Bill > HR7005

This bill, the Rural Broadband Protection Act of 2024, requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to establish a vetting process for prospective applicants seeking funding from the high-cost universal service program. The bill defines "covered funding" as any new offer of high-cost universal service program funding, including funding provided through a reverse competitive bidding mechanism, for the deployment of a broadband-capable network and the provision of supported services over the network. The FCC must initiate a rulemaking proceeding within 180 days of the bill's enactment to establish this vetting process, which will ensure that only applicants with the necessary technical, financial, and operational capabilities, as well as a reasonable business plan, are awarded the funding. The bill also sets penalties for pre-authorization defaults, requiring a minimum of $9,000 per violation and at least 30 percent of the applicant's total support, unless the FCC can demonstrate the need for lower penalties in a particular instance.