Entertainment industry lobbyists are trying to torpedo a bipartisan bill intended to protect AM radio, a key component of America’s public safety infrastructure and a traditional strongpoint for conservatives free of big tech censorship.
The AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act, is a response to some automakers removing AM radio from new EV models, despite law enforcement’s repeated warnings that AM radios must be maintained in cars for public safety reasons. In response, President Trump’s 2016 campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, stated, “The carmakers don’t care. They’d rather force consumers to use their infotainment devices — which collect and sell their third-party data — than protect American lives.”
The bipartisan legislation, sponsored by Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Ed Markey (D-MA) and previously co-sponsored by then-Sen. JD Vance before he was sworn in as Vice President, has wide bipartisan backing in Congress and overwhelming support from law enforcement.
According to an April letter from the Major Cities Chiefs Association, which represents the police departments of the United States’ 70 major cities:
Two key components of the mission of MCCA are to provide a forum for police executives from large population centers to address the challenges and issues of policing and to influence national and international policy that affects police services. The National Public Warning System and Emergency Alert System, the nation’s top emergency alerting systems, are critical for both.
As many local law enforcement officials states to Congress previously, when disasters strike, the NPWS and EAS are often the only means by which first responders and the citizenry can access and share emergency updates. This is due to their continued use of the nation’s tried-and-true ‘fail-safe’ communication method — AM radio.
Former Trump Acting Secretaries of Homeland Security Elaine Duke and Pete Gaynor have sung the bill’s praises. Brendan Carr, the current Chairman of FCC, nominated by President Trump, also endorsed the bill.
Carr said in a statement that “millions of Americans depend on the value of AM radio and the local news that AM broadcasters offer in communities across the country.” He also recounted hearing firsthand stories of Hurricane Helene victims who “could only access lifesaving information in the days following the storm by tuning into their AM radios.”
On top of the widespread support by Republicans in Congress and within the Trump administration, the bill is also widely supported by prominent conservatives who view the attempt to shut down AM radio as an assault on conservative speech. As Breitbart News previously reported, Mark Levin has been outspoken in support of AM radio:
Furthermore, listening to AM radio in the car continues to be a common practice. Bipartisan opposition has been raised to the decision to remove AM radio from cars, where about half of AM listening takes place. Democrats are concerned about protecting outlets that cater to immigrant audiences and preserving local news sources during severe weather. Republicans, however, contend that the action is a covert effort to stifle conservative talk radio.
“The automobile is essential to liberty. It’s freedom. So the control of the automobile is about the control of your freedom. They finally figured out how to attack conservative talk radio,” talk show host Mark Levin told his listeners last month.
Despite these significant changes, some automakers are not yet prepared to abandon AM radio. Toyota, Honda, and other manufacturers have no plans to eliminate AM radio from their automobiles, and General Motors has not yet stated its position on the issue. The fate of AM radio is entangled in the webs of technological advancement and cultural preservation as the dial continues to turn.
Despite the wide bipartisan support for this bill, Breitbart News has learned that entertainment industry lobbyists, led by the MusicFirst Coalition — controlled by left-wing Hollywood organizations like the Recording Industry of America and Screen Actors Guild – are pushing Congress to block the bill unless it passes an unrelated and controversial music royalty matter at the same time.
The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation advanced the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act in February. It awaits action from the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, which is chaired by Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-KY), a co-sponsor of the bill. From there, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) would have to call it for a vote to allow the bill to proceed.
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship.