Maine’s independent senator has co-sponsored a proposal to give Native American tribes more time to meet requirements to expand broadband on their lands.

Sen. Angus King said the Extending Tribal Broadband Priority Act of 2021 would give the tribal nations and native Hawaii organizations more time to apply for spectrum licenses for unassigned spectrum over their lands.

King says that is a pivotal step to growing broadband.

He says the connection rate to fixed broadband services for Americans who live on trial lands is 65%, compared to 92% for Americans who don’t live on tribal lands.