PROTOCOL Act

The PROTOCOL Act (HR 9450) improves transparency in federal broadband funding by requiring the FCC and NTIA to enhance their public databases. It adds detailed filtering options to the FCC's broadband map, allowing users to search by entity type (e.g., tribal entities, nonprofits, private companies), funding amounts, project timelines, and minimum service speeds. The bill also mandates states to submit annual reports on broadband deployment locations using federal and state funds, and requires all federal agencies awarding broadband grants to use the FCC map when making funding decisions. This directly affects federal agencies, states, and broadband providers receiving federal support, making project data more accessible for public oversight.