HR 2399 · Rural Broadband Protection Act of 2025
Received in the Senate. Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 61.
- Introduced
- Mar 27, 2025
- Latest action
- Apr 29, 2025
- Sponsor
- Rep. Erin Houchin [R-IN-9]
- Policy area
- Science, Technology, Communications
- Cosponsors
- 1
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.
Recent actions
- Apr 29, 2025 Received in the Senate. Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 61.
- Apr 28, 2025 Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Apr 28, 2025 On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H1662-1663)
- Apr 28, 2025 Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H1662-1663)
- Apr 28, 2025 DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 2399.
- Apr 28, 2025 Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H1662-1663)
- Apr 28, 2025 Mr. Bilirakis moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
- Apr 24, 2025 Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 55.
Votes
No recorded votes are available for this bill.