[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 315 Reported in Senate (RS)]
<DOC>
Calendar No. 39
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 315
[Report No. 119-11]
To require the Secretary of Transportation to issue a rule requiring
access to AM broadcast stations in passenger motor vehicles, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
January 29, 2025
Mr. Markey (for himself, Mr. Cruz, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Banks, Mr.
Barrasso, Mrs. Blackburn, Mr. Blumenthal, Mrs. Britt, Mr. Budd, Ms.
Cantwell, Mrs. Capito, Mr. Coons, Mr. Cotton, Mr. Cramer, Mr. Daines,
Ms. Ernst, Mrs. Fischer, Mr. Grassley, Ms. Hassan, Mr. Hawley, Ms.
Hirono, Mr. Hoeven, Mr. Justice, Mr. King, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Lankford,
Mr. Lujan, Ms. Lummis, Mr. Marshall, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Moran, Mr.
Murphy, Mr. Reed, Mr. Ricketts, Mr. Rounds, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Scott of
Florida, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Sheehy, Ms. Smith, Mr. Sullivan, Mr. Wyden,
Mr. Young, Mr. Wicker, Ms. Collins, Mr. Moreno, Ms. Murkowski, Mr.
Mullin, Ms. Cortez Masto, Ms. Rosen, Mr. Boozman, Mr. McCormick, Ms.
Warren, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Crapo, Mr. Ossoff, Mr. Kennedy, Mr.
Tuberville, Mrs. Moody, and Mrs. Gillibrand) introduced the following
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation
April 3, 2025
Reported by Mr. Cruz, with an amendment
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed
in italic]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Secretary of Transportation to issue a rule requiring
access to AM broadcast stations in passenger motor vehicles, and for
other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>
<DELETED> This Act may be cited as the ``AM Radio for Every Vehicle
Act of 2025''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.</DELETED>
<DELETED> In this Act:</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator''
means the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management
Agency.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) AM broadcast band.--The term ``AM broadcast
band'' means the band of frequencies between 535 kilohertz and
1705 kilohertz, inclusive.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) AM broadcast station.--The term ``AM broadcast
station'' means a radio broadcast station--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) licensed by the Federal Communications
Commission for the dissemination of radio
communications intended to be received by the public;
and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) operated on a channel in the AM
broadcast band.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (4) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term
``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) the Committee on Commerce, Science,
and Transportation of the Senate;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) the Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs of the Senate;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (C) the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure of the House of
Representatives;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (D) the Committee on Homeland Security of
the House of Representatives; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (E) the Committee on Energy and Commerce
of the House of Representatives.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (5) Comptroller general.--The term ``Comptroller
General'' means the Comptroller General of the United
States.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (6) Device.--The term ``device'' means a piece of
equipment or an apparatus that is designed--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) to receive signals transmitted by a
radio broadcast station; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) to play back content or programming
derived from those signals.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (7) Digital audio am broadcast station.--
</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) In general.--The term ``digital audio
AM broadcast station'' means an AM broadcast station
that uses an In Band On Channel DAB System (as defined
in section 73.402 of title 47, Code of Federal
Regulations (or a successor regulation)) for
broadcasting purposes.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) Exclusion.--The term ``digital audio
AM broadcast station'' does not include an All-digital
AM station (as defined in section 73.402 of title 47,
Code of Federal Regulations (or a successor
regulation)).</DELETED>
<DELETED> (8) IPAWS.--The term ``IPAWS'' means the public
alert and warning system of the United States described in
section 526 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C.
321o).</DELETED>
<DELETED> (9) Manufacturer.--The term ``manufacturer'' has
the meaning given the term in section 30102(a) of title 49,
United States Code.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (10) Passenger motor vehicle.--The term
``passenger motor vehicle'' has the meaning given the term in
section 32101 of title 49, United States Code.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (11) Radio broadcast station.--The term ``radio
broadcast station'' has the meaning given the term in section 3
of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 153).</DELETED>
<DELETED> (12) Radio station license.--The term ``radio
station license'' has the meaning given the term in section 3
of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 153).</DELETED>
<DELETED> (13) Receive.--The term ``receive'' means to
receive a broadcast signal via over-the-air
transmission.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (14) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the
Secretary of Transportation.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (15) Signal.--The term ``signal'' means radio
frequency energy that a holder of a radio station license
intentionally emits or causes to be emitted at a specified
frequency for the purpose of transmitting content or
programming to the public.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (16) Standard equipment.--The term ``standard
equipment'' means motor vehicle equipment (as defined in
section 30102(a) of title 49, United States Code) that--
</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) is installed as a system, part, or
component of a passenger motor vehicle as originally
manufactured; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) the manufacturer of the passenger
motor vehicle recommends or authorizes to be included
in the passenger motor vehicle for no additional or
separate monetary fee, payment, or surcharge, beyond
the base price of the passenger motor
vehicle.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (17) State.--The term ``State'' means each State
of the United States, the District of Columbia, each
commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States,
and each federally recognized Indian Tribe.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 3. AM BROADCAST STATIONS RULE.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (a) Rule Required.--Not later than 1 year after the date
of enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with the
Administrator and the Federal Communications Commission, shall issue a
rule--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) requiring devices that can receive signals and
play content transmitted by AM broadcast stations be installed
as standard equipment in passenger motor vehicles--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) manufactured in the United States for
sale in the United States, imported into the United
States, or shipped in interstate commerce;
and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) manufactured after the effective date
of the rule;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) requiring access to AM broadcast stations
through the devices required under paragraph (1) in a manner
that is easily accessible to drivers; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) allowing a manufacturer to comply with that
rule by installing devices as described in paragraph (1) that
can receive signals and play content transmitted by digital
audio AM broadcast stations.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (b) Compliance.--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph
(2), in issuing the rule required under subsection (a), the
Secretary shall establish an effective date for the rule that
is not less than 2 years, but not more than 3 years, after the
date on which the rule is issued.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) Certain manufacturers.--In issuing the rule
required under subsection (a), the Secretary shall establish an
effective date for the rule that is at least 4 years after the
date on which the rule is issued with respect to manufacturers
that manufactured not more than 40,000 passenger motor vehicles
for sale in the United States in 2022.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (c) Interim Requirement.--For passenger motor vehicles
manufactured after the date of enactment of this Act and manufactured
in the United States for sale in the United States, imported into the
United States, or shipped in interstate commerce during the period
beginning on the day after the date of enactment of this Act and ending
on the day before the effective date of the rule issued under
subsection (a) that do not include devices that can receive signals and
play content transmitted by AM broadcast stations, the manufacturer of
the passenger motor vehicles--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) shall provide clear and conspicuous labeling
to inform purchasers of those passenger motor vehicles that the
passenger motor vehicles do not include devices that can
receive signals and play content transmitted by AM broadcast
stations; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) may not charge an additional or separate
monetary fee, payment, or surcharge, beyond the base price of
the passenger motor vehicles, for access to AM broadcast
stations for the period described in this subsection.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (d) Relationship to Other Laws.--After the date of
enactment of this Act, a State or a political subdivision of a State
may not prescribe or continue in effect a law, regulation, or other
requirement applicable to access to AM broadcast stations in passenger
motor vehicles.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (e) Enforcement.--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) Civil penalty.--Any person who violates the
rule issued under subsection (a) shall be liable to the United
States Government for a civil penalty under section 30165(a)(1)
of title 49, United States Code, as if that rule were a
regulation described in that section.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) Civil action.--The Attorney General may bring
a civil action under section 30163 of title 49, United States
Code, in an appropriate district court of the United States to
enjoin a violation of the rule issued under subsection (a) of
this section, as if that rule were a regulation described in
subsection (a)(1) of that section 30163.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (f) GAO Study.--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) In general.--The Comptroller General shall
conduct a comprehensive study on disseminating emergency alerts
and warnings to the public.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) Requirements.--The study required under
paragraph (1) shall include--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) an assessment of--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (i) the role of passenger motor
vehicles in IPAWS communications, including by
providing access to AM broadcast
stations;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (ii) the advantages,
effectiveness, limitations, resilience, and
accessibility of existing IPAWS communication
technologies, including AM broadcast stations
in passenger motor vehicles;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (iii) the advantages,
effectiveness, limitations, resilience, and
accessibility of AM broadcast stations relative
to other IPAWS communication technologies in
passenger motor vehicles; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (iv) whether other IPAWS
communication technologies are capable of
ensuring the President (or a designee) can
reach at least 90 percent of the population of
the United States at a time of crisis,
including at night; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) a description of any ongoing efforts
to integrate new and emerging technologies and
communication platforms into the IPAWS
framework.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) Consultation required.--In conducting the
study required under paragraph (1), the Comptroller General
shall consult with--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) the Secretary of Homeland
Security;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) the Federal Communications
Commission;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (C) the National Telecommunications and
Information Administration;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (D) the Secretary;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (E) Federal, State, Tribal, territorial,
and local emergency management officials;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (F) first responders;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (G) technology experts in resilience and
accessibility;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (H) radio broadcasters;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (I) manufacturers of passenger motor
vehicles; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (J) other relevant stakeholders, as
determined by the Comptroller General.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (4) Briefing and report.--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) Briefing.--Not later than 1 year after
the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller
General shall brief the appropriate committees of
Congress on the results of the study required by
paragraph (1), including recommendations for
legislation and administrative action as the
Comptroller General determines appropriate.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) Report.--Not later than 180 days after
the date on which the Comptroller General provides the
briefing required under subparagraph (A), the
Comptroller General shall submit to the appropriate
committees of Congress a report describing the results
of the study required under paragraph (1), including
recommendations for legislation and administrative
action as the Comptroller General determines
appropriate.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (g) Review.--Not less frequently than once every 5 years
after the date on which the Secretary issues the rule required by
subsection (a), the Secretary, in coordination with the Administrator
and the Federal Communications Commission, shall submit to the
appropriate committees of Congress a report that shall include an
assessment of--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) the impacts of the rule issued under that
subsection, including the impacts on public safety;
and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) possible changes to IPAWS communication
technologies that would enable resilient and accessible alerts
to drivers and passengers of passenger motor
vehicles.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (h) Sunset.--The authority of the Secretary to issue the
rule required by subsection (a) shall expire on the date that is 10
years after the date of enactment of this Act.</DELETED>
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act of
2025''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the
Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
(2) AM broadcast band.--The term ``AM broadcast band''
means the band of frequencies between 535 kilohertz and 1705
kilohertz, inclusive.
(3) AM broadcast station.--The term ``AM broadcast
station'' means a radio broadcast station--
(A) licensed by the Federal Communications
Commission for the dissemination of radio
communications intended to be received by the public;
and
(B) operated on a channel in the AM broadcast band.
(4) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term
``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
(A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation of the Senate;
(B) the Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs of the Senate;
(C) the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure of the House of Representatives;
(D) the Committee on Homeland Security of the House
of Representatives; and
(E) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the
House of Representatives.
(5) Comptroller general.--The term ``Comptroller General''
means the Comptroller General of the United States.
(6) Device.--The term ``device'' means a piece of equipment
or an apparatus that is designed--
(A) to receive signals transmitted by a radio
broadcast station; and
(B) to play back content or programming derived
from those signals.
(7) Digital audio am broadcast station.--
(A) In general.--The term ``digital audio AM
broadcast station'' means an AM broadcast station that
uses an In Band On Channel DAB System (as defined in
section 73.402 of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations
(or a successor regulation)) for broadcasting purposes.
(B) Exclusion.--The term ``digital audio AM
broadcast station'' does not include an All-digital AM
station (as defined in section 73.402 of title 47, Code
of Federal Regulations (or a successor regulation)).
(8) IPAWS.--The term ``IPAWS'' means the public alert and
warning system of the United States described in section 526 of
the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 321o).
(9) Manufacturer.--The term ``manufacturer'' has the
meaning given the term in section 30102(a) of title 49, United
States Code.
(10) Passenger motor vehicle.--The term ``passenger motor
vehicle'' has the meaning given the term in section 32101 of
title 49, United States Code.
(11) Radio broadcast station.--The term ``radio broadcast
station'' has the meaning given the term in section 3 of the
Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 153).
(12) Radio station license.--The term ``radio station
license'' has the meaning given the term in section 3 of the
Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 153).
(13) Receive.--The term ``receive'' means to receive a
broadcast signal via over-the-air transmission.
(14) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Transportation.
(15) Signal.--The term ``signal'' means radio frequency
energy that a holder of a radio station license intentionally
emits or causes to be emitted at a specified frequency for the
purpose of transmitting content or programming to the public.
(16) Standard equipment.--The term ``standard equipment''
means motor vehicle equipment (as defined in section 30102(a)
of title 49, United States Code) that--
(A) is installed as a system, part, or component of
a passenger motor vehicle as originally manufactured;
and
(B) the manufacturer of the passenger motor vehicle
recommends or authorizes to be included in the
passenger motor vehicle for no additional or separate
monetary fee, payment, or surcharge, beyond the base
price of the passenger motor vehicle.
(17) State.--The term ``State'' means each State of the
United States, the District of Columbia, each commonwealth,
territory, or possession of the United States, and each
federally recognized Indian Tribe.
SEC. 3. AM BROADCAST STATIONS RULE.
(a) Rule Required.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with the
Administrator and the Federal Communications Commission, shall issue a
rule--
(1) requiring devices that can receive signals and play
content transmitted by AM broadcast stations be installed as
standard equipment in passenger motor vehicles--
(A) manufactured in the United States for sale in
the United States, imported into the United States, or
shipped in interstate commerce; and
(B) manufactured after the effective date of the
rule;
(2) requiring access to AM broadcast stations through the
devices required under paragraph (1) in a manner that is easily
accessible to drivers; and
(3) allowing a manufacturer to comply with that rule by
installing devices as described in paragraph (1) that can
receive signals and play content transmitted by digital audio
AM broadcast stations.
(b) Compliance.--
(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), in
issuing the rule required under subsection (a), the Secretary
shall establish an effective date for the rule that is not less
than 2 years, but not more than 3 years, after the date on
which the rule is issued.
(2) Certain manufacturers.--In issuing the rule required
under subsection (a), the Secretary shall establish an
effective date for the rule that is at least 4 years after the
date on which the rule is issued with respect to manufacturers
that manufactured not more than 40,000 passenger motor vehicles
for sale in the United States in 2022.
(c) Interim Requirement.--For passenger motor vehicles manufactured
after the date of enactment of this Act and manufactured in the United
States for sale in the United States, imported into the United States,
or shipped in interstate commerce during the period beginning on the
day after the date of enactment of this Act and ending on the day
before the effective date of the rule issued under subsection (a) that
do not include devices that can receive signals and play content
transmitted by AM broadcast stations, the manufacturer of the passenger
motor vehicles--
(1) shall provide clear and conspicuous labeling to inform
purchasers of those passenger motor vehicles that the passenger
motor vehicles do not include devices that can receive signals
and play content transmitted by AM broadcast stations; and
(2) may not charge an additional or separate monetary fee,
payment, or surcharge, beyond the base price of the passenger
motor vehicles, for access to AM broadcast stations for the
period described in this subsection.
(d) Relationship to Other Laws.--After the date of enactment of
this Act, a State or a political subdivision of a State may not
prescribe or continue in effect a law, regulation, or other requirement
applicable to access to AM broadcast stations in passenger motor
vehicles.
(e) Enforcement.--
(1) Civil penalty.--Any person who violates the rule issued
under subsection (a) shall be liable to the United States
Government for a civil penalty under section 30165(a)(1) of
title 49, United States Code, as if that rule were a regulation
described in that section.
(2) Civil action.--The Attorney General may bring a civil
action under section 30163 of title 49, United States Code, in
an appropriate district court of the United States to enjoin a
violation of the rule issued under subsection (a) of this
section, as if that rule were a regulation described in
subsection (a)(1) of that section 30163.
(f) GAO Study.--
(1) In general.--The Comptroller General shall conduct a
comprehensive study on disseminating emergency alerts and
warnings to the public.
(2) Requirements.--The study required under paragraph (1)
shall include--
(A) an assessment of--
(i) the role of passenger motor vehicles in
IPAWS communications, including by providing
access to AM broadcast stations;
(ii) the advantages, effectiveness,
limitations, resilience, and accessibility of
existing IPAWS communication technologies,
including AM broadcast stations in passenger
motor vehicles;
(iii) the advantages, effectiveness,
limitations, resilience, and accessibility of
AM broadcast stations relative to other IPAWS
communication technologies in passenger motor
vehicles; and
(iv) whether other IPAWS communication
technologies are capable of ensuring the
President (or a designee) can reach at least 90
percent of the population of the United States
at a time of crisis, including at night; and
(B) a description of any ongoing efforts to
integrate new and emerging technologies and
communication platforms into the IPAWS framework.
(3) Consultation required.--In conducting the study
required under paragraph (1), the Comptroller General shall
consult with--
(A) the Secretary of Homeland Security;
(B) the Federal Communications Commission;
(C) the National Telecommunications and Information
Administration;
(D) the Secretary;
(E) Federal, State, Tribal, territorial, and local
emergency management officials;
(F) first responders;
(G) technology experts in resilience and
accessibility;
(H) radio broadcasters;
(I) manufacturers of passenger motor vehicles; and
(J) other relevant stakeholders, as determined by
the Comptroller General.
(4) Briefing and report.--
(A) Briefing.--Not later than 1 year after the date
of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall
brief the appropriate committees of Congress on the
results of the study required by paragraph (1),
including recommendations for legislation and
administrative action as the Comptroller General
determines appropriate.
(B) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date
on which the Comptroller General provides the briefing
required under subparagraph (A), the Comptroller
General shall submit to the appropriate committees of
Congress a report describing the results of the study
required under paragraph (1), including recommendations
for legislation and administrative action as the
Comptroller General determines appropriate.
(g) Review.--Not less frequently than once every 5 years after the
date on which the Secretary issues the rule required by subsection (a),
the Secretary, in coordination with the Administrator and the Federal
Communications Commission, shall submit to the appropriate committees
of Congress a report that shall include an assessment of--
(1) the impacts of the rule issued under that subsection,
including the impacts on public safety; and
(2) possible changes to IPAWS communication technologies
that would enable resilient and accessible alerts to drivers
and passengers of passenger motor vehicles.
(h) Sunset.--The rule issued pursuant to subsection (a) shall
sunset and no longer be in effect on the date that is 10 years after
the date of enactment of this Act, including the authority of the
Secretary to carry out or enforce that rule.
Calendar No. 39
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 315
[Report No. 119-11]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Secretary of Transportation to issue a rule requiring
access to AM broadcast stations in passenger motor vehicles, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
April 3, 2025
Reported with an amendment