The AM For Every Vehicle Act has hit the magic number of voting co-sponsors needed to pass the legislation through the US House of Representatives. The House version of the bill, led by New Jersey Representative Josh Gottheimer, announced its 218th voting supporter.
The surge of four new co-sponsors came the same day that the NAB joined state broadcast associations to lobby for AM radio and other pressing broadcast policy issues – a huge victory for those who made the trip to Capitol Hill. The total number of sponsors now sits at 224, with four non-voting members of Congress among the ranks.
With the March 6 additions of Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Rep. Brandon Williams (R-NY), Rep. John Rose (R-TN), and Rep. Garret Graves (R-LA), the legislation that would mandate the inclusion of AM radio in all vehicles manufactured or sold in the US has a simple majority of votes.
H.R.3413 added a blitz of new supporters in recent days, with Rep. Pat Fallon (R-TX), Rep. Michael Turner (R-OH), Rep. Brian Babin (R-TX), Rep. Gabe Amo (D-RI), Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Rep. Tom Emmer (R-MN), and Rep. Burgess Owens (R-UT), Rep. Bob Good (R-VA), and Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) joining since since February 24.
Stacey Plaskett, Delegate to the US Virgin Islands District at Large, also contributed her support, but is a non-voting member of Congress.
In response to the news the NAB posted, “Thank you to the 218+ members of the U.S. House cosponsoring the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act! This is an important milestone for the 82 million Americans that #DependOnAM every month for news, entertainment, sports and critical safety information.”
Ohio Association of Broadcasters President Christine Merritt told Radio Ink, “223 bi-partisan co-sponsors is a significant achievement. We are so grateful for the support of these members of Congress who understand the critical role that AM radio plays in providing lifesaving information in times of emergency, and look forward to continuing to build support for the bill.”
The Congressional version of the AM For Every Vehicle Act, led by Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Ed Markey (D-MA), is only three co-sponsors away from its own simple majority of 51. The measure has been waiting to be scheduled for a vote by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) since July.
The majority of votes is needed, after Kentucky Senator Rand Paul blocked a bipartisan-driven majority consent vote in November. Sen. Paul is seeking to override the AM mandate and instead use the legislation to end electric vehicle subsidies under the American Vehicle Tax Credit.
As the bill gets nearer to its goal, the US Department of Transportation is ready to implement it. In a February interview with Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg on Chicago’s WGN-AM, he addressed the Act, saying that he is “ready to run with [the Act] the moment Congress gets it done.”
The Act has garnered mass public support, with more than 400,000 emails, letters, and social media posts directed to Senators and Representatives.
The save AM legislation is not enough. As a former AM owner, I have urged my senators and representatives to include legislation to make the FCC mandate better receivers. Include noise blanketing, variable bandwidth depending on signal strength and AM stereo on all units that have FM stereo.
It’s time to improve AM reception…. The FCC’s revitalization fell flat on its face…
Right on!
I am thanking my Congress Reps. who voted in favor of AM For Every Vehicle Act.