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AM Radio For Every Vehicle Act (H.R. 979) Scheduled for House Floor Vote Next Week
The AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act (H.R. 979) is scheduled for a vote on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives sometime during the week of September 14th. The legislation prevents automakers from taking AM receivers out of car dashboards. This is an important vote.
Some automakers plan or have already taken AM radio receivers out of their vehicles, especially electric vehicles. Consumers are unable to directly receive local AM radio stations, for free, in their cars. The legislation directs the Department of Transportation to enact rules requiring automakers to keep AM radios in vehicles.
AM radio is the foundation for the Emergency Alert System in New York. As a matter of public safety, residents must maintain access to emergency messages provided over AM radio. Every day, local radio provides critical news and information to the community.
The legislation has overwhelming bipartisan support with 317 cosponsors, including 22 cosponsors from New York:
Rep. Espaillat, Adriano [D-NY-13]
Rep. Garbarino, Andrew R. [R-NY-2]
Rep. Gillen, Laura [D-NY-4]
Rep. Goldman, Dan [D-NY-10th]
Rep. Kennedy, Tim [D-NY-26]
Rep. LaLota, Nick [R-NY-1]
Rep. Langworthy, Nicholas A. [R-NY-23]
Rep. Latimer, George [D-NY-16]
Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17]
Rep. Malliotakis, Nicole [R-NY-11]
Rep. Mannion, John [D-NY-22]
Rep. Meng, Grace [D-NY-6]
Rep. Morelle, Joseph D. [D-NY-25]
Rep. Nadler, Jerrold [D-NY-12]
Rep. Riley, Josh [D-NY-19]
Rep. Ryan, Pat [D-NY-18]
Rep. Stefanik, Elise M. [R-NY-21]
Rep. Suozzi, Thomas R. [D-NY-3]
Rep. Tenney, Claudia [R-NY-24]
Rep. Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20]
Rep. Torres, Ritchie [D-NY-15]
Rep. Velázquez, Nydia M. [D-NY-7]
While they do not appear as co-sponsors, Rep. Yvette Clarke (D. NY 9) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D. NY 14) supported the bill in committee.
This is a critical vote, and every vote counts.
We need to have every broadcaster contact their local member of the U.S. Congress and ask the member to support the AM Radio For Every Vehicle Act (H.R.979). Given the overwhelming support from the New York delegations, or task is to make sure they go to the floor and vote for the bill.
NYSBA is contacting all the NY Members of Congress this week to ensure they continue to support the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act.
You can find a proposed draft letter to be sent via email to your local member of Congress here:
You can find a list of the websites with contact information for NY members of Congress here.
You can find more information about the legislation from NAB here.