H.R. 979 · 119th Congress

AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act of 2025

Introduced on Feb 5, 2025 by Gus M. Bilirakis (R-FL-12). 317 cosponsors, 158 of them from another party. Latest action (Sep 16, 2026): Received in the Senate. Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 622.

Stage
Passed one chamber
Introduced
Feb 5, 2025
Cosponsors
317
158 from the other party
Policy area
Science, Technology, Communications
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Progress

The furthest stage the measure reached. Simple and concurrent resolutions do not go to the President.

  1. Introduced
  2. Reported by committee
  3. Passed one chamber
  4. 4Passed both chambers
  5. 5Sent to the President
  6. 6Became law

Official title

To require the Secretary of Transportation to issue a rule requiring access to AM broadcast stations in motor vehicles, and for other purposes.

Subjects

  • Broadcasting, cable, digital technologies
  • Civil actions and liability
  • Congressional oversight
  • Government Accountability Office (GAO)
  • Government studies and investigations
  • Motor vehicles
  • Technology assessment
  • User charges and fees

Summary

By the Congressional Research Service (Introduced in House, Feb 5, 2025). Public domain.

AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act of 2025

This bill requires the Department of Transportation (DOT) to issue a rule requiring AM radio capabilities to be standard in all new passenger vehicles. (AM radio is often used to deliver emergency alerts and news and entertainment programming; some newer vehicles do not include AM equipment.)

Specifically, this bill applies to passenger vehicles (1) manufactured in the United States for sale in the United States, imported into the United States, or shipped in interstate commerce; and (2) manufactured after the rule's effective date. The rule must require all such vehicles to have devices that can receive signals and play content transmitted by AM stations or digital audio AM stations installed as standard equipment and made easily accessible to drivers.

Prior to the rule's effective date, manufacturers that do not include devices that can access AM radio as standard equipment (1) must inform purchasers of this fact through clear and conspicuous labeling, and (2) may not charge an additional or separate fee for AM radio access.

DOT may assess civil penalties for any violation of the rule. The Department of Justice may also bring a civil action to enjoin a violation.

The rule, including DOT’s authority to enforce it, must expire 10 years after the bill’s enactment.

Further, the Government Accountability Office must study and report on the dissemination of emergency alerts to the public, including by conducting an assessment of AM radio relative to other Integrated Public Alert and Warning System communication technologies.

Sponsor and cosponsors

Cosponsors by party as of the day they signed on. Original cosponsors signed on the day of introduction.

Gus M. BilirakisR-FL-12Sponsor

Democrats · 158

Republicans · 159

Roll calls

Recorded votes on the measure. Most measures move by voice vote or unanimous consent, which record no individual positions.

No recorded roll call on this measure: it moved by voice vote or unanimous consent, or has not reached the floor.

History

Every action as published, oldest first. Roll calls link to how each member voted.

  1. Feb 5, 2025Introduced in House
  2. Feb 5, 2025Introduced in House
  3. Feb 5, 2025 · HouseReferred 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.
  4. Feb 5, 2025 · HouseReferred 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.
  5. Feb 5, 2025 · HouseReferred 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.
  6. Feb 5, 2025 · HouseReferred to the Subcommittee on Emergency Management and Technology.
  7. Feb 5, 2025 · HouseReferred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
  8. Sep 17, 2025 · HouseCommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
  9. Sep 17, 2025 · HouseOrdered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 50 - 1.
  10. Nov 12, 2025Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H. Rept. 119-379, Part I.
  11. Nov 12, 2025 · HouseReported (Amended) by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H. Rept. 119-379, Part I.
  12. Nov 12, 2025Committee on Homeland Security discharged.
  13. Nov 12, 2025 · HouseCommittee on Homeland Security discharged.
  14. Nov 12, 2025Committee on Transportation discharged.
  15. Nov 12, 2025 · HouseCommittee on Transportation discharged.
  16. Nov 12, 2025 · HousePlaced on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 330.
  17. Sep 15, 2026 · HouseMr. Guthrie moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
  18. Sep 15, 2026 · HouseConsidered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H5667-5670)
  19. Sep 15, 2026 · HouseDEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 979.
  20. Sep 15, 2026Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
  21. Sep 15, 2026 · HouseOn motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H5668-5669)
  22. Sep 15, 2026 · HouseMotion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  23. Sep 16, 2026 · SenateReceived in the Senate. Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 622.

Committees

Committees and subcommittees the measure was referred to.

Agencies in its committees' jurisdiction

Analisa's mapping of committee jurisdiction to federal agencies; the bill may touch others, or none of these.

Who lobbied on it

Organizations whose lobbying reports (LD-2) name this measure. Spending is what they reported for those quarters on all issues, not on this measure alone.

  1. IHEARTMEDIA INC.37 reports
    $6.4M reported (all issues)Federal contractor: IHEARTMEDIA + ENTERTAINMENT, INC.$14.5K in contracts, FY2026AI match · 100%
  2. NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BROADCASTERS30 reports
    $17M reported (all issues)Federal contractor: NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BROADCASTERSAI match · 100%
  3. GENERAL MOTORS COMPANY9 reports
    $8.1M reported (all issues)Federal contractor: GENERAL MOTORS LLC$652.9M in contracts, FY2026AI match · 100%
  4. MAZDA MOTOR OF AMERICA DBA MAZDA NORTH AMERICAN OPERATIONS7 reports
    $420K reported (all issues)
  5. ALLIANCE FOR AUTOMOTIVE INNOVATION6 reports
  6. AMERICAN FARM BUREAU FED6 reports
    $1.8M reported (all issues)
  7. American Honda Motor Co., Inc.6 reports
    $6.1M reported (all issues)
  8. CONSUMER TECHNOLOGY ASSOCIATION6 reports
    $6.3M reported (all issues)
  9. INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIRE CHIEFS6 reports
    $220K reported (all issues)Federal contractor: INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIRE CHIEFS, INC.$187.9K in contracts, FY2026AI match · 100%
  10. INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIRE FIGHTERS6 reports
    $1.2M reported (all issues)Federal contractor: INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIREFIGHTERS$5,280 in contracts, FY2026AI match · 100%
  11. Lucid USA, Inc.6 reports
    $760K reported (all issues)
  12. NATIONAL ASSN OF BROADCASTERS6 reports
    $370K reported (all issues)Federal contractor: NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BROADCASTERSAI match · 100%
  13. SALEM MEDIA GROUP, INC.6 reports
    $270K reported (all issues)
  14. TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC. (TMA)6 reports
    $9.5M reported (all issues)
  15. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.6 reports
    $1.7M reported (all issues)
  16. Volvo Car Corporation6 reports
  17. AARP5 reports
    $25M reported (all issues)
  18. North Carolina Association of Broadcasters5 reports
    $30K reported (all issues)
  19. PENNSYLVANIA FARM BUREAU5 reports
    $70K reported (all issues)
  20. Maryland-District of Columbia-Delaware Broadcasters Association4 reports
    $20K reported (all issues)
  21. National Volunteer Fire Council4 reports
    $40K reported (all issues)Federal contractor: NATIONAL VOLUNTEER FIRE COUNCIL, INC.$60K in contracts, FY2026AI match · 100%
  22. Tesla Inc.4 reports
    $1.6M reported (all issues)
  23. ZERO EMISSION TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATION4 reports
    $420K reported (all issues)
  24. AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF INDEPENDENT MUSIC, INC.3 reports
    $60K reported (all issues)
  25. Iowa Broadcasters Association3 reports
    $10K reported (all issues)
  26. National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT)3 reports
    $93K reported (all issues)
  27. Nissan North America, Inc.3 reports
    $2.5M reported (all issues)
  28. NORTH AMERICAN SUBARU, INC.2 reports
    $80K reported (all issues)
  29. Re:Car Inc., D.B.A. Slate Auto2 reports
    $90K reported (all issues)
  30. TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC2 reports
    $110K reported (all issues)
  31. FCA US LLC1 report
    $1.1M reported (all issues)Federal contractor: FCA US LLC$534.9M in contracts, FY2026AI match · 100%
  32. National Association of BroadcastersBroadcasters1 report
    $15K reported (all issues)Federal contractor: NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BROADCASTERSAI match · 100%
  33. National Religious Broadcasters1 report

Reports filed in 2025, 2026.

Sources and method

Every figure on this page traces to these records.

  • Bill status: bills and resolutions, sponsors, actions, subjects and CRS summaries (U.S. Government Publishing Office (GovInfo), from Congress.gov (Library of Congress))GovInfo Bill Status bulk data (Congress.gov; summaries by the Congressional Research Service) · data current to Oct 9, 2026 · loaded Oct 9, 2026 · license: Public domain (U.S. Government work, 17 U.S.C. § 105)
  • Members of Congress, their terms, committees and identifiers (The @unitedstates project (from the Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress, the House and the Senate))unitedstates/congress-legislators: legislators, committees and current committee membership · data current to Oct 3, 2026 · loaded Oct 3, 2026 · license: CC0 1.0 (public domain dedication)
  • House roll-call votes (Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives)Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives, roll-call vote records · data current to Oct 3, 2026 · loaded Oct 3, 2026 · license: Public domain (U.S. Government work, 17 U.S.C. § 105)
  • Senate roll-call votes and DW-NOMINATE scores (Voteview (UCLA Department of Political Science))Lewis, Jeffrey B., Keith Poole, Howard Rosenthal, Adam Boche, Aaron Rudkin, and Luke Sonnet (2026). Voteview: Congressional Roll-Call Votes Database. https://voteview.com/ · data current to Oct 3, 2026 · loaded Oct 3, 2026 · license: Free to use with the required citation
  • Lobbying disclosures (LD-1 registrations, LD-2 quarterly reports, LD-203 contribution reports) (Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives)Clerk of the House, Lobbying Disclosure Act filings (organizations only; lobbyists' names are not loaded) · data current to Oct 9, 2026 · loaded Oct 9, 2026 · license: Public domain (U.S. Government work, 17 U.S.C. § 105)
  • Positions are shown only where a roll call recorded them; voice votes and unanimous consent record none.
  • Money and votes are shown side by side; neither explains the other.