[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 29 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 29

 Expressing the intentions of the House of Representatives concerning 
the universal service provisions of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 
  as they relate to telecommunications services to Native Americans, 
                       including Alaskan Natives.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 9, 1997

Mr. Richardson (for himself and Mr. Miller of California) submitted the 
 following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the intentions of the House of Representatives concerning 
the universal service provisions of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 
  as they relate to telecommunications services to Native Americans, 
                       including Alaskan Natives.

Whereas Indian and Alaskan Native people live in some of the most geographically 
        remote areas of the country, with 50 percent of Indian and Alaskan 
        Native people living in Oklahoma, California, South Dakota, Arizona, New 
        Mexico, Alaska, and Washington;
Whereas Indian poverty in reservation areas is 3.9 times the national average 
        rate;
Whereas the average phone penetration rates for rural Native Americans is only 
        50 percent and actual penetration rates are often much lower;
Whereas what phone service there is in Indian country is often substandard and 
        prohibitively expensive;
Whereas the Telecommunications Act of 1996 establishes a Federal-State Joint 
        Board which issued recommendations on how to make low-cost telephone 
        service affordable to all and to define what is deemed to be ``universal 
        service'';
Whereas the Telecommunications Act of 1996 requires the Federal Communications 
        Commission to implement the recommendations from the Joint Board by May 
        8, 1997; and
Whereas the benefits of Federal universal service policies have often not 
        reached Indian country: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That--
            (1) in enacting the Telecommunications Act of 1996, the 
        Congress established policies and procedures to ensure the 
        delivery of telecommunications services to all regions of the 
        Nation, especially rural, insular, and high-cost areas, and to 
        ensure that those services are available at just, reasonable, 
        and affordable rates;
            (2) such policies and procedures were established in the 
        belief that telecommunications services have become essential 
        to the education, public health, and public safety of all 
        people within the United States; and
            (3) no policies or procedures established to implement this 
        new statute can be consistent with the intent of the Congress 
        if it fails to address the telecommunications needs of low-
        income Native Americans, including Alaskan Natives.
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