S. 98: Rural Broadband Protection Act of 2025
A Senate bill (S.) in the 119th U.S. Congress.
Overview
| Congress | 119th U.S. Congress (2025–2026) |
|---|---|
| Type | Senate bill (S.) |
| Originating chamber | Senate |
| Introduced | 2025-01-15 |
| Sponsor | Sen. Capito, Shelley Moore [R-WV] |
| Policy area | Science, Technology, Communications |
| Cosponsors | 4 |
| Latest action | 2026-05-11 — Became Public Law No: 119-89. |
| Last updated | 2026-07-27 |
Summary
Official summary (Introduced in Senate, 2025-01-15):
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.
Cosponsors (4)
| Name | Party / state |
|---|---|
| Amy Klobuchar | D MN (original cosponsor) 2025-01-15 |
| John R. Curtis | R UT (original cosponsor) 2025-01-15 |
| Gary C. Peters | D MI 2025-03-11 |
| Raphael G. Warnock | D GA 2025-12-16 |
Full text & official record
The official bill text, section-by-section summary, amendments, committee reports, and the complete legislative timeline for S. 98 are published by Congress on congress.gov.
Frequently asked questions
What is S. 98?
S. 98 is a Senate bill (S.) introduced in the 119th U.S. Congress, originating in the Senate. Official title: Rural Broadband Protection Act of 2025.
Where can I read the full bill text?
The full text, cosponsors, amendments, and legislative status for S. 98 are available on congress.gov.
Bill data: congress.gov API (official congressional records).