CJ.anitcd ~rates ~cnatc WASHINGTON, DC 20510 The Honorable Tom Wheeler Chairman Federal Communicati ons Commission 445 12111 Street SW Washington, D.C. 20554 Dear Chairman Wheeler, Jul y 15, 2016 As you know, closing the Digital Divide on Tribal Lands (including Alaska Native Villages and Native Hawaiian Homelands) remains one of the most importa nt infrastructu re challenges facing om nation. New mobile broadband teclmologies are improving virtually every aspect of our economy, including medical monitoring, assisting first responders with real-time video capabilities, and providing countless mobile applications to om citizens. Despite significant gains, broadband availabi li ty and adoption on Tribal Lands continues to lag behind non-Tri bal Lands in the U.S. by a wide margin, especiall y in rw·al areas. Over the past several months, you have spoken of the Commission's intent to undertake comprehensive Tribal reforms. We ask you to complete such reforms this year, to improve infrastructure, increase access to broadband, and to make high quality mobi le broadband affordable for Tribal citizens. To the extent that funds are ava ilable withi n the cun-ent un iversal serv ice program, we urge you to repurpose them to accelerate investment in broadband on Tribal Lands. Separately, we ask you to improve the quality of the Commission's data, for both mobile wireless coverage and mobi le broadband availabi li ty, to ensure that the Commission's Mobil ity Fund investments are properly targeted to areas that need new and improved services. As new "50" mobile technologies appear on the horizon, we cannot allow Triba l Lands, especia lly those in rura l areas, to fa ll farther behind. Prompt action on these cri tical issues is needed to ensure that every American has access to the benefits of modern mobi le broadband service at affordable rates. Sincere ly, ~~~t:Z,4' .. Maria Cantwell Uni ted States Senator ~'An:~ United States Senator 569 Tom Udall United States Senator United States Senator on Tester United States Senator