[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 99 (Wednesday, June 7, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1993-S1994]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                           Rural Programming

  Mrs. FISCHER. Madam President, according to the U.S. Department of 
Agriculture's Economic Research Service, 46 million Americans live in 
rural areas. This includes 35 percent of the residents in my home State 
of Nebraska.
  Often, in the government, we focus on the majority of Americans 
living in urban population hubs, but we have just as much of an 
obligation to the millions of rural citizens in our country.
  Communications access is foundational to our quality of life, 
especially in rural areas where the closest neighbor can be many miles 
away. And that is what I want to focus on today.
  As a member of the Senate Commerce and Agriculture Committees, I have 
the privilege of regularly advancing communications policy that 
benefits all Americans, including those in rural areas.
  I have led multiple pieces of legislation to improve broadband 
mapping to benefit unserved rural areas, including the broadband 
funding map that the President signed into law as part of the 
bipartisan infrastructure package. It is vital that every last mile and 
acre of our country has access to reliable internet, whether for 
telehealth appointments or to make use of the more efficient 
agricultural technologies.
  But broadband isn't the only type of communication rural communities 
rely on, especially for households without internet service. They rely 
on television programming to keep updated about the world around them. 
The well-being of rural Americans and a robust media made up of diverse 
viewpoints are important to me, and they are important to Nebraskans 
throughout the State. And access to rural and agricultural programming 
benefits all Americans.
  Farmers and ranchers in Nebraska depend on this content for relevant 
news, information, and lifestyle programming. We are talking about 
everything from in-depth reports on weather patterns, agribusiness 
news, and commodity market swings, western sports, and a lot more.
  This programming delivers essential information to producers that 
directly impacts the way that they manage their operations and the way 
they plan for the future.
  At the same time, Americans on the coasts and in major urban and 
suburban areas also benefit from programming that helps them understand 
major issues affecting the country that originate in the heartland. And 
we both know that rural programming doesn't mean old reruns of ``Green 
Acres'' or of ``The Beverly Hillbillies.''
  Rural and agricultural programmers are in a unique position to 
educate the public and what it means to be a family farmer or a 
rancher, on how producers are some of the best stewards of our natural 
resources, and on what the future of agriculture and producing the food 
that we all need looks like.
  This is one reason that I was pleased, as ranking member of the Rules 
Committee, to recently approve RFD-TV to be added to the Senate TV 
network. RFD-TV is one of the preeminent sources of rural news in the 
country.
  Networks like RFD-TV work hard to cover issues affecting the 
agricultural sector and rural communities. The senior Senator from 
Minnesota and I approved its addition to the Senate TV network because 
that unique perspective and that expertise is a must-have here in 
Washington, where we all work on policies affecting rural America every 
single day.
  And it is not just TV programming that provides critical news and 
information to rural communities. Millions of Americans use AM radio to 
stay up to date on what is affecting them.

[[Page S1994]]

  In Nebraska, we have a long history of farm broadcasters who help 
farmers and ranchers thrive. Today, there are still over 40 AM stations 
that are based in my State.
  Unfortunately, there are some who have lost sight of the fundamental 
role broadcast radio plays in rural America. A number of automakers 
announced plans this year to remove AM broadcast radio access from some 
of their vehicles.
  This would deal a blow to the millions who need AM radio access in 
order to receive emergency alerts in remote areas as well as to be 
aware of local news, weather conditions. AM radio is not just a luxury; 
it is the backbone of our emergency alert system. It can be a question 
of life or death for people during natural disasters and severe storms.
  My colleagues and I are concerned about how this decision will affect 
the safety of Americans. And that is why we introduced a bicameral, 
bipartisan bill to preserve AM radio access, despite some automakers' 
efforts to get rid of it.
  Our bill, the AM for Every Vehicle Act, would direct the National 
Highway Traffic Safety Administration to issue a rule that would 
require all motor vehicles to have access to AM broadcast stations. The 
legislation is already having an impact. It recently spurred Ford Motor 
Company to reverse course and to restore access to AM radio in its 
upcoming car models.
  But passing our bill is the only way to prevent other automakers from 
abandoning AM radio, and it is against the best interests of the 
millions of people in rural areas where wireless warnings--well, they 
can be difficult to impossible to receive.
  The American people who travel to work and school on rural roads each 
day are relying on us to ensure that they don't lose access to local 
news, weather, emergency alerts, and public safety announcements from 
AM radio.
  As Members of the U.S. Senate, we represent millions--millions--of 
people in rural communities across the country. We cannot let rural 
voices be set aside while we prioritize other issues.
  Let's continue to appreciate rural TV and radio and advance 
legislation that supports the critical services that they provide.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Louisiana.