119-hr979

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 979 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 979

 To require the Secretary of Transportation to issue a rule requiring 
 access to AM broadcast stations in motor vehicles, and for other 
 purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 February 5, 2025

 Mr. Bilirakis (for himself and Mr. Pallone) introduced the following 
 bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and 
in addition to the Committees on Homeland Security, and Transportation 
 and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
 Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
 within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To require the Secretary of Transportation to issue a rule requiring 
 access to AM broadcast stations in 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,

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.
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