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Bill · 119th Congress

H.R. 979

AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act of 2025

Passed HouseIntroduced Feb 5, 2025Topic: Science, Technology, Communications →
  1. 01 Introduced
  2. 02 Committee
  3. 03 Passed House
  4. 04 Passed Senate
  5. 05 To President
  6. 06 Law

Latest action · Sep 16, 2026
Received in the Senate. Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 622.

Read the bill text · Placed on Calendar Senate ↗PDF ↗Congress.gov ↗
SummaryVotes 0Timeline 17Cosponsors 317Details

What this bill does

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 Research Service · Introduced in House · Feb 5, 2025

How Congress voted

No recorded votes yet. Many bills pass by voice vote or unanimous consent, where no one's individual vote is written down.

Timeline

  1. Sep 16, 2026Received in the Senate. Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 622.
  2. Sep 15, 2026Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  3. Sep 15, 2026On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H5668-5669)
  4. Sep 15, 2026Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
  5. Sep 15, 2026DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 979.
  6. Sep 15, 2026Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H5667-5670)
  7. Sep 15, 2026Mr. Guthrie moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
  8. Nov 12, 2025Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 330.
  9. Nov 12, 2025Committee on Transportation discharged.
  10. Nov 12, 2025Committee on Homeland Security discharged.
  11. Nov 12, 2025Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H. Rept. 119-379, Part I.
  12. Sep 17, 2025Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 50 - 1.
  13. Sep 17, 2025Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
  14. Feb 5, 2025Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
  15. Feb 5, 2025Referred to the Subcommittee on Emergency Management and Technology.
  16. Feb 5, 2025Referred 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.
  17. Feb 5, 2025Introduced in House

Cosponsors

317 members

Show all 317

Details

Related bills

H.R. 8449On Congress.gov · 118th Congress ↗From another CongressS. 1669On Congress.gov · 118th Congress ↗From another CongressS. 315On Congress.gov ↗Related

Cost estimates · Congressional Budget Office

Subject tags · 8

Broadcasting, cable, digital technologiesCivil actions and liabilityCongressional oversightGovernment Accountability Office (GAO)Government studies and investigationsMotor vehiclesTechnology assessmentUser charges and fees