RELEASE: House Passes Bill First Championed by Gottheimer, AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, September 15, 2026, the House of Representatives passed the “AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act,” supported by Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5), delivering a major win for public safety and moving the country one step closer to guaranteeing that every new car and truck sold in America comes equipped with AM broadcast radio.

Gottheimer, who first announced and introduced the legislation in the 118th Congress to protect public safety and encourage electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers to include AM radio in their cars and trucks, applauded the bill’s passage.

“AM radio is a lifeline. When the power goes out, when the cell towers go down, and when the Internet cuts off during a storm or an emergency, AM radio is often the only way families can get the life-saving information they need,” said Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5). “It’s outrageous that some automakers want to rip out a basic, free feature — one that helps keep people safe — just to pad their own bottom line. I’m proud to have helped lead this bipartisan bill from day one, and today the House stood up for every driver, every first responder, and every family who counts on AM radio when it matters most.”

“For more than 100 years, AM radio stations have provided music, sports, news, and entertainment to listeners across the Garden State and the country. More importantly over the last century, radio has provided a critical lifeline in times of emergency. Ensuring that this free service utilizing the public’s airwaves is readily available in every vehicle sold in the United States by passing the AM Radio For Every Vehicle Act is the right decision for public safety,” said New Jersey Broadcasters Association (NJBA) Executive Director Jordan Walton. “It’s hard to imagine that what started as a conversation over a cup of coffee has evolved into this legislation being passed with overwhelming bipartisan support. New Jersey’s broadcasters thank Rep. Gottheimer, leaders in the House, and all who advanced AM4EVA today.”

“The overwhelming House passage of the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act is a major step toward protecting Americans’ access to lifesaving emergency information, trusted news and a vital connection to their communities. America’s broadcasters are grateful to Rep. Gottheimer for his longstanding support of AM radio and moving this critical public safety legislation forward. We look forward to building on this momentum in the Senate and getting this bill to the president’s desk,” said NAB President and CEO Curtis LeGeyt.

More than 50 million Americans listen to AM broadcast radio every month, and it remains one of the most reliable ways to reach the public during emergencies. AM radio is the backbone behind America’s National Public Warning System, which provides emergency-alert and warning information to the public during major natural disasters, extreme weather conditions, chemical incidents, health emergencies, and other domestic threats, often when cellular and Internet networks fail. In the aftermath of 9/11 and Hurricane Sandy, AM broadcast radio provided a crucial lifeline for life-saving information, and for many rural communities it remains a primary source of local news, weather, and emergency alerts.

Despite the clear public safety uses of AM broadcast radio, many manufacturers had stopped including AM broadcast radio in their vehicles because they did not want to spend the minimal funds to ensure public safety during emergencies.

The AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act will require the Department of Transportation to issue a rule mandating that all automakers include AM radio as standard equipment in their vehicles, at no additional cost to consumers.

Since first taking on this back in 2023, Gottheimer pushed manufacturers directly, called on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to add AM broadcast radio to the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, and helped secure a critical federal investment of $56 million for the Next Generation Warning System to improve the capabilities of public broadcasters to send vital emergency and civil defense warnings.

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