The U.S. House of Representatives has passed legislation requiring all new vehicles sold nationwide to include AM radio, a response to automakers quietly stripping the feature out of newer models, especially electric vehicles. The bill, known as the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act, would direct the Department of Transportation to require automakers to provide AM radio access in new passenger vehicles at no separate or additional charge to drivers.
A Bipartisan Push Years in the Making
The measure, H.R. 979, was introduced by Reps. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) and Frank Pallone Jr. (D-NJ), according to Radio Online. Reports differ on the exact date of passage — Radio Online reported the House vote happened on a Tuesday, September 15, while News 12 reported the House had passed the legislation on September 16. Pallone, a Democratic representative from New Jersey, introduced the bill in direct response to automakers removing AM radio from some new vehicles, per News 12's reporting.
The bill did not arrive out of nowhere. The House Energy and Commerce Committee had already advanced it in September 2025 by a lopsided 50-1 vote, the same Radio Online report notes, signaling broad support well before Tuesday's floor action. That momentum carried through to the House floor, where the measure passed on a voice vote, according to Radio Ink, which pointed to the bill's 317 co-sponsors as evidence of just how little resistance it faced.
Why Lawmakers Say AM Radio Still Matters
Pallone has argued that eliminating AM radio could limit public access to emergency information and alerts, News 12 reports. Supporters of the bill have similarly said AM radio remains an important tool for communicating with the public during emergencies, according to the same report. That argument lines up with how federal agencies describe the broader emergency-alert landscape: NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts official warnings, watches, forecasts and other hazard information around the clock, according to Ready.gov, while the Federal Communications Commission notes that Wireless Emergency Alerts appear on a recipient's phone as a text-like message accompanied by a distinct attention signal, per the FCC.
The push to preserve AM radio access follows years of automakers phasing it out, particularly in electric vehicles, as noted by Radio Online. Eight automakers — BMW, Ford, Mazda, Polestar, Rivian, Tesla, Volkswagen and Volvo — have removed AM radio from electric vehicles, according to a report from Radio World. Tesla has attributed the loss of usable AM reception to electromagnetic interference, the same report states, while Volvo said it dropped AM but kept FM because of expected electromagnetic compatibility issues in its battery-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. Ten other automakers — Honda, Hyundai, Jaguar/Land Rover, Kia, Lucid, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Stellantis, Subaru and Toyota — told Radio World they still maintain AM broadcast access in their vehicles.
Next Stop: A Crowded Senate Calendar
The legislation now moves to the Senate for consideration. A companion bill, S. 315, was approved by the Senate Commerce Committee back in April 2025 and remains on the legislative calendar, according to WABC Radio, which described the House bill as led by Reps. Bilirakis of Florida and Pallone of New Jersey. The next step is for Senate leaders to bring the measure to the floor, and if the Senate passes matching legislation, the bill could then be sent to President Trump's desk, per the same report.
Timing could complicate things. Radio Ink's report described a Senate calendar showing a near-total recess covering the weeks of October 4 through November 1, followed by only two sitting days before Veterans Day. That leaves a narrow window for senators to act before the legislative session's schedule tightens further heading into the winter months.
