Automakers and Big Tech interests outspent broadcasters on second-quarter lobbying over the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act, according to new disclosures, as Washington’s fight over requiring AM radio in cars continues.
Combined spending by Toyota, Honda, General Motors, and the Consumer Technology Association totaled approximately $4,907,500 in Q2, compared with about $3,990,457 from the radio industry. The gap reverses the first-quarter pattern, when pro-AM spending exceeded opposition by more than $2 million.
Toyota Motor North America led opponents with $2,020,500 in combined lobbying across two filings that listed the AM Act among other issues. American Honda Motor Company reported $1,477,000, while General Motors disclosed $40,000. The Consumer Technology Association spent $1,370,000, with its transportation and mobility filings naming both the AM Act and the BUILD America 250 Act.
The AM Act has two potential routes to passage. As a standalone bill, it cleared committee in November 2025 and awaits a House floor vote. Broadcasters also hope it will advance through Rep. Brett Guthrie’s (R-KY) Motor Vehicle Modernization Act if that measure is folded into the BUILD America 250 Act.
President Trump has repeatedly voiced support for the legislation this year, most recently reaffirming it in a Monday radio appearance ahead of a Capitol Hill fly-in. Broadcasters from 31 state associations, joined by AARP, the International Association of Fire Chiefs, and local emergency managers, met with lawmakers to urge passage.