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HR 979 Passed a chamber

Requires the Department of Transportation to issue a rule making AM radio standard equipment in new passenger vehicles sold in the United States, with the rule's deadlines and the law itself ending eight years after enactment.

Official title: AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act of 2025

Next stop Senate: awaiting action
Timeline each lane is a chamber; dates pull from congress.gov actions
House
Introduced 05-FEB-2025
Referred 05-FEB-2025
Approved by committee 17-SEP-2025
Reported 12-NOV-2025
On the calendar 12-NOV-2025
Passed 15-SEP-2026
Senate
Received 16-SEP-2026
Key points
  • Directs the Secretary of Transportation, in consultation with FEMA and the Federal Communications Commission, to issue the rule within one year, requiring devices that receive and play AM broadcast signals in passenger vehicles manufactured in or imported into the United States, with easy driver access.
  • Sets the rule's effective date no more than two years after issuance, or at least four years for manufacturers that sold 40,000 or fewer passenger vehicles in the United States in 2022.
  • Until the rule takes effect, requires vehicles without AM access to carry clear labeling and bars manufacturers from charging extra for AM access beyond the base price.
  • Preempts state and local laws on AM access in passenger vehicles, allows civil penalties and Justice Department injunctions for violations, and directs a GAO study of emergency alert systems.
AI-generated from the Placed on Calendar Senate text of 16-SEP-2026 · verify · report an error
Official CRS summary

Covers an older version. The newest CRS summary describes the bill as of "Introduced in House" (05-FEB-2025); the text has changed since (Engrossed in House, 15-SEP-2026).

CRS is the Library of Congress's nonpartisan research office. Read it on congress.gov
Committee referrals (5) Policy area

Science, Technology, Communications

Sponsor Gus M. Bilirakis (R-FL) Cosponsors · 317
■ 159 R■ 158 D
159 Republicans
Show all 159 Republicans
158 Democrats
Show all 158 Democrats