I 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 8449 
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 
MAY 17, 2024 
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 Transportation and Infrastructure, and 
Homeland Security, 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 2024’’. 
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 broadcast station li-
censed for the dissemination of radio communica-
tions— 
(A) 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; 
(D) the Committee on Homeland Security 
of the House of Representatives; and 
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(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 (as defined in section 3 
of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 
153)); 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— 
(i) is licensed by the Federal Commu-
nications Commission; and 
(ii) uses an In-band On-channel sys-
tem (as defined in section 73.402 of title 
47, Code of Federal Regulations (or a suc-
cessor regulation)) for broadcasting pur-
poses. 
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(B) EXCLUSION.—The term ‘‘digital audio 
AM broadcast station’’ does not include an all- 
digital AM station (as defined in section 73.402 
of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations (or a 
successor regulation)). 
(8) INTEGRATED PUBLIC ALERT AND WARNING 
SYSTEM; IPAWS.—The terms ‘‘Integrated Public 
Alert and Warning System’’ and ‘‘IPAWS’’ mean 
the public alert and warning system of the United 
States described in section 526 of the Homeland Se-
curity Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 321o). 
(9) MANUFACTURER.—The term ‘‘manufac-
turer’’ has the meaning given the term in section 
30102(a) of title 49, United States Code. 
(10) PASSENGER MOTOR VEHICLE.—The term 
‘‘passenger motor vehicle’’ has the meaning given 
the term in section 32101 of title 49, United States 
Code. 
(11) RECEIVE.—The term ‘‘receive’’ means to 
receive a broadcast signal via over-the-air trans-
mission. 
(12) 
SECRETARY.—The 
term 
‘‘Secretary’’ 
means the Secretary of Transportation. 
(13) SIGNAL.—The term ‘‘signal’’ means radio 
frequency energy that a holder of a radio station li-
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cense granted or authorized by the Federal Commu-
nications Commission pursuant to sections 301 and 
307 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 
301, 307) intentionally emits or causes to be emitted 
at a specified frequency for the purpose of transmit-
ting content or programming to the public. 
(14) 
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 motor vehicle as originally manu-
factured; and 
(B) the manufacturer of the motor vehicle 
recommends or authorizes to be included in the 
motor vehicle for no additional or separate 
monetary fee, payment, or surcharge, beyond 
the base price of a motor vehicle. 
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-
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(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, imported into 
the United States, or shipped in interstate commerce be-
tween the period of time beginning on the date of enact-
ment of this Act and ending on the effective date of the 
rule issued under subsection (a) that do not include de-
vices that can receive signals and play content transmitted 
by AM broadcast stations, the manufacturer of the pas-
senger 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 
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 
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to AM broadcast stations for the period of time de-
scribed in this subsection. 
(d) RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER LAWS.—When the rule 
issued under subsection (a) is in effect, a State or a polit-
ical 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 ve-
hicles. 
(e) ENFORCEMENT.— 
(1) CIVIL
PENALTY.—Any person failing to 
comply with the rule issued under subsection (a) 
shall be liable to the United States Government for 
a 
civil 
penalty 
in 
accordance 
with 
section 
30165(a)(1) of title 49, United States Code. 
(2) CIVIL ACTION.—The Attorney General may 
bring a civil action in an appropriate district court 
of the United States to enjoin a violation of the rule 
issued under subsection (a) in accordance with sec-
tion 30163 of title 49, United States Code. 
(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— 
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(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; 
(iv) whether other IPAWS commu-
nication technologies are capable of ensur-
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. 
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(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 
(J) other relevant stakeholders, as deter-
mined by the Comptroller General. 
(g) BRIEFING AND REPORT.— 
(1) BRIEFING.—Not later than 1 year after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller Gen-
eral shall brief the appropriate committees of Con-
gress on the results of the study required by sub-
section (f)(1), including recommendations for legisla-
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tion and administrative action as the Comptroller 
General determines appropriate. 
(2) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date on which the Comptroller General provides 
the briefing required under paragraph (1), the 
Comptroller General shall submit to the appropriate 
committees of Congress a report describing the re-
sults of the study required under subsection (f)(1), 
including recommendations for legislation and ad-
ministrative action as the Comptroller General deter-
mines appropriate. 
(h) REVIEW.—Not less frequently than once every 5 
years after the date on which the Secretary issued the rule 
required by subsection (a), the Secretary, in coordination 
with the Administrator and the Federal Communications 
Commission, shall submit to the appropriate committees 
of Congress a report that shall include an assessment of— 
(1) the impacts of the rule issued under that 
subsection, including the impacts on public safety; 
and 
(2) changes to IPAWS communication tech-
nologies that enable resilient and accessible alerts to 
drivers and passengers of passenger motor vehicles. 
Æ 
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