The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation has passed two national weather bills that aim to modernize the nation’s weather communication and radio service as the country faces increased weather disasters. The bills, introduced by Chair U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Ranking Member Ted Cruz (R-TX), are the NOAA Weather Radio Modernization Act and the National Weather Service Communications Improvement Act.
The bills, if approved by Congress and signed by the President, would upgrade the National Weather Service’s transmission technology, expand radio alert coverage in rural communities, and repair weather radio stations across the country. The bills will now head to the Senate floor for approval. If passed, there’s no way to tell how much this would affect AM radio’s battle to stay in cars, considering the safety aspect involved in both AM and weather radio.
