The AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act has found a new vehicle to a vote. The House Committee on Energy and Commerce has voted to embed the AM Act into Chairman Brett Guthrie (R-KY)’s H.R. 7389, the Motor Vehicle Modernization Act of 2026.
The Committee adopted the relevant Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute during Thursday’s markup, including the AM Act language as part of the larger bill’s core text. H.R. 7389 then passed out of committee by a roll call vote of 48-1.
NAB President and CEO Curtis LeGeyt credited Chairmen Guthrie and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) and Ranking Member Frank Pallone (D-NJ) for the move. “NAB applauds the House Committee on Energy and Commerce,” LeGeyt said. “As lawmakers consider policies affecting America’s transportation infrastructure, ensuring continued access to AM radio in vehicles remains essential for public safety.”
Better still, the Motor Vehicle Modernization Act could itself be folded into the BUILD America 250 Act with the surface transportation reauthorization package working its way to the House floor. Current highway and transit authorities expiring September 30, and Republican and Democratic leaders have both signaled urgency around getting the BUILD America 250 Act to the president’s desk before that deadline.
The AM Act also continues to advance independently as H.R. 979/S. 315, with nearly 380 House and Senate cosponsors, but has not reached a floor vote, as automakers and the Consumer Technology Association have spent millions lobbying against it in 2026 alone. However, the bill has renewed support in high places: President Trump, during a May 12 call-in to Red Apple Media’s 77WABC, acknowledged the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act had slipped off his radar amid Middle East tensions but pledged to act after host Sid Rosenberg raised the dashboard fight.
LeGeyt called the bipartisan support a reflection of AM radio’s public safety function and urged Congress to move quickly. “Leaders on both sides of the aisle recognize AM radio’s unique and indispensable role in keeping Americans informed, especially in times of emergency,” he added.
Interestingly, also folded into H.R. 7389 was language from the Sunshine Protection Act, which would make Daylight Saving Time permanent nationwide. That legislation has widely drawn the ire of AM radio stakeholders due to its ability to delay winter sunrises, keeping many stations at reduced power during peak listening hours.
