Sen. Rounds Co-Sponsors Bill to Keep AM Radio in New Vehicles
By Todd Epp, Northern Plains News
South Dakota Sen. Mike Rounds has joined a bipartisan effort to ensure AM radio remains available in all new vehicles, citing the medium’s importance for rural communities and emergency communications.
Rounds is among 60 senators now co-sponsoring the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act, which would require automakers to maintain AM radio capability in new vehicles at no additional cost to consumers.
“I grew up listening to KCCR on 1240 and KGFX on 1060, especially when I delivered newspapers throughout the Pierre area. It made the time go by quick!” Rounds said in a 2023 news release when he initially co-sponsored the legislation. “Free AM broadcast radio has been an important resource for decades. Whether someone is in their car or tractor, AM radio is a valuable tool to share local news and emergency information.”
The bill, originally introduced by Sens. Ed Markey, D-Mass., and Ted Cruz, R-Texas, has now reached a critical threshold with 60 co-sponsors – enough to overcome a potential filibuster in the Senate, according to a statement from Markey’s office. Sens. Markey and Cruz reintroduced the legislation in January 2025 as the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act of 2025. It had 62 co-sponsors, including Sens. John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., and Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith, DFL-Minn.
“AM radio is a lifeline for people across the country for news, sports, and especially emergency information,” Markey said in a press release last month. “Tens of millions of listeners across the country have made clear that they want AM radio to remain in their vehicles. Our AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act heeds their words and ensures that this essential tool doesn’t get lost on the dial.”
South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley has been a vocal supporter of the legislation. In October 2024, Jackley joined 11 other attorneys general in urging Congress to pass the bill.
“Hurricane Helene, like the severe weather we see in South Dakota, has demonstrated again the importance of AM Radio as a vital communication device that provides life-saving information to our citizens,” Jackley said in an Oct. 4, 2024, news release. “AM Radio is important in rural states like South Dakota where people can turn to for severe weather updates and emergency information along with local news and sports.”
In June 2023, Jackley joined with counterparts in 16 other states to encourage Congress to pass the legislation. “AM radio serves an important role in rural states such as South Dakota,” Jackley said at the time, according to Iowa Agribusiness Radio Network.
South Dakota U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson was among more than 100 lawmakers who signed a letter to automakers in May 2023 expressing concerns about the removal of AM radio receivers in vehicles. The letter highlighted the need for rural Americans to access AM radio, given limited internet and cell phone connectivity.
Several major automakers have already begun removing AM radio from their vehicles, particularly electric models. BMW, Mazda, Volvo, Volkswagen, Tesla, and Ford are among the manufacturers that have either eliminated or announced plans to phase out AM radio from their newer vehicles, according to a March 2023 statement from Markey’s office.
Manufacturers typically cite electromagnetic interference as the primary reason for removing AM radio from electric vehicles. “Electric motors can interfere with AM radio signals, causing undesirable static noise during broadcasts,” The Hill reported last year.
However, automakers and tech industry groups have recently stepped up their opposition to the mandate. In a joint letter to Congress, the Zero Emission Transportation Association (ZETA), Consumer Technology Association, Alliance for Automotive Innovation, and TechNet argued that “requiring manufacturers to use a particular technology will slow innovation and reduce consumer preference.”
“Requiring the installation of analog AM radios in automobiles is an unnecessary action that would impact EV range, efficiency, and affordability at a critical moment of accelerating adoption,” said Albert Gore, executive director of ZETA, in a statement to Reuters. “Mandating AM radio would do little to expand drivers’ ability to receive emergency alerts.”
The Consumer Technology Association compared the mandate to requiring outdated technology in a statement to The Washington Post.
“Mandating AM radio would be like mandating CD or cassette players in new vehicles,” CTA said. “This outdated and counterproductive measure will stifle innovation and impose unnecessary costs on automakers, ultimately increasing prices for consumers.”
John Bozzella, president and CEO of Alliance for Automotive Innovation, and other industry leaders, warned in their letter that “to accommodate analog AM radio, certain carmakers may need to scrap advanced safety features.”
According to the bill text, the legislation would direct the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to require all new vehicles manufactured or imported for sale in the United States to include AM broadcast radio receivers at no additional cost. It would also provide small vehicle manufacturers at least four years after the Department of Transportation issues the rule to comply. The measure would also require automakers to inform consumers, during the period before the rule takes effect, that their vehicles do not maintain access to broadcast AM radio.
“NAB applauds the Senate Commerce Committee for rapidly advancing the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act with overwhelming bipartisan support,” Curtis LeGeyt, NAB president and CEO, said in a statement. “In just one week since its introduction, this legislation has already gained nearly half of the Senate as co-sponsors and cleared a key committee, demonstrating the broad recognition of AM radio’s vital role in keeping Americans informed and safe.”
FCC Commissioner Nathan Simington also weighed in on the agency’s website.
“The Commission should not be shy about asking auto manufacturers to serve the public interest by continuing to serve AM radio listeners,” he wrote.
The National Association of Farm Broadcasting’s Board of Directors issued a warning in a public statement.
“Failure to approve this critical AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act will allow automakers to eliminate access to critical information to the people we serve,” they said. “Rural and urban residents should not be forced to subscribe to an unreliable data stream for urgent information.”
FEMA Integrated Public Alert & Warning System Program Manager Manny Centeno has emphasized that AM radio is the backbone of the nation’s public warning system. Nearly 80 AM radio stations across the country are Primary Entry Points for emergency alerts distributed by FEMA and the National Weather Service, covering approximately 90% of the U.S. population.
The bill now awaits further action in the Senate.
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Todd Epp is the editor and publisher of Northern Plains News, LLC in Harrisburg, S.D., an independent news organization.
