CHARLESTON — West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey has joined a multistate coalition urging Congress to pass the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act of 2024.
The coalition of AGs say the destruction and life-threatening conditions just witnessed during Hurricane Helene have proven that bipartisan protections for AM radios in vehicles are critical as electric vehicles and other new vehicles are being manufactured without the vital communication devices.
“The public warning system relies on AM stations to warn people of an impending emergency — as we all know, when nearly everything else quits working, you can rely on AM radio to function when it’s needed the most," Morrisey said, joining in writing that “AM radio is the constant support network that provides life-saving information to our citizens.”
“During emergencies, it is vitally important that federal, state, and local officials be able to deliver emergency warnings and other information to their citizens,” the coalition wrote in its October 3 letter. “AM radio signals travel greater distances as compared to FM, and citizens can receive information via AM radio even when phone lines, electricity, and cell phones are inoperable …
“Nearly 80 AM radio stations across the country are Primary Entry Points for emergency alerts distributed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the National Weather Service. Those stations, alone, cover approximately 90% of the US population and ensure that state and federal agencies can quickly, dependably, and economically distribute life-saving information across vast geographical areas.”
Because of this, the coalition says it has concerns regarding reports of car manufacturers not including AM radios in cars. In fact, in a letter from last year, seven former leaders of FEMA described the removal of AM radios from cars as a “grave threat to future local, state, and federal disaster response and relief efforts.”
The attorneys general are asking Congress to “prioritize the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act and to support the protections of this vital communications network.”
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody is co-leading the coalition. Last year, she led another group of AGs asking automobile manufacturers to protect AM radio.
She also cites Hurricane Helene, which caused more than 200 deaths and left roughly six million people without power and many without cell and internet service.
“Following devastation and loss in Florida and across multiple states in the wake of Hurricane Helene, it has never been clearer how vital it is to protect access to AM radio,” Moody said. “I have personally heard on-the-ground stories of Floridians who lost power, access to internet and cellphone service during storms, including Hurricane Helene. AM radio signals remained functional. We must ensure access to AM radio signals; lives depend on it.”
In addition to Morrisey, Moody and Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird are joined in the coalition by the AGs from Arkansas, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas and Utah. The letter was sent to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.).