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The Department of Interior conspires with the FCC to scrutinize
small technology grants given to Bureau of Indian Affairs schools.
Issue
According to the Office of Inspector General (OIG) of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) semi-annual report filed October 31, 2002, OIG has been working with FCC’s General Council and the Department of Interiors (DOI) Office of Inspector General since February 2002 to craft a Memorandum of Understanding so DOI can provide federal auditing of E-rate funding beneficiaries at the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) schools.
Funding organization
The Universal Service Administration Company (USAC) collects and distributes over $4.5 billion a year for four programs that improve telephone and Internet access for low income, high cost, school and libraries and rural health care programs. One third of this amount or $1.5 billion funds the E-rate program. Under the E-rate program Bureau of Indian Affairs schools and libraries get funds to pay for Internet connections and telephone bills.
FCC Action
On January 9, 2003 The Chief of the Wireline Competition Bureau (WCB) William Maher of the FCC advised the Executive Director of USAC to allocate $500,000 to conduct 2003 audits of BIA and reservation schools. About 50,000 Native American children attend 185 schools that receive yearly funding that average out to be $30 per student or $8,000 per school. It is estimated that Native American children receive about .001% of $1.5 billion of annual E-rate funding.
Other Interior problems
Also in January of 2003, the Secretary of the Department of Interior, Gail Norton, filed a 200-page document that outlines Indian Trust reform plans. Through reorganization and reengineering, the Department of Interior wants to change the way more than $3 billion in funds and 54 million acres of land are handled. Today the BIA web site is not accessible and the Bureau does not have e-mail because of the current effort to audit the BIA’s management of Individual Indian Money and Trust Fund accounts.
What National leaders are saying?
In the recent State of the Native Nation address, Chairman Tex Hall of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) stated that Native American students have a 50% drop out rate and lack adequate funding for BIA schools. Chairman Hall stated that Native Children receive half the National average for educational funding. While talking about the recent federal budget impacts to reservation schools, Rep. Tom Udall (D-N.M.) said, "Providing decent schools is the least we owe to Native American children.”
Call the FCC at 1-888-CALL FCC and voice you opposition.
For more information go to http://www.niti.org/audit
Or Call 505-986-3872
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