Bi-partisan legislation that would mandate access to AM radio technologies in all new vehicles sold in the U.S. has passed another milestone.
The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation voted to approve S.315, otherwise known as the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act. The legislation mandates that U.S. consumers continue to have access to AM radio technology in new vehicles sold in the country.
In recent years, there has been much discussion about whether AM legacy technology should continue to be installed in new vehicles. However, broadcasts on the AM band can provide a critical communications lifeline in natural disasters when other radio technologies go offline.
A companion bill to S.315, H.R. 979, was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives shortly after the Senate Committee’s action. The companion legislation, H.R. 979, will now be forwarded to the House Commerce Committee for review and discussion.
The text of the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act as approved by the Senate Committee is available on the Congress.gov website at https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/315.
