Rounds Joins Markey, Cruz and Colleagues on Bicameral, Bipartisan Legislation to Keep AM Radio in New Vehicles
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) joined Senators Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and 17 of their Senate colleagues on the AM for Every Vehicle Act. This bicameral and bipartisan legislation would direct federal regulators to require automakers to maintain AM broadcast radio in their new vehicles at no additional charge.
“Free AM broadcast radio has been an important resource for decades,” said Rounds. “Whether someone is in their car or tractor, AM radio is a valuable tool to share local news and emergency information. 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! I am pleased to join Senators Markey and Cruz on this bipartisan legislation so our future generations have access to this free, key resource, especially in our rural areas across South Dakota.”
“For decades, free AM broadcast radio has been an essential tool in emergencies, a crucial part of our diverse media ecosystem, and an irreplaceable source for news, weather, sports, and entertainment for tens of millions of listeners,” said Markey. “Carmakers shouldn’t tune out AM radio in new vehicles or put it behind a costly digital paywall. I am proud to introduce the AM for Every Vehicle Act to ensure that this resilient and popular communication tool does not become a relic of the past.”
“Each day, millions of Americans turn to AM radio to stay up to date on life in their community, engage on the issues they care about, or to be simply entertained during rush hour,” said Cruz. “AM radio is a critical bulwark for democracy, providing a platform for alternative viewpoints and the ability for elected officials to share our efforts with our constituents. Congress should act swiftly to pass this bill so Americans retain access to news, music, talk, and emergency alerts on the public airwaves. I’m glad to work with Senator Markey on this bipartisan legislation to ensure carmakers do not limit Texans’ access to radio in their vehicles.”
Specifically, the AM for Every Vehicle Act would:
- Direct the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to issue a rule that requires automakers to maintain AM broadcast radio in their vehicles without a separate or additional payment, fee or surcharge.
- Require any automaker that sells vehicles without access to AM broadcast radio before the effective date of the NHTSA regulation to clearly disclose to consumers that the vehicle lacks access to AM broadcast radio.
- 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.
This legislation was also cosponsored by Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Ted Budd (R-N.C.).
Companion legislation was introduced in the House by Representative Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.).
The AM for Every Vehicle Act is endorsed by the National Association of Broadcasters and the National Association of Farm Broadcasters.
Click HERE for full bill text.
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on the face of it, kind of surprising for rounds, who was very “let the market decide” on ethanol and such. but i suppose there’s value in not letting carmakers make a blanket decision that removes a listening choice entirely based on general trends. whatever. i haven’t listened to an am station since rush limbaugh’s final show.
Right – forcing companies to do stuff for free because we think people need it is exactly what we want. Can we do health care next please?
We need AM radio especially in our rural areas and some metro have great and unique AM programming too. Very surprised the automakers tried to eliminate it.
whoever makes their components probably wants to stop offering it, they’re extrapolating from their own consumer data on other radio products. they’re under pressure from carmakers to build a cheaper component.
When you’re driving across South Dakota late at night, there is no better companion than AM radio. Tune in Schreveport Louisiana, Del Rio Texas, Wolfman Jack, Stan’s Record Review, plus all the political talk radio on the spectrum, and preachers promising redemption. The world and then some, on your dial.
Amplitude Modulation is better for remote areas far away from a radio transmitter, but the receivers often pick up other noise or “static” which is annoying.
Frequency Modulation has a range of 30-40 miles and can be blocked by mountains, but is less susceptible to “static.”
Depending on where you are, one can be better than the other.
It’s about EAS. It functions on am. This entire country could collapse but you could still get emergency messaging on AM. I don’t think anyone really understands the implications of removing am radio from vehicles.
that’s almost like saying the best vehicle is a horse because if the whole country has an economic collapse the horse will still be alive, and will help the few who know how to find and use one. a better bill would be one to force all cellular providers to activate the local radio receivers on all smart phones, which the providers deactivate so that people have to buy data to hear their local radio stations internet feed. that would have huge impact.
Listening to these arguments in favor for requiring AM radios are pretty much antithetical to a free market economy – with the exception of the EAS argument (which can/should be resolved by utilizing cell phones or any number of other technologies).
I understand that AM has better range and clarity in rural areas.
That doesn’t apply to the majority of Americans.
They are being forced to buy something that they are not going to use when they buy their car. A large percentage of people don’t use FM either – they just listen to Satellite radio, or tether their phones to the car and use streaming or locally stored audio. They should be able to choose NOT to buy it. I don’t care what anyone says, adding the electronics to the car to receive AM band radio adds to the cost of the car. That boosts the price of the car.
A better law would be to require it as an option on all new cars with some provision to make it so that the cost is nominal. (no more than the cost difference between the AM/FM radio and the FM only radio).
Mr. Renli–You are ignoring the fact that there are plenty of FM holes (empty dials) where you cannot receive or receive very limited FM reception. Without AM in these localities (and you don’t have to be West River) a person cannot listen to the TWINS. That is cruel and unusual punishment.