S.98

Establishes a vetting process for applicants seeking high-cost universal service program funding.

The Rural Broadband Protection Act of 2025 mandates the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to create a vetting process for applicants seeking high-cost universal service program funding. This process will ensure that only qualified applicants receive funding for broadband deployment. The FCC must establish a penalty for pre-authorization defaults of at least $9,000 per violation, with a minimum base forfeiture of 30 percent of the applicant's total support. The FCC must initiate a rulemaking process within 180 days of the bill's enactment to establish this vetting process.