With strife in DC at a fever pitch over the Jeffrey Epstein files, House Speaker Mike Johnson abruptly ended the chamber’s legislative session a day early, sending lawmakers away for more than a month just as the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act gains momentum.
Johnson canceled Thursday’s scheduled votes, accusing Democrats of turning the Epstein investigation into a “sideshow.” The move cut off the House’s legislative work a day ahead of schedule, with final votes concluding yesterday afternoon. While the political drama captures headlines, it also shifts policy efforts like the AM Act into neutral as lawmakers place focus on campaigning at home.
The bipartisan bill, which would require all new vehicles sold in the US to include free AM radio access as a safety feature, has garnered a majority of support with 259 co-sponsors but has yet to leave the House Energy and Commerce Committee. A vast number of those co-sponsors have expressed their favor for the legislation since June 1.
The bill has already cleared the Senate with a supermajority and has received endorsements from a wide spectrum of supporters, including the FCC, FEMA, the NAB, and first responders. Most recently, a coalition of 16 Kentucky mayors, legislators, and emergency personnel sent a letter to Energy and Commerce Chair Congressman Brett Guthrie, who represents Kentucky, urging him to bring the measure to a vote.
With the House now out until after Labor Day and the Senate to follow in just over a week, the legislative runway appears to be growing shorter before the year’s end with distractions only expected to intensify.
Once lawmakers return, the September calendar is likely to be consumed by government funding negotiations, which could be hamstrung by the rescission of $1.1 billion in federal funds for public broadcasters, leaving limited time for standalone measures like the AM radio mandate.
As partisan politics threaten to eclipse policy, broadcasters and radio advocates will need to keep the pressure on and make sure AM isn’t left behind.
