How popular is AM radio in Congress? A bill that would help keep AM in the dashboard already has a majority of House members saying they will support it. No votes have been taken in the House yet, but the Energy and Commerce Committee will hold its second hearing on the issue April 30 to assess where the effort stands.
In a joint bipartisan statement, Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and Ranking Member Frank Pallone (D-NJ) say they are working together to preserve Americans’ access to the “vital source” of information that AM radio provides.
“Communities across the country, especially rural communities, rely on AM radio service for critical information,” they said. “It plays an essential role during public emergencies when other alert systems that rely on the electric grid and cellphone networks don’t work, which is why it's so alarming that some auto manufacturers are considering not installing AM radios in new cars.”
If passed, the proposed AM Radio For Every Vehicle Act (H.R. 3413) would require automakers to keep AM radio in their vehicle dashboards or include a warning label if they don’t. The bill last month secured a majority of House members saying the back the effort, drawing on the support from lawmakers in both political parties. Since then, it has continued to add even more cosponsors with the list now totaling 244.
If passed, the bill would also direct the Department of Transportation to issue a rule requiring that AM broadcast stations be accessible in all passenger motor vehicles manufactured in, imported into, or shipped within the U.S. The Government Accountability Office would be required to study whether alternative communication systems could fully replicate the reach and effectiveness of AM radio for alerting the public during emergencies.
The National Association of Broadcasters welcomed news of the hearing and the continued focus in Congress on safeguarding continued access to AM radio in new cars. “With 82 million monthly listeners, AM radio is the backbone of the Emergency Alert System and serves as a trusted source of factual news and diverse programming in communities across the country,” NAB President Curtis LeGeyt said.
No witnesses have been announced for the upcoming hearing. While it will be the first dedicated to the AM bill in the House, it will not be the first time the Committee has discussed the issue. During a September hearing on the video marketplace, the radio issue came up.
“It’s an issue of natural security – we have to have AM radio,” Rep. Diana Harshbarger (R-TN) said, noting the Hawaiian wildfires demonstrated the role radio plays during emergencies. Harshbarger said AM is also something people in her Tennessee district want in their vehicles. “They drive gasoline vehicles, and they listen to AM radio,” she said.
The bill has also gathered 49 backers in the Senate, where the Senate Commerce Committee last year voted to send the legislation to the floor for a vote. But Washington insiders say Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is unlikely to bring the bill up for a vote until that number hits 60. That is because Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) has signaled he would move to block its passage. When Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) tried to speed the bill across the finish line in December, using the unanimous consent maneuver, Paul objected. Supporters, meanwhile, may be angling to have the AM bill attached to a larger piece of must-pass legislation.
Little Change So Far Among Carmakers
Some lawmakers have said they hoped the threat of legislation would spur the car industry to return AM radio to vehicles. In January, Inside Radio reported Ford had begun offering a software update to car owners. But no other brand has hit reverse on its decision. Mazda has said it has no plans to reintroduce AM to its first electric vehicle, the MX-30. Tesla and Volkswagen have said the same. Toyota says that while its existing electric vehicles feature AM, the electromagnetic interference caused by the batteries used in EVs has them holding out on committing to future model years.
Other carmakers have said they have no plans to exclude the legacy band from the radio available in their dashboard. That includes Nissan, Hyundai, Kia, Subaru, Land Rover, Jaguar, and Mitsubishi Motors. Honda said that for its two officially announced EVs, both AM and FM will be featured since the models were co-developed with General Motors utilizing GM’s pre-existing Ultium platform.