AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act of 2025
This bill requires the Department of Transportation (DOT) to issue a rule requiring AM radio capabilities to be standard in all new passenger vehicles. (AM radio is often used to deliver emergency alerts and news and entertainment programming; some newer vehicles do not include AM equipment.)
Specifically, this bill applies to passenger vehicles (1) manufactured in the United States for sale in the United States, imported into the United States, or shipped in interstate commerce; and (2) manufactured after the rule's effective date. The rule must require all such vehicles to have devices that can receive signals and play content transmitted by AM stations or digital audio AM stations installed as standard equipment and made easily accessible to drivers.
Prior to the rule's effective date, manufacturers that do not include devices that can access AM radio as standard equipment (1) must inform purchasers of this fact through clear and conspicuous labeling, and (2) may not charge an additional or separate fee for AM radio access.
DOT may assess civil penalties for any violation of the rule. The Department of Justice may also bring a civil action to enjoin a violation.
The rule, including DOT’s authority to enforce it, must expire 10 years after the bill’s enactment.
Further, the Government Accountability Office must study and report on the dissemination of emergency alerts to the public, including by conducting an assessment of AM radio relative to other Integrated Public Alert and Warning System communication technologies.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 979 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 979
To require the Secretary of Transportation to issue a rule requiring
access to AM broadcast stations in motor vehicles, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 5, 2025
Mr. Bilirakis (for himself and Mr. Pallone) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and
in addition to the Committees on Homeland Security, and Transportation
and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall
within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Secretary of Transportation to issue a rule requiring
access to AM broadcast stations in motor vehicles, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act of
2025''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the
Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
(2) AM broadcast band.--The term ``AM broadcast band''
means the band of frequencies between 535 kilohertz and 1705
kilohertz, inclusive.
(3) AM broadcast station.--The term ``AM broadcast
station'' means a radio broadcast station--
(A) licensed by the Federal Communications
Commission for the dissemination of radio
communications intended to be received by the public;
and
(B) operated on a channel in the AM broadcast band.
(4) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term
``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
(A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation of the Senate;
(B) the Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs of the Senate;
(C) the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure of the House of Representatives;
(D) the Committee on Homeland Security of the House
of Representatives; and
(E) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the
House of Representatives.
(5) Comptroller general.--The term ``Comptroller General''
means the Comptroller General of the United States.
(6) Device.--The term ``device'' means a piece of equipment
or an apparatus that is designed--
(A) to receive signals transmitted by a radio
broadcast station; and
(B) to play back content or programming derived
from those signals.
(7) Digital audio am broadcast station.--
(A) In general.--The term ``digital audio AM
broadcast station'' means an AM broadcast station that
uses an In Band On Channel DAB System (as defined in
section 73.402 of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations
(or a successor regulation)) for broadcasting purposes.
(B) Exclusion.--The term ``digital audio AM
broadcast station'' does not include an All-digital AM
station (as defined in section 73.402 of title 47, Code
of Federal Regulations (or a successor regulation)).
(8) IPAWS.--The term ``IPAWS'' means the public alert and
warning system of the United States described in section 526 of
the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 321o).
(9) Manufacturer.--The term ``manufacturer'' has the
meaning given the term in section 30102(a) of title 49, United
States Code.
(10) Passenger motor vehicle.--The term ``passenger motor
vehicle'' has the meaning given the term in section 32101 of
title 49, United States Code.
(11) Radio broadcast station.--The term ``radio broadcast
station'' has the meaning given the term in section 3 of the
Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 153).
(12) Radio station license.--The term ``radio station
license'' has the meaning given the term in section 3 of the
Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 153).
(13) Receive.--The term ``receive'' means to receive a
broadcast signal via over-the-air transmission.
(14) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Transportation.
(15) Signal.--The term ``signal'' means radio frequency
energy that a holder of a radio station license intentionally
emits or causes to be emitted at a specified frequency for the
purpose of transmitting content or programming to the public.
(16) Standard equipment.--The term ``standard equipment''
means motor vehicle equipment (as defined in section 30102(a)
of title 49, United States Code) that--
(A) is installed as a system, part, or component of
a passenger motor vehicle as originally manufactured;
and
(B) the manufacturer of the passenger motor vehicle
recommends or authorizes to be included in the
passenger motor vehicle for no additional or separate
monetary fee, payment, or surcharge, beyond the base
price of the passenger motor vehicle.
(17) State.--The term ``State'' means each State of the
United States, the District of Columbia, each commonwealth,
territory, or possession of the United States, and each
federally recognized Indian Tribe.
SEC. 3. AM BROADCAST STATIONS RULE.
(a) Rule Required.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with the
Administrator and the Federal Communications Commission, shall issue a
rule--
(1) requiring devices that can receive signals and play
content transmitted by AM broadcast stations be installed as
standard equipment in passenger motor vehicles--
(A) manufactured in the United States for sale in
the United States, imported into the United States, or
shipped in interstate commerce; and
(B) manufactured after the effective date of the
rule;
(2) requiring access to AM broadcast stations through the
devices required under paragraph (1) in a manner that is easily
accessible to drivers; and
(3) allowing a manufacturer to comply with that rule by
installing devices as described in paragraph (1) that can
receive signals and play content transmitted by digital audio
AM broadcast stations.
(b) Compliance.--
(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), in
issuing the rule required under subsection (a), the Secretary
shall establish an effective date for the rule that is not less
than 2 years, but not more than 3 years, after the date on
which the rule is issued.
(2) Certain manufacturers.--In issuing the rule required
under subsection (a), the Secretary shall establish an
effective date for the rule that is at least 4 years after the
date on which the rule is issued with respect to manufacturers
that manufactured not more than 40,000 passenger motor vehicles
for sale in the United States in 2022.
(c) Interim Requirement.--For passenger motor vehicles manufactured
after the date of enactment of this Act and manufactured in the United
States for sale in the United States, imported into the United States,
or shipped in interstate commerce during the period beginning on the
day after the date of enactment of this Act and ending on the day
before the effective date of the rule issued under subsection (a) that
do not include devices that can receive signals and play content
transmitted by AM broadcast stations, the manufacturer of the passenger
motor vehicles--
(1) shall provide clear and conspicuous labeling to inform
purchasers of those passenger motor vehicles that the passenger
motor vehicles do not include devices that can receive signals
and play content transmitted by AM broadcast stations; and
(2) may not charge an additional or separate monetary fee,
payment, or surcharge, beyond the base price of the passenger
motor vehicles, for access to AM broadcast stations for the
period described in this subsection.
(d) Relationship to Other Laws.--After the date of enactment of
this Act, a State or a political subdivision of a State may not
prescribe or continue in effect a law, regulation, or other requirement
applicable to access to AM broadcast stations in passenger motor
vehicles.
(e) Enforcement.--
(1) Civil penalty.--Any person who violates the rule issued
under subsection (a) shall be liable to the United States
Government for a civil penalty under section 30165(a)(1) of
title 49, United States Code, as if that rule were a regulation
described in that section.
(2) Civil action.--The Attorney General may bring a civil
action under section 30163 of title 49, United States Code, in
an appropriate district court of the United States to enjoin a
violation of the rule issued under subsection (a) of this
section, as if that rule were a regulation described in
subsection (a)(1) of that section 30163.
(f) GAO Study.--
(1) In general.--The Comptroller General shall conduct a
comprehensive study on disseminating emergency alerts and
warnings to the public.
(2) Requirements.--The study required under paragraph (1)
shall include--
(A) an assessment of--
(i) the role of passenger motor vehicles in
IPAWS communications, including by providing
access to AM broadcast stations;
(ii) the advantages, effectiveness,
limitations, resilience, and accessibility of
existing IPAWS communication technologies,
including AM broadcast stations in passenger
motor vehicles;
(iii) the advantages, effectiveness,
limitations, resilience, and accessibility of
AM broadcast stations relative to other IPAWS
communication technologies in passenger motor
vehicles; and
(iv) whether other IPAWS communication
technologies are capable of ensuring the
President (or a designee) can reach at least 90
percent of the population of the United States
at a time of crisis, including at night; and
(B) a description of any ongoing efforts to
integrate new and emerging technologies and
communication platforms into the IPAWS framework.
(3) Consultation required.--In conducting the study
required under paragraph (1), the Comptroller General shall
consult with--
(A) the Secretary of Homeland Security;
(B) the Federal Communications Commission;
(C) the National Telecommunications and Information
Administration;
(D) the Secretary;
(E) Federal, State, Tribal, territorial, and local
emergency management officials;
(F) first responders;
(G) technology experts in resilience and
accessibility;
(H) radio broadcasters;
(I) manufacturers of passenger motor vehicles; and
(J) other relevant stakeholders, as determined by
the Comptroller General.
(4) Briefing and report.--
(A) Briefing.--Not later than 1 year after the date
of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall
brief the appropriate committees of Congress on the
results of the study required by paragraph (1),
including recommendations for legislation and
administrative action as the Comptroller General
determines appropriate.
(B) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date
on which the Comptroller General provides the briefing
required under subparagraph (A), the Comptroller
General shall submit to the appropriate committees of
Congress a report describing the results of the study
required under paragraph (1), including recommendations
for legislation and administrative action as the
Comptroller General determines appropriate.
(g) Review.--Not less frequently than once every 5 years after the
date on which the Secretary issues the rule required by subsection (a),
the Secretary, in coordination with the Administrator and the Federal
Communications Commission, shall submit to the appropriate committees
of Congress a report that shall include an assessment of--
(1) the impacts of the rule issued under that subsection,
including the impacts on public safety; and
(2) possible changes to IPAWS communication technologies
that would enable resilient and accessible alerts to drivers
and passengers of passenger motor vehicles.
(h) Sunset.--The rule issued pursuant to subsection (a) shall
sunset and no longer be in effect on the date that is 10 years after
the date of enactment of this Act, including the authority of the
Secretary to carry out or enforce that rule.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Homeland Security, and Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Homeland Security, and Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Homeland Security, and Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Emergency Management and Technology.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 50 - 1.
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Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H. Rept. 119-379, Part I.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H. Rept. 119-379, Part I.
Committee on Homeland Security discharged.
Committee on Homeland Security discharged.
Committee on Transportation discharged.
Committee on Transportation discharged.
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 330.