Bipartisan Momentum Builds Behind AM Radio In Cars Bill.

The August recess is over for members of Congress, but having lawmakers back in their districts has proven to be advantageous for radio. The National Association of Broadcasters says it led to a “groundswell” of momentum for a bill that will make AM radio required dashboard equipment while lawmakers were away from Washington. The list of supporters in the House now includes the names of 282 members, while in the Senate support remains at a filibuster-proof 61.

The NAB credits lawmakers hearing directly from their constituents about the importance of preserving AM radio in cars during the August recess. It says jump in support demonstrates the power of local advocacy far beyond the halls of Congress.

The list of co-sponsors added to the House bill since the beginning of August includes Reps. Sylvia Garcia (D-TX), Kweisi Mfume (D-MD), Laura Friedman (D-MA), April McClain Delaney (D-MD), Richie Torres (D-NY), Elijah Crane (R-AZ), Gabe Evans (R-CO), Timothy Kennedy (D-NY), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL), Valerie Foushee (D-NC), Max Miller (R-OH), Jefferson Van Drew (R-NJ), Dan Goldman (D-NY), Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX), Mary Miller (R-IL), Miachel Baumgartner (R-WA), Majorie Taylor Green (R-GA), Sarah Elfreth (D-MD), Patrick Ryan (D-NY), and Nicholas Begich (R-AK).

“We thank the growing, bipartisan group of lawmakers standing up for their constituents who depend on AM radio,” says NAB President Curtis LeGeyt. “This support demonstrates a deep understanding that AM radio remains an essential lifeline for emergency alerts, local news and community connection.”

Even as support has grown, the biggest challenge for the radio industry remains legislative inertia and convincing leadership to prioritize the bills’ passage. The Big Beautiful Bill tax and spending package absorbed much of the attention of lawmakers before their summer break, and the threat now is that the focus on avoiding a government shutdown at month’s end may do the same. The NAB is hoping the sheer number of supporters will help.

“With significant momentum behind this bill, NAB urges House leadership to bring it to the floor without delay and preserve this vital service for the American public,” LeGeyt says in a statement.

The proposed AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act (H.R. 979/S. 315) requires the Secretary of Transportation to issue a rule requiring access to AM broadcast stations in motor vehicles. If they don’t, carmakers could be fined. Before the effective date of the rule, manufacturers who do not include AM would be required to put a warning label on vehicles. And carmakers would be prohibited from charging extra for AM.

Under the bill, automakers would have had at least two years to comply with the rule, although some manufacturers that produce fewer than 40,000 passenger cars for sale in the U.S. would have at least four years to meet the requirement. The proposal would also direct the Government Accountability Office to study whether alternative communication systems could fully replicate the reach and effectiveness of AM broadcast radio for alerting the public to emergencies.

Some automakers claim that drivers no longer want or need AM, but the NAB has successfully demonstrated to many lawmakers about the importance of preserving AM radio in cars, a service that 82 million Americans depend on for emergency alerts, local news, and programming that binds communities together.

The AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act is supported by more than 125 organizations, including the National Emergency Management Association, American Farm Bureau Federation, AARP, Native Public Media, SAG-AFTRA and the National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters.