July 27, 2023

Senators Markey, Cruz Applaud Commerce Committee Vote to Advance AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act

Legislation requires AM radio be made available at no charge in new vehicles

Washington (July 27, 2023) – Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) today celebrated the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee’s vote to advance the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act, bipartisan and bicameral legislation would direct federal regulators to require automakers to include AM broadcast radio in their new vehicles at no additional charge.

“Today’s vote to advance the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act sends a clear signal to carmakers,” said Senator Markey. “AM radio is an essential communication tool during emergencies, and for decades has been a source of news, entertainment, sports, and music for tens of millions of drivers. I thank Senator Cruz for his partnership as we work to cut through the noise and uphold access to AM radio as we plug into our clean energy, all-electric future.”

“AM radio serves a critical function during emergencies,” said Senator Cruz. “It reliably gets important information to the public, which is why several former FEMA administrators and representatives of the emergency response community have called for AM radio to remain in vehicles. AM radio is also vital to free expression and viewpoint diversity. With low barriers to entry, it allows Americans, especially conservatives, to communicate their points of view and help free speech flourish. I am proud to have worked with Senator Markey and our colleagues on both sides of the aisle on this legislation. It will have a big impact on our constituents who make AM radio part of their daily lives.”

Specifically, the AM Radio 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, while providing extra compliance time for small manufacturers;
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; and,
Direct the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to study the importance of AM radio as a communication technology during emergencies.

In May, Senators Markey and Cruz led their colleagues in introducing the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act. The introduction followed a letter that Senator Markey sent to 20 of the world’s leading carmakers last year requesting that they maintain access to AM broadcast radio in their vehicles. Of the 20 carmakers, eight responded to Senator Markey and shared they had removed AM broadcast radio from their electric vehicles.

###