COVID–19 DISASTER in Indian Country Act
Latest action · May 12, 2020 Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Progress
Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.
- IntroducedMay 12, 2020
- Passed HouseNot reached
- Passed SenateNot reached
- To the PresidentNot reached
- Became lawNot reached
Summary
COVID-19 Designation of Immediate Special Authority of Spectrum for Tribes' Emergency Response in Indian Country Act or the COVID-19 DISASTER in Indian Country Act
This bill grants emergency special temporary authority and provides funds to deploy wireless broadband service on tribal lands and Hawaiian home lands.
Specifically, the bill directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to grant emergency special temporary authority to Indian tribes, certain tribal entities, and the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands if they request such authority to use electromagnetic spectrum to provide wireless broadband service over tribal lands or Hawaiian home lands. The FCC must grant such emergency authority within 10 days of receiving a request.
In addition, the bill provides funds to specified Department of Agriculture grant programs for (1) immediate deployment of wireless broadband service on tribal lands and Hawaiian home lands, including repairs to damaged infrastructure and backhaul costs; and (2) technical assistance and training.
Cosponsors 21
Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from May 12, 2020 to May 15, 2020; 15 are original cosponsors, there from the day it was introduced.
| Seat | Cosponsor | Signed on | |
|---|---|---|---|
| D-MN | Betty McCollum | Original | May 12, 2020 |
| D-FL | Darren Soto | Original | May 12, 2020 |
| D-WA | Derek Kilmer | Original | May 12, 2020 |
| D-OR | Earl Blumenauer | Original | May 12, 2020 |
| D-HI | Ed Case | Original | May 12, 2020 |
| D-CA | Jared Huffman | Original | May 12, 2020 |
| D-OK | Kendra S. Horn | Original | May 12, 2020 |
| D-CA | Lucille Roybal-Allard | Original | May 12, 2020 |
| D-WA | Pramila Jayapal | Original | May 12, 2020 |
| D-AZ | Raúl M. Grijalva | Original | May 12, 2020 |
| D-AZ | Ruben Gallego | Original | May 12, 2020 |
| D-WA | Suzan K. DelBene | Original | May 12, 2020 |
| D-CA | Ted Lieu | Original | May 12, 2020 |
| R-OK | Tom Cole | Original | May 12, 2020 |
| D-HI | Tulsi Gabbard | Original | May 12, 2020 |
| D-WA | Denny Heck | May 15, 2020 | |
| D-IL | Jesús G. "Chuy" García | May 15, 2020 | |
| D-PA | Matt Cartwright | May 15, 2020 | |
| D-OR | Peter A. DeFazio | May 15, 2020 | |
| D-NV | Steven Horsford | May 15, 2020 | |
| D-NM | Xochitl Torres Small | May 15, 2020 |
Committees 1
Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.
| Chamber | Committee | What it did |
|---|---|---|
| House | Energy and Commerce Committee | Referred May 12, 2020 |
Actions 2
Everything that happened, newest first.
- May 12, 2020Introduced in House
- May 12, 2020Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Research
What has been written about this bill: committee reports, cost estimates, the sponsor’s authority statement, printed hearings and the Congressional Research Service’s work.
Constitutional authority
The sponsor’s statement, as printed in the Congressional Record, vol. 166, no. 89, May 12, 2020, page H1993.
Related bills 2
Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.
| Bill | Title | Relationship | Latest action |
|---|---|---|---|
| S 3666 | COVID–19 DISASTER in Indian Country Act | Related bill | May 7, 2020 |
| HR 8200 | EHDC Act of 2020 | Related bill | Sep 14, 2020 |
Titles 3
Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.
- Official Title as Introduced
- To fund grants for the immediate deployment of temporary wireless broadband service on Tribal lands and Hawaiian Home Lands, to provide emergency special temporary authority to use electromagnetic spectrum for the provision of wireless broadband service on Tribal lands and Hawaiian Home Lands, and for other purposes.
- Short Title(s) as Introduced
- COVID–19 DISASTER in Indian Country Act
- COVID–19 Designation of Immediate Special Authority of Spectrum for Tribes’ Emergency Response in Indian Country Act
Subjects
Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Native Americans.
- Alaska Natives and Hawaiians
- Appropriations
- Hawaii
- Housing and community development funding
- Indian lands and resources rights
- Internet and video services
- Internet, web applications, social media
- Minority and disadvantaged businesses
- Native Americans
- Radio spectrum allocation
- Telephone and wireless communication
Text 1
Each version as it was printed, newest first.
- May 12, 2020Introduced in House
Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov; cost estimates are the Congressional Budget Office's, and the hearings are the printed hearings GovInfo publishes, which can appear months after the hearing.
