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Law · S

S. 98 (119th)

Rural Broadband Protection Act of 2025

Original

enactedUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

15 January 2025

Last action

11 May 2026 · President

Status

Became Public Law No: 119-89.

Sponsors

Sen. Capito, Shelley Moore [R-WV], Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN], Sen. Curtis, John R. [R-UT], Sen. Peters, Gary C. [D-MI], Sen. Warnock, Raphael G. [D-GA]

Subjects

Science, Technology, Communications

Source updated

7 August 2026

Science, Technology, Communications

Official sourceDownload fileView documentsShare

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 are authorized to begin receiving support.  

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

  1. 15 January 2025

    Introduced

    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

    Source: IntroReferral

  2. 15 January 2025

    Introduced

    Introduced in Senate

    Source: IntroReferral

  3. 5 February 2025

    Reported

    Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.

    Source: Committee

  4. 28 April 2025

    Calendars

    Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 48.

    Source: Calendars

  5. 28 April 2025

    Reported

    Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cruz without amendment. With written report No. 119-14.

    Source: Committee

  6. 28 April 2025

    Reported

    Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cruz without amendment. With written report No. 119-14.

    Source: Committee

  7. 26 June 2025

    Passed

    Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote. (consideration: CR S3570; text: CR S3570)

    Source: Floor

  8. 26 June 2025

    Passed

    Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.

    Source: Floor

  9. 27 June 2025

    Floor

    Message on Senate action sent to the House.

    Source: Floor

  10. 3 July 2025

    Floor

    Held at the desk.

    Source: Floor

  11. 3 July 2025

    Floor

    Received in the House.

    Source: Floor

  12. 20 April 2026

    Passed

    Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

    Source: Floor

  13. 20 April 2026

    Passed

    On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H2977)

    Source: Floor

  14. 20 April 2026

    Passed

    Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H2977)

    Source: Floor

  15. 20 April 2026

    Floor

    DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 98.

    Source: Floor

  16. 20 April 2026

    Floor

    Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H2976-2978)

    Source: Floor

  17. 20 April 2026

    Floor

    Mr. Allen moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.

    Source: Floor

  18. 30 April 2026

    Floor

    Presented to President.

    Source: Floor

  19. 30 April 2026

    President

    Presented to President.

    Source: President

  20. 11 May 2026

    Became law

    Became Public Law No: 119-89.

    Source: President

  21. 11 May 2026

    Became law

    Signed by President.

    Source: BecameLaw

  22. 11 May 2026

    President

    Signed by President.

    Source: President

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

No version snapshots stored. Document URLs remain at the source.

Documents

7 official files

Sponsors

Related records

Sources

PoliticalRepo is an index and interpretation layer, not the authoritative legal source.

Rural Broadband Protection Act of 2025 — United States — PoliticalRepo