S. 4126: Rural Broadband Protection Act of 2022

117th Congress · introduced 2022-05-03 · Science, Technology, Communications · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2022-05-03 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Capito, Shelley Moore [R-WV] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Rural Broadband Protection Act of 2022

Plain summary

Rural Broadband Protection Act of 2022 This bill requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to establish a process to vet applicants for certain funding that supports affordable broadband deployment in high-cost areas, including rural communities. Specifically, the process applies to applicants seeking funding under the high-cost universal service programs that provide competitive awards for broadband deployment. As part of the process, the FCC must require applicants to provide a proposal for deploying the broadband network. The proposal must contain enough detail and documentation for the FCC to ascertain whether the applicant has the technical capabilities to deploy the proposed network and deliver services. The FCC must evaluate proposals against reasonable and well-established technical standards.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Rural Broadband Protection Act of 2022

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Capito, Shelley Moore [R-WV] · 1 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Capito, Shelley Moore [R-WV] reported raising $5.4 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (1)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-117s4126.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/117/s>

Record fed-us-cong117-s4126 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong117 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong117