The House passed the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act, H.R. 979, by voice vote on Tuesday evening, Sept. 15, 2026. Broadcasters and the National Association of Broadcasters, along with state associations, had spent years pushing for it. KTRH in Houston called it a major milestone in that fight.
No roll call was needed. Inside Radio, as relayed by WRCO, reported that the bill carried more than 300 bipartisan cosponsors, and that the real obstacle had been getting it to the floor at all.
What the bill would require
Under H.R. 979, the Secretary of Transportation, working with FEMA and the FCC, would have one year to issue a rule making AM reception standard equipment in every new passenger vehicle sold in the United States. Drivers must be able to reach AM without paying extra fees. Automakers could meet the requirement with equipment able to receive digital audio AM signals.
Before the rule is final, the Department of Transportation must report to Congress on how AM reception might affect vehicle innovation and safety, automated driving systems in particular, and on technical ways to reduce electromagnetic interference. Once issued, the rule would generally take effect within two years. Small-volume makers that built 40,000 or fewer passenger vehicles for the U.S. market in 2022 would get at least four years.
In the meantime, any vehicle sold without AM must carry clear disclosures to consumers and cannot charge buyers extra for access later. Companies that ignore the final rule could face federal civil penalties and enforcement actions.
The Senate window is narrow
Reps. Gus Bilirakis, a Florida Republican, and Frank Pallone, a New Jersey Democrat, lead the House bill. In the Senate, Ted Cruz of Texas and Ed Markey of Massachusetts lead the companion measure, S. 315. It has waited on the Legislative Calendar under General Orders since the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee approved it in 2025.
Support there looks sufficient. WRCO counted 61 senators as cosponsors, enough to beat a filibuster if leadership schedules a vote.
Time is the problem. KTRH noted that the Senate came back on Monday from a monthlong recess, and its calendar shows a near-total break covering the weeks of October 4 through November 1, ahead of the November 3 midterms. After that, senators return for only two days before the November 11 Veterans Day observance.
Sources
- Houses Passes AM Radio For Every Vehicle Act | NewsRadio 740 KTRH | KTRH Local Houston and Texas News
- The U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed the "AM Radio for Every Vehicle" Act
