HR 979 United States House · 119th Congress

AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act of 2025

This bill requires all new passenger vehicles manufactured for sale in the U.S. to include AM radio as standard equipment (not an optional add-on) by 2027-2028, depending on manufacturer size. It mandates that AM radio receivers must be easily accessible to drivers and allows compliance through digital AM broadcast technology. During a transition period, manufacturers must clearly label vehicles without AM radio but cannot charge extra for this feature. The bill also mandates a GAO study on AM radio's role in emergency alerts and includes a 10-year sunset provision for the rule. It preempts state laws regarding AM radio access in vehicles.

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Nov 2025

House Passage

Sep 2026

Senate Passage

President

Introduced Feb 5, 2025 Last action Sep 16, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced in House → Engrossed in House · 4 edits · Sep 15, 2026

MODERATE

The Engrossed version of HR 979 adds a new definition for 'automated driving system' (Level 3-5 per SAE J3016) and requires the Secretary to submit a safety report to Congress before issuing the AM radio rule, evaluating potential adverse impacts on autonomous vehicle safety. The compliance timeline was shortened by removing the 2-year minimum (now just 'not more than 2 years'), and the sunset was reduced from 10 to 8 years while expanding its scope from sunsetting only the rule to sunsetting the entire Act.

Scope change

The bill's sunset now covers the entire Act rather than just the rule, meaning all provisions (including the GAO study, interim labeling requirement, and preemption of state laws) expire after 8 years instead of the rule alone expiring after 10 years. The addition of the automated driving system safety report introduces a new precondition that could delay or shape the final rule based on autonomous vehicle concerns.

DEFINITION

New definition of 'automated driving system' as a system meeting Level 3, 4, or 5 automation per the April 2021 SAE International J3016 standard.

REQUIREMENT

New subsection (b) requires the Secretary to submit a report to Congress and make it publicly available before issuing the rule, evaluating potential adverse impacts on automotive innovation and vehicle safety from AM radio reception in vehicles with automated driving systems, plus mitigation solutions manufacturers could adopt.

TIMELINE

Compliance deadline shortened: previously the effective date had to be 'not less than 2 years, but not more than 3 years' after rule issuance; now it is simply 'not more than 2 years,' removing the minimum floor and allowing a faster rollout.

Sunset reduced from 10 years to 8 years after enactment, and scope expanded from sunsetting only the rule (and enforcement authority) to sunsetting the entire Act.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the House by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Sep 15, 2026

Introduced

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H5668-5669)

lower

Sep 15, 2026

Lower · Passed

Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.

lower

Sep 15, 2026

Introduced

Mr. Guthrie moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.

lower

Nov 12, 2025

Lower · Passed

Committee on Transportation discharged.

lower

Nov 12, 2025

Lower · Passed

Committee on Homeland Security discharged.

lower

Nov 12, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H. Rept. 119-379, Part I.

lower

Sep 17, 2025

Introduced

Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 50 - 1.

lower

Sep 17, 2025

Lower · Passed

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held

lower

Feb 5, 2025

Committee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.

lower

Feb 5, 2025

Committee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Emergency Management and Technology.

lower

Feb 5, 2025

Committee

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.

lower

Feb 5, 2025

Introduced

Introduced in House

lower

1 primary · 317 co-sponsors