AM Radio Bill For Every Vehicle Moves to House Floor
Sep. 19, 2024
National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) reports:
Efforts to keep AM radio in the dashboards of U.S. vehicles have taken a step forward in the House. The House Energy and Commerce Committee voted 45-2 to send the proposed AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act to the full House for a vote.
"It's been a stalwart of American prosperity and information sharing," says Representative Jeff Duncan (R-SC). "Having AM radio available is important to my constituents, especially during emergencies."
If passed by the full House, the proposed Act would require the Secretary of Transportation to issue a rule requiring access to AM broadcast stations in motor vehicles. If they don't, automakers would get fined.
The role of AM during natural disasters was cited by several lawmakers as they spoke during the bill's markup, noting that the Federal Emergency Management Agency spent millions solidifying the Emergency Alert System with AM radio as the backbone of the EAS.
In addition to serving as the backbone of the Emergency Alert System, AM radio remains a critical tool in delivering farm news and information to farmers across rural America.
Farm broadcaster and Vice President of Hoosier Ag Today and Michigan Ag Today Eric Pfeiffer says, "If AM radio gets removed from vehicles, it wouldn't be long before vehicle manufacturers remove FM radio or attempt to charge consumers for it. Hoosier Ag Today and Michigan Ag Today support free over the air radio for all consumers, especially farmers, and we encourage you to contact your members of Congress to ask for their support of the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act."
Key ‘AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act’ Supporters Want Senate Vote
The AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act, introduced on May 17, 2023 by Massachusetts Democrat Ed Markey in the U.S. Senate, may not have attracted any new co-sponsors since February 26, but that hasn’t stopped the Senate Commerce Committee member and a key GOP leader on the committee from celebrating bipartisan support for the pending legislation that now includes support from 58 of their colleagues.
And, they want a floor vote scheduled soon, given the positive momentum for a bill that passed the Committee in July 2023.
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