In Case You Missed It: Commerce Committee Advances Capito’s Rural Broadband Protection Act, Other Capito-Backed Bills

To watch Senator Capito's remarks about the Rural Broadband Protection Act passing at the markup, click here or on the image above.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), a member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, last week voted during a committee markup to advance the Rural Broadband Protection Act (RBPA), legislation the senator authored. The bill would provide essential safeguards to the Universal Service Fund's high-cost programs 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. The RPBA now heads to the full Senate for consideration.

"I have long been dedicated to making sure West Virginians have the broadband connectivity they need and deserve. This legislation expands on my previous broadband efforts, and is a product of many discussions I've had with small rural service providers and local leaders in West Virginia. As we continue our efforts to close the digital divide in West Virginia - this bill will make sure that Universal Service Fund dollars are not wasted, and ensure that funding is being used properly to fund broadband deployment in rural areas. Advancing the RBPA for full Senate consideration is another positive step in connecting every last home, school, and business in West Virginia," Senator Capito said.

Additionally, the committee also passed six other pieces of legislation co-sponsored by Capito.

Read more about each of Senator Capito's bills below:

Rural Broadband Protection Act:

Senator Capito introduced the Rural Broadband Protection Actwith U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.)in May 2023. The legislation would require a more thorough vetting and verification process for internet service providers (ISP) seeking to participate in the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) high-cost programs. Learn more here.

VET AI Act:

In July, Senator Capito, along with U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), introduced the Validation and Evaluation for Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence (VET AI) Act. This bipartisan bill directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to work with federal agencies and stakeholders across industry, academia, and civil society to develop detailed voluntary guidelines, and recommendations for third-party evaluators to work with AI companies to provide robust independent external assurance and verification of how their AI systems are developed and tested. Learn more here.

AI Research Innovation and Accountability Act:

Senator Capito helped introduce the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Research, Innovation, and Accountability Act of 2023 in November 2023. This bill, led by U.S. Senators John Thune (R-S.D.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), establishes a framework to bolster innovation while bringing greater transparency, accountability, and security to the development and operation of the highest-impact applications of AI. Learn more here.

Think DIFFERENTLY Transportation Act:

Senator Capito and Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) introduced the Think DIFFERENTLY Transportation Act in April 2024 to help break down unnecessary barriers that Americans with disabilities continue to experience at Amtrak rail stations across the country. The bill would help bring Amtrak stations up to standards enshrined in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by requiring the railroad to submit annual reports to Congress on the status of its compliance with accessibility standards set by the ADA. Learn more here.

TAKE IT DOWN Act:

Senator Capito joined U.S. Senators Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) to introduce the Tools to Address Known Exploitation by Immobilizing Technological Deepfakes on Websites and Networks (TAKE IT DOWN) Act in June 2024. This bill would criminalize the publication of non-consensual intimate imagery (NCII), including AI-generated NCII (or "deepfake pornography"), and require social media and similar websites to have in place procedures to remove such content upon notification from a victim. Learn more here.

Hotel Fees Transparency Act:

Senator Capito helped introduce the bipartisan Hotel Fees Transparency Actthis past February. This legislation - led by U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) - aims to improve transparency for consumers by requiring any entity advertising a hotel room or short-term rental to clearly show the final price a customer will pay to book lodging up front. Learn more here.

Network Equipment Transparency (NET) Act:

Senator Capito introduced the Network Equipment Transparency (NET) Act in March 2023 to increase broadband supply chain transparency through the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in order to ensure an on-time rollout of federal broadband programs. Specifically, the bill would require the FCC's Communications Marketplace Report to describe to Congress the impact of supply chain disruptions on the timely completion or deployment of broadband infrastructure projects. Learn more here.

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