Lawmakers Continue Fight to Preserve AM Radio

Proposed legislation would require automakers to include AM radio in all new passenger vehicles at no additional cost.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (RFD News) — Efforts to keep AM radio in new vehicles continue on Capitol Hill as lawmakers push back against plans by some automakers to remove the receivers. Several large manufacturers have argued that AM radio is becoming less necessary, citing rising costs and declining listenership.

Nebraska Senator Pete Ricketts says that AM radio remains an important source of information for rural communities across the country. His new bill, the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act, would require automakers to keep AM radio receivers in all new passenger vehicles.

“AM radio stations in Nebraska and around the country are still the lifeblood of rural communities,” Ricketts said. “In the Senate, I am working to preserve this important service. Every vehicle sold in the U.S. should be equipped with an AM broadcast radio at no charge. In Nebraska, we know this is common sense. My ‘AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act’ would do that.”

Ricketts’ proposal would also require the Department of Transportation to ensure AM radio is available at no additional cost to consumers.

Related Stories
Congressman Blake Moore of Utah discusses the bill’s potential to promote both economic growth and healthier forests on this week’s Champions of Rural America.
Tight cattle supplies keep prices high for ranchers, but policy shifts, export barriers, and packer losses signal a volatile road ahead for the beef supply chain.
Recognizing phosphorus and potash as critical minerals underscores their importance in crop production and food security, providing producers with an added layer of risk protection.
Farm CPA Paul Neiffer shares insight into what these new accounts, established in provisions of the Big, Beautiful Bill, could mean for the farm families.
AFBF Economist Danny Munch shares how passing the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act could give the dairy industry a needed boost.
The Court may limit emergency tariff powers, complicating a key bargaining tool; ag could see shifts in input costs and export dynamics as China, Brazil, and India talks evolve.

Knoxville native Neal Burnette-Irwin is a graduate from MTSU where he majored in Journalism and Entertainment Studies. He works as a digital content producer with RFD News and is represented by multiple talent agencies in Nashville and Chicago.


LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

The dairy industry is encouraged by potential H-2A reforms while supporting renewal of the USMCA.
North Carolina FFA State Officers Rachel Noble and Josiah Saravia join to share more about preparations for the state’s upcoming convention.
University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extension is helping ranchers navigate grazing and herd management strategies.
Hildebrandt Family Farms combines multi-generational farming with a hands-on approach to herd management.
Artisan Milling Company has spent nearly two decades producing stone-ground grits.
Many growers are monitoring water allocations as dry conditions continue.