The U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a bill that would require AM radio as standard, easily accessible equipment in new passenger vehicles sold in the United States, sending the measure to the Senate, where passage is widely expected.
The AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act of 2025 directs the Department of Transportation to issue a rule within one year requiring automakers to install devices that can receive and play AM — including digital AM — without extra fees. The House-passed version, as reported by The Wall Street Journal, would let DOT’s enforcement authority expire after eight years.
A Government Accountability Office study of emergency-alert systems, including AM’s role compared with other warning technologies, is also required.
Supporters argue AM remains a free, resilient lifeline when cell networks fail, especially for rural, older, and tribal communities, and for news, weather, sports, and emergency alerts. About 47 million Americans use AM weekly, backers say.
Critics warn a requirement could crowd out other dashboard features. Before any final rule takes effect, makers that omit AM would have to label that fact clearly and could not charge extra for access. The bill now moves to the Senate, where companion legislation (S. 315), led by Sens. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas), already has more than 60 bipartisan cosponsors — enough, supporters say, to clear a filibuster if leadership schedules a vote. Similar efforts stalled in prior Congresses.
If the Senate passes the measure and the president signs it, DOT would write the rule; it would apply to vehicles manufactured after the rule’s effective date, including U.S.-made, imported, and interstate-shipped passenger cars.