U.S. Senate Appears Poised To Let AM Radio Bill Move Forward

The AM For Every Vehicle Act is on the verge of a crucial milestone in the U.S. Senate. The proposed legislation, which U.S. broadcasters have for the past 15 months fiercely advocated for, is about to cross the 60-cosponsorship threshold in the U.S. Senate, which would give it a supermajority and allow it to overcome a filibuster.

The 60 cosponsors number won’t be official until it is documented with the U.S. Senate clerk, which could happen within the next couple of weeks.

If passed, the bill would require automakers to keep AM radio in their vehicle dashboards or include a warning label if they don’t.

It already has well over a majority of House members who have said they will support it. No votes have been taken in the House yet, but the Energy and Commerce Committee will hold its second hearing on the issue April 30 to assess where the effort stands.

The legislation has brought strange partnerships together in Congress. In the Senate Ed Markey, a liberal Democrat from Massachusetts, teamed up with Ted Cruz, a conservative Republican from Texas, to lead the charge.