AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Senator Markey, Edward J. [D-MA]
In Committee
Summary
Requires AM radio as standard equipment in new passenger vehicles. The bill would direct the Department of Transportation to write a rule so cars include devices that receive AM broadcasts or In Band On Channel digital AM and make those features easy for drivers to use.
Show full summary
- Drivers and households: New passenger vehicles would offer built-in access to AM broadcasts for news, entertainment, and emergency alerts, helping preserve a widely used channel for crisis communications.
- Automakers: Manufacturers would need to include AM-capable devices as standard equipment or, until the rule takes effect, clearly label vehicles that lack AM and not charge extra for access. Most makers would face a 2 to 3 year compliance window while manufacturers that produced 40,000 or fewer vehicles in 2022 would get at least 4 years. The rule would preempt state laws that require or restrict AM access in cars.
- Emergency management and oversight: The Comptroller General would study how emergency alerts reach the public, consult broad stakeholders, brief Congress within 1 year, and deliver a report 180 days after that briefing. DOT, FEMA, and the FCC would also provide impact reports to Congress at least every 5 years.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Study and reports on emergency alerts
This bill would direct the GAO to study how emergency alerts reach the public, including the role of vehicles and AM radio. The GAO must brief Congress within 1 year of enactment and deliver a report within 180 days after that briefing. The study would assess whether other alert technologies can reach at least 90% of the U.S. population, including at night, and must consult many federal and nonfederal stakeholders. The Secretary of Transportation would also have to report to Congress at least once every 5 years after the vehicle-AM rule is issued about the rule's impacts and possible IPAWS technology changes.
AM radio required in new cars
This bill would require the Secretary of Transportation to write a rule, within 1 year, to make AM-capable devices standard equipment in new passenger vehicles sold or imported in the U.S. If enacted, the rule must take effect 2–3 years after it is issued, and small manufacturers (≤40,000 vehicles in 2022) would get at least 4 years. Cars made after enactment but before the rule takes effect that lack AM capability would need clear labels and manufacturers may not charge extra for AM access during that period. The rule may allow IBOC digital AM receivers but would not allow relying on all-digital AM stations. The rule and the Secretary's authority to enforce it would sunset 10 years after enactment. After enactment, states and local governments could not make or keep laws about AM access in passenger vehicles.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Markey, Edward J. [D-MA]
MA • D
Cosponsors
Sen. Cruz, Ted [R-TX]
TX • R
Sponsored 1/29/2025
Sen. Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI]
WI • D
Sponsored 1/29/2025
Sen. Banks, Jim [R-IN]
IN • R
Sponsored 1/29/2025
Sen. Barrasso, John [R-WY]
WY • R
Sponsored 1/29/2025
Sen. Blackburn, Marsha [R-TN]
TN • R
Sponsored 1/29/2025
Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT]
CT • D
Sponsored 1/29/2025
Katie Britt
AL • R
Sponsored 1/29/2025
Sen. Budd, Ted [R-NC]
NC • R
Sponsored 1/29/2025
Sen. Cantwell, Maria [D-WA]
WA • D
Sponsored 1/29/2025
Shelley Capito
WV • R
Sponsored 1/29/2025
Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE]
DE • D
Sponsored 1/29/2025
Sen. Cotton, Tom [R-AR]
AR • R
Sponsored 1/29/2025
Sen. Cramer, Kevin [R-ND]
ND • R
Sponsored 1/29/2025
Sen. Daines, Steve [R-MT]
MT • R
Sponsored 1/29/2025
Sen. Ernst, Joni [R-IA]
IA • R
Sponsored 1/29/2025
Sen. Fischer, Deb [R-NE]
NE • R
Sponsored 1/29/2025
Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA]
IA • R
Sponsored 1/29/2025
Sen. Hassan, Margaret Wood [D-NH]
NH • D
Sponsored 1/29/2025
Sen. Hawley, Josh [R-MO]
MO • R
Sponsored 1/29/2025
Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI]
HI • D
Sponsored 1/29/2025
John Hoeven
ND • R
Sponsored 1/29/2025
Sen. Justice, James C. [R-WV]
WV • R
Sponsored 1/29/2025
Sen. King, Angus S., Jr. [I-ME]
ME • I
Sponsored 1/29/2025
Amy Klobuchar
MN • D
Sponsored 1/29/2025
Sen. Lankford, James [R-OK]
OK • R
Sponsored 1/29/2025
Sen. Luján, Ben Ray [D-NM]
NM • D
Sponsored 1/29/2025
Sen. Lummis, Cynthia M. [R-WY]
WY • R
Sponsored 1/29/2025
Sen. Marshall, Roger [R-KS]
KS • R
Sponsored 1/29/2025
Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]
OR • D
Sponsored 1/29/2025
Sen. Moran, Jerry [R-KS]
KS • R
Sponsored 1/29/2025
Sen. Murphy, Christopher [D-CT]
CT • D
Sponsored 1/29/2025
Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI]
RI • D
Sponsored 1/29/2025
Sen. Ricketts, Pete [R-NE]
NE • R
Sponsored 1/29/2025
Mike Rounds
SD • R
Sponsored 1/29/2025
Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT]
VT • I
Sponsored 1/29/2025
Sen. Scott, Rick [R-FL]
FL • R
Sponsored 1/29/2025
Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH]
NH • D
Sponsored 1/29/2025
Sen. Sheehy, Tim [R-MT]
MT • R
Sponsored 1/29/2025
Sen. Smith, Tina [D-MN]
MN • D
Sponsored 1/29/2025
Dan Sullivan
AK • R
Sponsored 1/29/2025
Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]
OR • D
Sponsored 1/29/2025
Sen. Young, Todd [R-IN]
IN • R
Sponsored 1/29/2025
Roger Wicker
MS • R
Sponsored 1/29/2025
Sen. Collins, Susan M. [R-ME]
ME • R
Sponsored 1/30/2025
Sen. Moreno, Bernie [R-OH]
OH • R
Sponsored 1/30/2025
Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK]
AK • R
Sponsored 2/4/2025
Markwayne Mullin
OK • R
Sponsored 2/5/2025
Sen. Cortez Masto, Catherine [D-NV]
NV • D
Sponsored 2/12/2025
Sen. Rosen, Jacky [D-NV]
NV • D
Sponsored 2/12/2025
John Boozman
AR • R
Sponsored 2/12/2025
Sen. McCormick, David [R-PA]
PA • R
Sponsored 2/18/2025
Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA]
MA • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI]
RI • D
Sponsored 3/3/2025
Sen. Crapo, Mike [R-ID]
ID • R
Sponsored 3/10/2025
Sen. Ossoff, Jon [D-GA]
GA • D
Sponsored 3/11/2025
Sen. Kennedy, John [R-LA]
LA • R
Sponsored 3/12/2025
Sen. Tuberville, Tommy [R-AL]
AL • R
Sponsored 3/13/2025
Sen. Moody, Ashley [R-FL]
FL • R
Sponsored 3/27/2025
Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY]
NY • D
Sponsored 3/31/2025
Sen. Kim, Andy [D-NJ]
NJ • D
Sponsored 5/20/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov