Eleven months to the day the AM For Every Vehicle Act was sent to the Senate floor by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, the US House version of the Act was expected to also become eligible for a vote, but another bill has blocked the way.
The full House Committee on Energy and Commerce was scheduled to meet on Thursday morning for a markup session on eleven bills, including HR 8449. Minutes before the start time, it was scrapped due to increasing debate over another bill on the docket: HR 8818 – the American Privacy Rights Act of 2024.
That bill, which establishes new federal privacy standards and allows individuals to sue for misuse of their data, is being questioned by GOP leaders – including House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and Speaker Mike Johnson – and business groups, despite support from privacy advocates.
As such, Energy and Commerce Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), who is an original co-sponsor of the APRA, decided that it was premature to bring that bill to markup and canceled the entire session. No followup Full Committee Markup date has been announced.
Any delay, no matter how small, is becoming a major setback, as time becomes the most fleeting resource the AM For Every Vehicle Act has. Despite broad bipartisan support, opponents of AM radio are lobbying heavily to ensure the bill does not advance before the December deadline, at which point it would need to be reintroduced in the next legislative session.
At the same time, the National Association of Broadcasters is intensifying grassroots efforts to encourage Americans to advocate for AM radio’s inclusion in cars. Through the Depend on AM public service announcements, the NAB stresses the essential role of AM radio for news, safety, and community, noting the bipartisan support for the legislation.
The AM For Every Vehicle Act, initially led by Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) in the House, is now guided by Reps. Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL).
20 years AM radio has been in decline. The FCC allowing translators to rebroadcast AM stations has made it worse.
All of a sudden broadcasters are worried about the state of AM radio.