[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 145 (Tuesday, September 15, 2026)]
[House]
[Page H5670]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

[[Page H5670]]

access to emergency information without delays.
  The bill requires a public study on the potential impacts of 
mandating AM radio, including implications for safety and innovation 
and potential solutions auto manufactures could adopt.
  There were a lot of tough conversations and work with stakeholders 
and across the aisle to find this compromise. Today, it just feels like 
a day to say this is what Congress is supposed to do.
  As we all know, AM radio remains widespread across our country. Madam 
Speaker, 99 percent of the 286 million vehicles on the road today have 
AM radio, and roughly 90 percent of new vehicles will still include it. 
With the average vehicle on the road being more than 12 years old, 
almost all Americans will continue to have AM radio in their vehicles 
for years to come.
  This is about putting consumers in the driver's seat and maintaining 
broad access to emergency communications.
  I am proud of the work that went into this bipartisan compromise. I 
will be voting in favor of this bill, and I urge my colleagues to 
support it.
  Madam Speaker, let's get this bill across the finish line.
  Mrs. FLETCHER. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
Georgia (Mr. Carter), a member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce.
  Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for 
yielding.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 979, the AM 
Radio for Every Vehicle Act.
  In coastal Georgia that I have the honor and privilege of 
representing, we know how important reliable information is when a 
hurricane threatens our communities.
  Families need access to emergency alerts, evacuation updates, and 
local broadcasters who understand what is happening on the ground.
  AM radio provides a free connection to that information without 
requiring a cellular signal or an internet subscription.
  This bipartisan legislation would require AM radio as standard 
equipment in new passenger vehicles, with no separate charge to 
drivers.
  Preserving that access supports public safety, and it keeps our 
communities connected to local news, to weather, and programming.
  Madam Speaker, I thank Congressman Bilirakis for his leadership, and 
I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense legislation.
  Mrs. FLETCHER. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
Wisconsin (Mr. Grothman).
  Mr. GROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of Mr. Bilirakis' bill, 
the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act.
  It is the responsibility of Congress to make sure every vehicle 
purchased has the minimum amount of standard equipment expected. Can 
you imagine spending $60,000 on a new car and not getting AM radio? Why 
don't you just take the transmission too.
  In my media market, no AM radio means no sixties music, no Dave 
Ramsey, and no Brewers game, not to mention we recently had a big 
tornado, and I think one of the reasons nobody died is everybody got in 
their basement because they heard of the danger on AM radio. They 
expect me to sit at home and wait for the Brewers game to end before I 
get in the car? That is ridiculous.
  I had a staffer buy a fancy European model and was shocked to find 
out it had no AM radio.
  Quick, pass this bill, rush it to the Senate and President Trump. I 
want to hear The Dave Clark Five, The Beach Boys, and The Supremes if I 
buy a new car.
  Mrs. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close.
  Mr. Speaker, as I stated earlier and for the reasons Chairman Guthrie 
and Mrs. Dingell stated, I urge my colleagues to vote for H.R. 979, the 
AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act, and I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my friend from Florida (Mr. 
Bilirakis) and my friend from Michigan (Mrs. Dingell) for working 
together to get us to a point where we could pass this bill today, just 
as we heard Mr. Grothman from Wisconsin say how important this bill is.
  Mr. Speaker, I encourage a ``yes'' vote on this bill, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Evans of Colorado). The question is on 
the motion offered by the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Guthrie) that 
the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 979, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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