S 98 119th Congress
Rural Broadband Protection Act of 2025
A bill to require the Federal Communications Commission to establish a vetting process for prospective applicants for high-cost universal service program funding.
Official Title as Introduced Congress.gov
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Bill journey
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Introduction Congress.gov
Introduced
Introduced in the Senate.
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
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Introduced in Senate
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Introduced in Senate
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Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
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Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 48.
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Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cruz without amendment. With written report No. 119-14.
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Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cruz without amendment. With written report No. 119-14.
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Reported to Senate
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Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote. (consideration: CR S3570; text: CR S3570)
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Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.
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Engrossed in Senate
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Message on Senate action sent to the House.
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Received in the House.
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Held at the desk.
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Official action Congress.gov · 4:51 pm UTC
Mr. Allen moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
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Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H2976-2978)
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DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 98.
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On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H2977)
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Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H2977)
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Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
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Presented to President.
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Presented to President.
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Became Public Law No: 119-89.
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Became Public Law No: 119-89.
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Signed by President.
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Signed by President.
Open bill recordEnactment record Congress.gov
Public Law 119-89
Rural Broadband Protection Act of 2025
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Text version Congress.gov
Public Law
A dated text-version record is available.
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View the complete bill journey as an accessible table
| Date and time | Record | Official detail | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| IntroductionIntroduced | Introduced in the Senate. | Congress.gov | |
| Official actionRead twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. | No additional detail supplied.IntroReferral · Senate | Congress.gov | |
| Official actionIntroduced in Senate | No additional detail supplied.IntroReferral · Library of Congress · Code 10000 | Congress.gov | |
| Text versionIntroduced in Senate | A dated text-version record is available. | Congress.gov | |
| Official actionCommittee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably. | No additional detail supplied.Committee · Senate | Congress.gov | |
| Official actionPlaced on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 48. | No additional detail supplied.Calendars · Senate | Congress.gov | |
| Official actionCommittee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cruz without amendment. With written report No. 119-14. | No additional detail supplied.Committee · Senate | Congress.gov | |
| Official actionCommittee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cruz without amendment. With written report No. 119-14. | No additional detail supplied.Committee · Library of Congress · Code 14000 | Congress.gov | |
| Text versionReported to Senate | A dated text-version record is available. | Congress.gov | |
| Official actionPassed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote. (consideration: CR S3570; text: CR S3570) | No additional detail supplied.Floor · Senate | Congress.gov | |
| Official actionPassed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote. | No additional detail supplied.Floor · Library of Congress · Code 17000 | Congress.gov | |
| Text versionEngrossed in Senate | A dated text-version record is available. | Congress.gov | |
| Official actionMessage on Senate action sent to the House. | No additional detail supplied.Floor · Senate | Congress.gov | |
| Official actionReceived in the House. | No additional detail supplied.Floor · House floor actions · Code H14000 | Congress.gov | |
| Official actionHeld at the desk. | No additional detail supplied.Floor · House floor actions · Code H15000 | Congress.gov | |
| Official actionMr. Allen moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill. | No additional detail supplied.Floor · House floor actions · Code H30300 | Congress.gov | |
| Official actionConsidered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H2976-2978) | No additional detail supplied.Floor · House floor actions · Code H30000 | Congress.gov | |
| Official actionDEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 98. | No additional detail supplied.Floor · House floor actions · Code H8D000 | Congress.gov | |
| Official actionOn motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H2977) | No additional detail supplied.Floor · House floor actions · Code H37300 | Congress.gov | |
| Official actionPassed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H2977) | No additional detail supplied.Floor · Library of Congress · Code 8000 | Congress.gov | |
| Official actionMotion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection. | No additional detail supplied.Floor · House floor actions · Code H38310 | Congress.gov | |
| Official actionPresented to President. | No additional detail supplied.Floor · House floor actions · Code E20000 | Congress.gov | |
| Official actionPresented to President. | No additional detail supplied.President · Library of Congress · Code 28000 | Congress.gov | |
| Official actionBecame Public Law No: 119-89. | No additional detail supplied.President · Library of Congress · Code E40000 | Congress.gov | |
| Official actionBecame Public Law No: 119-89. | No additional detail supplied.BecameLaw · Library of Congress · Code 36000 | Congress.gov | |
| Official actionSigned by President. | No additional detail supplied.President · Library of Congress · Code E30000 | Congress.gov | |
| Official actionSigned by President. | No additional detail supplied.BecameLaw · Library of Congress · Code 36000 | Congress.gov | |
| Enactment recordPublic Law 119-89 | Rural Broadband Protection Act of 2025 | Congress.gov | |
| Text versionPublic Law | A dated text-version record is available. | Congress.gov |
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Congressional Research Service
CRS summary
Rural Broadband Protection Act of 2025This act requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to vet the qualifications of applicants for certain funding programs that support affordable broadband deployment in high-cost areas (e.g., rural communities).Specifically, the FCC must 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 applicants to submit a proposal that contains sufficient detail and documentation for the FCC to ascertain that the applicant possesses the technical, financial, and operational capabilities related to the proposed deployment and has 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.The FCC must establish this vetting process through a rulemaking proceeding. After the rule 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.
Rural Broadband Protection Act of 2025This 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.
Official documents
Text versions
- Enrolled BillNot supplied
- Engrossed in SenateJun 26, 2025
- Reported to SenateApr 28, 2025
- Introduced in SenateJan 15, 2025
- Public LawMay 12, 2026