“This pandemic lays bare the fact that many American Indian and Alaska Native communities lack essential services. Extending the tribal priority filing window and the start date for the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund would allow tribal nations to prioritize response and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic without having to risk missing a historic opportunity to bridge the digital divide,” said National Congress of American Indians CEO Kevin Allis.“This pandemic lays bare the fact that many American Indian and Alaska Native communities lack essential services. Extending the tribal priority filing window and the start date for the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund would allow tribal nations to prioritize response and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic without having to risk missing a historic opportunity to bridge the digital divide,” said National Congress of American Indians CEO Kevin Allis.