I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 979 
To require the Secretary of Transportation to issue a rule requiring access 
to AM broadcast stations in motor vehicles, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 5, 2025 
Mr. BILIRAKIS (for himself and Mr. PALLONE) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred 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 
A BILL 
To require the Secretary of Transportation to issue a rule 
requiring access to AM broadcast stations in motor vehi-
cles, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘AM Radio for Every 
Vehicle Act of 2025’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
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(1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis-
trator’’ means the Administrator of the Federal 
Emergency Management Agency. 
(2) AM BROADCAST
BAND.—The term ‘‘AM 
broadcast band’’ means the band of frequencies be-
tween 535 kilohertz and 1705 kilohertz, inclusive. 
(3) AM BROADCAST STATION.—The term ‘‘AM 
broadcast station’’ means a radio broadcast sta-
tion— 
(A) licensed by the Federal Communica-
tions Commission for the dissemination of radio 
communications intended to be received by the 
public; and 
(B) operated on a channel in the AM 
broadcast band. 
(4) 
APPROPRIATE
COMMITTEES
OF
CON-
GRESS.—The term ‘‘appropriate committees of Con-
gress’’ means— 
(A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation of the Senate; 
(B) the Committee on Homeland Security 
and Governmental Affairs of the Senate; 
(C) the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure of the House of Representatives; 
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(D) the Committee on Homeland Security 
of the House of Representatives; and 
(E) the Committee on Energy and Com-
merce of the House of Representatives. 
(5) 
COMPTROLLER
GENERAL.—The 
term 
‘‘Comptroller General’’ means the Comptroller Gen-
eral of the United States. 
(6) DEVICE.—The term ‘‘device’’ means a piece 
of equipment or an apparatus that is designed— 
(A) to receive signals transmitted by a 
radio broadcast station; and 
(B) to play back content or programming 
derived from those signals. 
(7) DIGITAL AUDIO AM BROADCAST STATION.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—The term ‘‘digital 
audio AM broadcast station’’ means an AM 
broadcast station that uses an In Band On 
Channel DAB System (as defined in section 
73.402 of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations 
(or a successor regulation)) for broadcasting 
purposes. 
(B) EXCLUSION.—The term ‘‘digital audio 
AM broadcast station’’ does not include an All- 
digital AM station (as defined in section 73.402 
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(14) 
SECRETARY.—The 
term 
‘‘Secretary’’ 
means the Secretary of Transportation. 
(15) SIGNAL.—The term ‘‘signal’’ means radio 
frequency energy that a holder of a radio station li-
cense intentionally emits or causes to be emitted at 
a specified frequency for the purpose of transmitting 
content or programming to the public. 
(16) 
STANDARD
EQUIPMENT.—The 
term 
‘‘standard equipment’’ means motor vehicle equip-
ment (as defined in section 30102(a) of title 49, 
United States Code) that— 
(A) is installed as a system, part, or com-
ponent of a passenger motor vehicle as origi-
nally manufactured; and 
(B) the manufacturer of the passenger 
motor vehicle recommends or authorizes to be 
included in the passenger motor vehicle for no 
additional or separate monetary fee, payment, 
or surcharge, beyond the base price of the pas-
senger motor vehicle. 
(17) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means each 
State of the United States, the District of Columbia, 
each commonwealth, territory, or possession of the 
United States, and each federally recognized Indian 
Tribe. 
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SEC. 3. AM BROADCAST STATIONS RULE. 
(a) RULE REQUIRED.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in con-
sultation with the Administrator and the Federal Commu-
nications Commission, shall issue a rule— 
(1) requiring devices that can receive signals 
and play content transmitted by AM broadcast sta-
tions be installed as standard equipment in pas-
senger motor vehicles— 
(A) manufactured in the United States for 
sale in the United States, imported into the 
United States, or shipped in interstate com-
merce; and 
(B) manufactured after the effective date 
of the rule; 
(2) requiring access to AM broadcast stations 
through the devices required under paragraph (1) in 
a manner that is easily accessible to drivers; and 
(3) allowing a manufacturer to comply with 
that rule by installing devices as described in para-
graph (1) that can receive signals and play content 
transmitted by digital audio AM broadcast stations. 
(b) COMPLIANCE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
graph (2), in issuing the rule required under sub-
section (a), the Secretary shall establish an effective 
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date for the rule that is not less than 2 years, but 
not more than 3 years, after the date on which the 
rule is issued. 
(2) CERTAIN MANUFACTURERS.—In issuing the 
rule required under subsection (a), the Secretary 
shall establish an effective date for the rule that is 
at least 4 years after the date on which the rule is 
issued with respect to manufacturers that manufac-
tured not more than 40,000 passenger motor vehi-
cles for sale in the United States in 2022. 
(c) INTERIM REQUIREMENT.—For passenger motor 
vehicles manufactured after the date of enactment of this 
Act and manufactured in the United States for sale in 
the United States, imported into the United States, or 
shipped in interstate commerce during the period begin-
ning on the day after the date of enactment of this Act 
and ending on the day before the effective date of the rule 
issued under subsection (a) that do not include devices 
that can receive signals and play content transmitted by 
AM broadcast stations, the manufacturer of the passenger 
motor vehicles— 
(1) shall provide clear and conspicuous labeling 
to inform purchasers of those passenger motor vehi-
cles that the passenger motor vehicles do not include 
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devices that can receive signals and play content 
transmitted by AM broadcast stations; and 
(2) may not charge an additional or separate 
monetary fee, payment, or surcharge, beyond the 
base price of the passenger motor vehicles, for access 
to AM broadcast stations for the period described in 
this subsection. 
(d) RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER LAWS.—After the date 
of enactment of this Act, a State or a political subdivision 
of a State may not prescribe or continue in effect a law, 
regulation, or other requirement applicable to access to 
AM broadcast stations in passenger motor vehicles. 
(e) ENFORCEMENT.— 
(1) CIVIL PENALTY.—Any person who violates 
the rule issued under subsection (a) shall be liable 
to the United States Government for a civil penalty 
under section 30165(a)(1) of title 49, United States 
Code, as if that rule were a regulation described in 
that section. 
(2) CIVIL ACTION.—The Attorney General may 
bring a civil action under section 30163 of title 49, 
United States Code, in an appropriate district court 
of the United States to enjoin a violation of the rule 
issued under subsection (a) of this section, as if that 
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rule were a regulation described in subsection (a)(1) 
of that section 30163. 
(f) GAO STUDY.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Comptroller General 
shall conduct a comprehensive study on dissemi-
nating emergency alerts and warnings to the public. 
(2) 
REQUIREMENTS.—The 
study 
required 
under paragraph (1) shall include— 
(A) an assessment of— 
(i) the role of passenger motor vehi-
cles in IPAWS communications, including 
by providing access to AM broadcast sta-
tions; 
(ii) the advantages, effectiveness, limi-
tations, resilience, and accessibility of ex-
isting IPAWS communication technologies, 
including AM broadcast stations in pas-
senger motor vehicles; 
(iii) the advantages, effectiveness, lim-
itations, resilience, and accessibility of AM 
broadcast stations relative to other IPAWS 
communication technologies in passenger 
motor vehicles; and 
(iv) whether other IPAWS commu-
nication technologies are capable of ensur-
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ing the President (or a designee) can reach 
at least 90 percent of the population of the 
United States at a time of crisis, including 
at night; and 
(B) a description of any ongoing efforts to 
integrate new and emerging technologies and 
communication platforms into the IPAWS 
framework. 
(3) CONSULTATION REQUIRED.—In conducting 
the study required under paragraph (1), the Comp-
troller General shall consult with— 
(A) the Secretary of Homeland Security; 
(B) the Federal Communications Commis-
sion; 
(C) the National Telecommunications and 
Information Administration; 
(D) the Secretary; 
(E) Federal, State, Tribal, territorial, and 
local emergency management officials; 
(F) first responders; 
(G) technology experts in resilience and ac-
cessibility; 
(H) radio broadcasters; 
(I) manufacturers of passenger motor vehi-
cles; and 
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