Capito’s Rural Broadband Protection Act unanimously passes Senate

U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., applauded on Thursday the unanimous Senate passage of her Rural Broadband Protection Act.

The legislation now heads to the U.S. House of Representatives.

The bill would require a more thorough vetting process for internet service providers seeking to participate in the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) high-cost programs.

Additionally, this bill would provide essential safeguards to the Universal Service Fund’s High Cost program by ensuring that funding goes to companies with both a proven track record of success and those that have demonstrated sound judgment in deploying in hard-to-serve areas.