WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Senate Commerce Committee on Wednesday morning approved reintroduced legislation that would mandate the cost-free accessibility of AM radio in all vehicles sold in the U.S., sending the AM Radio for Vehicle Act to the full Senate for a vote.
In the current Congress, the legislation is formally known in the upper body of Congress as S. 315, and it has enjoyed bipartisan support since it first emerged in the previous Congressional session. However, it did not make it to the finish line in the last Congress because Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) expressed reservations over a mandate when electric vehicle manufacturers receive a federal subsidy.
Today, the hope is that concern has been alleviated or mitigated, with a full floor vote in the Senate bringing an affirmative nod to legislation wholeheartedly supported by FCC Chairman Brendan Carr and NAB President/CEO Curtis LeGeyt.
In a statement, Science, Commerce, and Transportation Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Committee Member Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) commented, “Today’s vote to advance the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act broadcasts a clear message to car manufacturers that AM radio is an essential communication tool for millions of Americans across the country. From emergency response to sports, entertainment, and news, AM radio is a lifeline that must be protected. Our bill ensures that no one is cut off from their communities and that AM radio stays a part of our constituents’ daily lives.”
Chairman Carr commented, “Millions of Americans depend on the value of AM radio and the local news that AM broadcasters offer in communities across the country. Just last week, I visited parts of North Carolina that had been hit hard by Hurricane Helene, and I heard firsthand the stories of people that could only access lifesaving information in the days following the storm by tuning their radios to the AM band. That is why I want to applaud Chairman Cruz and Senator Markey for their strong leadership and the Commerce Committee for successfully advancing this bill. By ensuring that AM radios remain in new vehicles, their legislation will help keep this linchpin of our emergency response system in place and also ensure that Americans can continue to access relevant news, information, and entertainment programming. I hope the full Senate can move this bill forward quickly.”
LeGeyt shared that the NAB applauds the Senate committee “for rapidly advancing the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act with overwhelming bipartisan support. In just one week since its introduction, this legislation has already gained nearly half of the Senate as cosponsors and cleared a key committee, demonstrating the broad recognition of AM radio’s vital role in keeping Americans informed and safe.”
LeGeyt added that the legislation “is essential to ensure that Americans continue to have access to AM radio’s critical local news, diverse community programming and life-saving emergency information in times of crisis. AM radio is the backbone of the Emergency Alert System, providing a resilient and reliable communications lifeline. We are grateful for the leadership of Sens. Cruz and Markey, Ranking Member Cantwell and the bipartisan cosponsors of this bill for recognizing AM radio’s indispensable role. We urge the full Senate to move quickly to pass this legislation to ensure AM radio remains accessible to all Americans.”
Satellite radio makes more sense.
How will satellite radio save me in the event of a hurricane in Florida, a major earthquake or wildfire in California, or a snow emergency in our Washington, D.C., offices? Satellite radio is a nice luxury but it is about as useful as watching Animal Planet when Channel 6 is what’s needed.
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