Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representative Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.) joined a bicameral group of lawmakers in a letter to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel urging the FCC to consider more ways to advance Native communities’ access to and ownership of spectrum over their lands.
“We ask that you continue to support the economic development of Tribal Nations and Native communities by working to advance their spectrum access and ownership,” wrote the lawmakers. “Advancing Native spectrum access and ownership is the best way for the FCC to work toward fulfilling the federal government’s trust and treaty obligations to Tribal Nations.”
“The need is clear,” concluded the lawmakers. “So is the solution: enhance Tribal self-sufficiency and self-governance by facilitating Tribal spectrum access and ownership.”
The letter is led by U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Representative Kaiali?i Kahele (D-Hawai’i) and signed by U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawai’i), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and U.S. Representative Ed Case (D-Hawai’i).