Chair elected by the Tribal Members.
  This extension takes into account the recent addition of eight new Tribal members, and the extension will provide additional time to further the Task Force’s contributions to the FCC. See Chairwoman Rosenworcel Announces New Appointments to the Native Nations Communications Task Force, Public Notice, DA 22-104 (rel. Feb. 2, 2022), appointing eight new Tribal members, and raising the number of Tribal seats from 25 to 26.


The Task Force is intended to provide an effective means for Tribal leaders to exchange ideas and develop recommendations to the Commission on, among other things, the availability of communications facilities and services – including broadband – on Tribal lands.  The Task Force has been an important source of information, guidance, expertise, and recommendations to the Commission over the past ten years. See, e.g., Native Nations Communications Task Force, Report to the Federal Communications Commission, Improving and Increasing Broadband Deployment on Tribal Lands (2019) at https://www.fcc.gov/sites/default/files/nnctf_tribal_broadband_report.pdf; Native Nations Communications Task Force Report to the Federal Communications Commission, Recommendations for Improving Tribal Engagement Between Covered Providers and Tribal Governments (2020) at https://www.fcc.gov/sites/default/files/nnctf_tribal_engagement_report_12.30.20.pdf; Native Nations Communications Task Force Report to the Federal Communications Commission, Handbook on Infrastructure Deployment on Tribal Lands (2022) at https://www.fcc.gov/sites/default/files/nnctf_infrastructure_handbook_adopted_05.16.22.pdf.
  Its input enhances the Commission’s ability to carry out its statutory responsibilities to ensure the availability of communication by wire and radio and encourage broadband deployment to all Americans. See 47 U.S.C. § 151; 47 U.S.C. § 1302.

EXEMPTION FROM THE FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT
Pursuant to the “intergovernmental communication” exemption of UMRA, See 2 U.S.C. § 1534 (b).
 the NNCTF is not subject to, and is not required to follow, the procedures set forth in the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), 5 U.S.C. App 2 (1988).

FURTHER INFORMATION
For further information, please contact:  Derik Goatson, Legal Advisor, Office of Native Affairs and Policy, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, Federal Communications Commission, (202) 418-1981, derik.goatson@fcc.gov.

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