A maneuver by Senate sponsors of the “AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act” to pass the bill by avoiding a vote of the full Senate this week has fallen short.
The push to use “unanimous consent” to pass the bill was led by Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX), Edward Markey (D-MA) and Ben Ray Luján (D-NM). However, Rand Paul (R-KY) objected to its passage.
“Mandating that all cars have AM radio is antithetical to any notion of limited government,” Sen. Paul said on the floor of the U.S. Senate on Tuesday.
Paul said there is irony in seeing Republicans come to the floor to pass bills that place mandates upon American businesses, “therefore picking winners and losers.”
The Senate bill, which has already been approved by the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, requires car makers to maintain AM broadcast radio without separate or additional payment, fee or surcharge. The act would direct the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to issue a rule mandating AM inclusion in all new vehicles.
The House version of the bill remains pending in committee for now, according to the National Association of Broadcasters.
[Related: “Bipartisan Support for AM Radio Legislation Grows“]
Cruz took to the Senate floor on Tuesday and asked senators to join him in support of free speech, and in support of AM Radio. “It is widely enjoyed by Americans across the country. Over 80 million Americans listen to AM radio every month. They rely on it,” he said.
The Republican from Texas continued: “I believe these automakers stood up to remove AM radio as part of a broader pattern we see of censoring views that are disfavored by Big Business. I think this is consistent with what Big Tech has done, silencing views they disagree with. And so this bill is all about preserving consumer choice and letting consumers decide. If you don’t want to listen to AM radio, turn it off.”
However, Sen. Paul said he disagrees with the premise of Cruz’s argument on the matter of free speech.
“The debate over free speech, as listed in the First Amendment, is that government shall pass no law,” said Paul. “It has nothing to do with forcing your manufacturer to have AM radio. This legislation attempts to insert Congress’s judgment into a question best decided by American consumers.”
Paul took things a step further Tuesday evening by introducing an amendment to the AM For Every Vehicle Act to strip electric vehicle tax credits. The amendment was not voted on.
NAB said in a statement it appreciates the senators’ efforts to pass the bill. “NAB applauds Sens. Cruz, Markey and Luján for going to the floor of the United States Senate today to seek final passage of the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act, again demonstrating their leadership and steadfast commitment to advancing this critical legislation.
“With 192 cosponsors in the House and 44 in the Senate, the bill has gained remarkable momentum, highlighting the widespread recognition of the importance of AM radio to the American people. This bipartisan collaboration reflects a shared dedication to ensuring that AM radio remains a dependable and accessible medium for all. We thank Senators Markey and Cruz for their continued leadership and support of AM radio listeners and look forward to continue working with them to pass this critical legislation.”
