Cruz, Markey Announce Bill To Protect AM Radio Hits 60 Cosponsors

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Ranking Member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, and Sen. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, recently announced the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act now has bipartisan support from 60 members of the Senate. This bipartisan legislation would direct the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to require automakers to maintain AM broadcast radio in their new vehicles at no additional charge. The House legislation has 246 co-sponsors, as well.

Sens. Cruz and Markey said, “Democrats and Republicans are tuning in to the millions of listeners, thousands of broadcasters, and countless emergency management officials who depend on AM radio in their vehicles. AM radio is a lifeline for people in every corner of the United States to get news, sports, and local updates in times of emergencies. Our commonsense bill makes sure this fundamental, essential tool doesn’t get lost on the dial. With a filibuster-proof supermajority in the Senate, Congress should quickly take it up and pass it.”

Sens. Cruz and Markey were joined by Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.), Robert Casey (D-Pa.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), John Kennedy (R-La.), Angus King (I-Maine), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Joe Manchin (D-W.V.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Kirsten Sinema (I-Ariz.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and Todd Young (R-Ind.) in introducing the legislation.

Read the full text of the bill here.

BACKGROUND

In July 2023, Sens. Cruz and Markey celebrated the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee’s passage of the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act. In June 2023, the senators sent a letter to seven automakers urging them to keep AM radio in both their current and future vehicles, including electric vehicles.

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