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 Federal  Communications  Commission  FCC  05-  176 
 STATEMENT  OF  COMMISSIONER  MICHAEL  J.  COPPS 


 Re:  Clarification  of  Procedures  for  Participation  of  Federally  Recognized  Indian  Tribes  and  Native  Hawaiian  Organizations  Under  the  Nationwide  Programmatic 
 Agreement 
 I  support  today’s  decision  first  and  foremost  because  it  maintains  the  basic  procedures  adopted  in  Nationwide  Programmatic  Agreement  and  continues  the  vitally 
 important  government-  to-  government  relationship  that  guides  FCC  interactions  with  federally-  recognized  Indian  Tribes  and  Native  Hawaiian  Organizations  (NHOs).  I  also 
 support  issuing  a  clarification  of  our  processes  now  that  we  have  some  experience  with  implementation  of  the  Agreement.  It  is  not  a  perfect  solution  or  as  rigorous  as  I  would 
 have  preferred,  but  I  am  optimistic  that  the  clarification  we  adopt  today  will  enable  the  timely  deployment  of  communications  infrastructure  while,  at  the  same  time,  allowing  us 
 to  protect  our  valuable  historic  places.  Nevertheless,  the  Commission  must  continue  to  work  hard  to  implement  the  Agreement  and  should  periodically  reexamine  our  processes 
 to  ensure  that  we  do  not  undermine  the  ability  of  Indian  Tribes  and  NHOs  to  protect  places  that  are  culturally  or  religiously  important. 
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