The bill – sponsored by a bi-partisan, bi-cameral group including Senators Ed Markey (D-MA), Ted Cruz (R-TX),Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) and J.D. Vance (R-OH), and Representatives Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ-5), Bruce Westerman (R-AR-4), Tom Kean, Jr. (R-NJ-7), Rob Menendez (D-NJ-8) and Maria Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA-3) – would “direct federal regulators to require automakers to maintain AM broadcast radio in their new vehicles at no additional charge.” Specifically, the bill would do three things: 1) 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; 2) 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 3) Direct the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to study whether alternative communication systems could fully replicate the reach and effectiveness of AM broadcast radio for alerting the public to emergencies. NAB president and CEO Curtis LeGeyt comments, “NAB commends Sens. Markey, Cruz, Baldwin, Fischer, Luján and Vance, and Reps. Gottheimer, Westerman, Kean, Menendez and Gluesenkamp Perez, for their leadership in advocating for AM radio listeners. This legislation ensures that the tens of million Americans who depend on AM radio for news, entertainment and critical safety information each month can continue to have access to this reliable communications medium. As the backbone of the Emergency Alert System, AM radio is instrumental in promptly disseminating vital information across all mediums during crises, ensuring that communities remain safe and well-informed. America’s local broadcasters applaud the bill’s authors and supporters for recognizing AM radio’s critical role in our nation’s public safety infrastructure.”
