text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Tribal Connect Act of 2017''.
  
  SEC. 2. ELIGIBILITY OF TRIBAL LIBRARIES AND QUALIFYING ANCHOR 
                INSTITUTIONS FOR E-RATE SUPPORT.
  
      Section 254 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 254) is 
  amended--
              (1) in subsection (h)(4), by inserting ``, except as 
          provided in subsection (m),'' before ``is a library or library 
          consortium''; and
              (2) by adding at the end the following:
      ``(m) Eligibility of Tribal Libraries and Qualifying Anchor 
  Institutions for E-Rate Support.--
              ``(1) Definitions.--In this subsection--
                      ``(A) the term `broadband Internet access service' 
                  has the meaning given the term in section 8.2 of title 
                  47, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor 
                  regulation;
                      ``(B) the term `E-rate program' means the universal 
                  service program for schools and libraries authorized 
                  under subsection (h)(1)(B), the rules of which are set 
                  forth under subpart F of part 54 of title 47, Code of 
                  Federal Regulations (or any successor regulation), as 
                  authorized under subsection (h)(2)(A);
                      ``(C) the term `E-rate support' means universal 
                  service discounts on eligible services in accordance 
                  with subpart F of part 54 of title 47, Code of Federal 
                  Regulations (or any successor regulation), as 
                  authorized under subsection (h)(2)(A);
                      ``(D) the term `Indian tribe' has the meaning given 
                  the term in section 20.1 of title 25, Code of Federal 
                  Regulations, or any successor regulation; and
                      ``(E) the term `qualifying anchor institution' 
                  means a facility owned by an Indian tribe, including a 
                  tribal government building, chapter house, longhouse, 
                  community center, senior center, or other similar 
                  public building.
              ``(2) Eligibility of tribal libraries for e-rate support.--
                      ``(A) Designation of tribal libraries as libraries 
                  eligible for e-rate support.--
                              ``(i) In general.--An Indian tribe that is 
                          eligible for support under section 261 of the 
                          Library Services and Technology Act (20 U.S.C. 
                          9161) may designate a tribal library or tribal 
                          library consortium as a library or consortium 
                          that is eligible for E-rate support, without 
                          regard to whether the library or library 
                          consortium is eligible for assistance from a 
                          State Library Administrative Agency under the 
                          Library Services and Technology Act (20 U.S.C. 
                          9121 et seq.), if the library or library 
                          consortium is eligible for support from an 
                          Indian tribe under such section 261.
                              ``(ii) Rule of construction.--Nothing in 
                          clause (i) shall be construed to exempt a 
                          tribal library from any requirement under the 
                          E-rate program not described in that clause, 
                          including the other requirements relating to 
                          eligible recipients under section 54.501 of 
                          title 47, Code of Federal Regulations (or any 
                          successor regulation).
                      ``(B) Tribal anchor institution demonstration 
                  program.--
                              ``(i) In general.--The Commission, in 
                          consultation with the Institute of Museum and 
                          Library Services and any other agency with 
                          relevant responsibilities, shall establish a 
                          pilot program to be known as the `Tribal Anchor 
                          Institution Program', under which the 
                          Commission shall provide E-rate support to 
                          Indian tribes for qualifying anchor 
                          institutions designated by the Indian tribes.
                              ``(ii) Eligibility.--
                                      ``(I) In general.--To be eligible 
                                  to obtain E-rate support under this 
                                  subparagraph, a tribal government shall 
                                  not have an existing tribal library 
                                  eligible for the Schools and Libraries 
                                  Universal Service Support program 
                                  within the tribal community.
                                      ``(II) Requirements.--E-rate 
                                  support obtained under this 
                                  subparagraph shall only be available 
                                  for an Indian tribe if--
                                              ``(aa) the proposed 
                                          qualifying anchor institution 
                                          is exclusively owned by the 
                                          Indian tribe; and
                                              ``(bb) the proposed 
                                          qualifying anchor institution 
                                          intends to deliver publicly 
                                          available Internet access to 
                                          students, teachers, librarians, 
                                          and members of the community 
                                          for educational purposes.
                                      ``(III) Rule of construction.--
                                  Nothing in this clause shall be 
                                  construed to provide the Commission 
                                  with the authority to modify the 
                                  eligibility requirements described in 
                                  this clause.
                              ``(iii) Use of contributions.--Of the 
                          amount collected for the Universal Service Fund 
                          under subsection (d), $20,000,000 shall be made 
                          available for each of the first 5 fiscal years 
                          beginning after the date of enactment of the 
                          Tribal Connect Act of 2017 to the Commission to 
                          carry out this paragraph.
              ``(3) Training and technical assistance for tribal schools 
          and libraries.--
                      ``(A) Annual reports.--The Commission shall direct 
                  the Administrator of the Schools and Libraries 
                  Universal Service Support program to submit an annual 
                  report to the Commission regarding the actions of the 
                  Schools and Libraries Universal Service Support program 
                  to ensure that tribal schools and libraries can 
                  participate fully and effectively in the E-rate 
                  program, including--
                              ``(i) outreach efforts targeted to tribal 
                          schools and libraries to promote awareness of 
                          the E-rate program;
                              ``(ii) specific E-rate training programs 
                          for tribal schools and libraries; and
                              ``(iii) other technical assistance 
                          initiatives regarding the program's application 
                          process that are available to tribal schools 
                          and libraries.
                      ``(B) Review of annual reports.--The Commission 
                  shall review each annual report required under 
                  subparagraph (A) to determine whether additional steps 
                  are necessary to ensure that tribal schools and 
                  libraries can participate fully and effectively in the 
                  E-rate program.
              ``(4) Coordination and performance measurement.--The 
          Commission shall--
                      ``(A) improve the reliability of the data of the 
                  Commission relating to institutions that receive E-rate 
                  support by defining the term `tribal' on the 
                  application for E-rate support; and
                      ``(B)(i) develop performance goals and measures to 
                  track progress on achieving the strategic objective of 
                  the Commission of ensuring that all tribal libraries 
                  have affordable access to broadband Internet access 
                  service technologies for educational purposes for 
                  students, teachers, librarians, and members of the 
                  community; and
                      ``(ii) not later than 1 year after the date of 
                  enactment of this subsection, submit to Congress and 
                  make public a report on the goals and measures 
                  developed under clause (i).''.
target: Tribal Connect Act of 2017 This bill amends the Communications Act of 1934 to expand the Schools and Libraries Universal Service Support (E-rate) program to include support for Indian tribal libraries that are eligible for support under the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA), without regard to whether the libraries are eligible for assistance from state library administrative agencies under the LSTA. The E-rate program provides discounted telecommunications services to certain schools and libraries.  The Federal Communications Commission must establish a pilot Tribal Anchor Institution Program to provide E-rate support to tribes for institutions that are not schools or libraries, such as community centers. E-rate support may be provided to institutions designated by tribes if: (1) the tribes do not have existing libraries that are eligible for E-rate support; (2) the institutions are exclusively owned by the tribes; and (3) the institutions intend to deliver publicly available Internet access to students, teachers, librarians, and community members for educational purposes.
feat_title: Tribal Connect Act of 2017