H.R. 2399 · 119th Congress
Rural Broadband Protection Act of 2025
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Passed the House without a recorded vote. It passed by voice vote or unanimous consent, which don't record how each member voted. Its text can still change before it becomes law.
R
HouchinSponsor1 cosponsor · 1 D
1 signed on when it was introduced; the rest joined later. Cosponsors who withdrew aren't shown.
- House Introduced Mar 27, 2025
- House Passed Apr 28, 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.
What it does: CRS summary · Introduced in House · Mar 27, 2025
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 are authorized to begin receiving support.
Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov
About this bill and sources
Official title: Rural Broadband Protection Act of 2025
Latest action (Apr 29, 2025): Received in the Senate. Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 61.
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications · Origin: House · Introduced: Mar 27, 2025
Official page on Congress.gov · Bill text (GovInfo) · Status record (XML)
- House Introduced Mar 27, 2025
- House Passed Apr 28, 2025
No recorded floor vote found.