A coalition of New York City and State public safety officials and emergency response leaders is calling on Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to ensure passage of the bipartisan AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act before the current Congress ends.
Led by FDNY Commissioner Robert Tucker and NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell, the letter to Senator Schumer was co-signed by leaders – past and present – from the FDNY, NYPD, Buffalo PD, and other public safety agencies.
The letter reads, “For those tasked with keeping the citizens of New York safe, AM radio has and continues to play a vital role in their mission. As we reflect on the recent anniversaries of both 9/11 and Superstorm Sandy, we are reminded of just how important AM radio was to informing the citizenry during and in the days after these crises and how the public’s safety would be jeopardized in future events without access to AM signals.”
During these events, power outages and the collapse of internet and cellular networks left AM radio as the sole source of real-time emergency information for millions of residents.
The letter also draws attention to the removal of AM radios from new vehicle models by some automakers, a decision the authors argue poses a direct threat to public safety. FEMA has warned that this trend could leave millions of Americans without access to “critical, lifesaving information” during emergencies.
The legislation, which has strong bipartisan support, would mandate the inclusion of AM radio in new vehicle models, citing its critical role in public safety. Supporters point to recent disasters like Hurricanes Helene and Milton and the Maui wildfires, which again demonstrated AM radio’s vital role in delivering emergency updates when other communication systems failed.
The signatories finished by saying, “In our capacity as experts tasked with protecting the citizens of New York, we respectfully ask that you work to ensure enactment of the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act before the next Congress.”
The AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act has garnered 262 co-sponsors in the House and a supermajority of 63 in the Senate. The House Energy and Commerce Committee approved the bill with a 45-2 vote, advancing it to the full House for consideration. Should the Act not pass before the 118th Congress ends in early January, then it will have to restart its journey under a fully Republican-led legislative branch.
Help ensure that Americans retain access to a vital lifeline in times of crisis as automakers try to remove it. Contact your members of Congress by texting AM to 52886, urging them to support legislation that ensures AM radio remains in cars.
If your station is not running the NAB PSAs asking your listeners to reach out to their representatives, get them here.
