S. 98 · Signed into law · Science, Technology, Communications

Rural Broadband Protection Act of 2025

Sponsor: Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV)

What it does

• Requires the FCC to establish a vetting process for applicants seeking high-cost universal service broadband funding in rural and high-cost areas.
• Mandates applicants document technical, financial, and operational capabilities and submit a reasonable business plan with their funding applications.
• Directs the FCC to evaluate applications against reasonable and well-established standards, considering applicant compliance history with prior government broadband programs.
• Authorizes the FCC to set financial penalties for applicants that default during the evaluation process before funds are disbursed.

Official summary

Rural Broadband Protection Act of 2025 This bill requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to establish a process to vet applicants for certain funding programs that support affordable broadband deployment in high-cost areas, including rural communities. Specifically, the FCC must conduct a rulemaking to develop a vetting process for applicants seeking funding under high-cost universal service programs for the deployment of a broadband-capable network and the provision of supported services over the network. The FCC must require applications for such funding to document each applicant’s technical, financial, and operational capabilities related to the proposed deployment, as well as a reasonable business plan. The FCC must evaluate applications against reasonable and well-established standards and must consider each applicant’s history of compliance with the requirements of other government broadband funding programs. After the rulemaking is finalized, funds may only be awarded to applicants that satisfy the standards established therein. Finally, the FCC must set financial penalties for applicants that default in some manner during the evaluation process before they…

Latest action

May 11, 2026: Became Public Law No: 119-89.

Committee: Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation