Explore

Rapid ReadRapid Read
House Passes Bill Requiring AM Radio in All Automobiles for Emergency Communications

House Passes Bill Requiring AM Radio in All Automobiles for Emergency Communications

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed legislation, the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act of 2025, mandating that all automobiles include AM broadcast radio devices. This bipartisan initiative, sponsored by Republican Florida Rep. Gus Bilirakis, aims to ensure that Americans, particularly those in rural, older, and tribal communities, maintain access to critical information during emergencies. House Energy & Commerce Committee Chairman Brett Guthrie emphasized that AM radio serves as a vital tool for emergency communications when broadband networks fail, providing weather forecasts, local information, and crop reports. The bill directs the Department of Transportation to require vehicle manufacturers to install these devices as standard, easily accessible equipment without additional cost. The legislation notes that some newer vehicles, especially electric vehicles (EVs), have begun to exclude AM radio equipment. The Congressional Budget Office estimates the bill would cost the Department of Transportat...
Rapid ReadRapid Read
House Approves Bill Mandating AM Radio in New Vehicles Amid Bipartisan Support

House Approves Bill Mandating AM Radio in New Vehicles Amid Bipartisan Support

The U.S. House of Representatives has overwhelmingly approved legislation that would require all new cars, trucks, and SUVs to include AM radio as standard equipment, at no additional cost to consumers. This bill, known as the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act, will now proceed to the Senate. The legislation directs the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to enforce this requirement. This move comes despite a trend among automakers, including BMW, Rivian, Tesla, and Volvo, to remove AM radio from new vehicles, often in favor of streaming services. Ford had also initially removed AM radio from some models but has since reversed its decision. Automakers have cited electromagnetic interference from electric motors in EVs as a reason for degrading AM signal quality. Proponents of the mandate, however, argue that AM radio is crucial for disseminating critical information during emergencies due to its long-distance signal capabilities. The effort has garnered significant bipartisan support from Democrats...
USA TodayUSA Today
Bill to require AM radio in automobiles passes House

Bill to require AM radio in automobiles passes House

The legislation still needs to clear the Senate and president's desk but would be a measure to protect rural and tribal Americans who rely on AM radio.
USA TodayUSA Today
Long-shot push for AI 'kill switch' bill fails in the Senate

Long-shot push for AI 'kill switch' bill fails in the Senate

Sen. John Kennedy said his bill would order AI companies to build kill switches into their advanced models.
Rapid ReadRapid Read
U.S. House Passes AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act, Advancing to Senate

U.S. House Passes AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act, Advancing to Senate

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act (H.R. 979) by voice vote under suspension of the rules. This bipartisan legislation, reintroduced by Representatives Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) and Frank Pallone (D-NJ) in 2025, aims to mandate the inclusion of AM radio in new vehicles. The bill garnered 317 House cosponsors and cleared the House Energy & Commerce Committee with a 50-1 vote. This development follows over three years of advocacy by broadcasters, including the Colorado Broadcasters Association, which actively campaigned for the bill after several automakers announced plans in 2023 to remove AM radio from new vehicles. The legislation now moves to the U.S. Senate for further consideration.
AP NewsAP News
Many Venezuelan immigrants shun Florida and turn to smaller cities in Utah, elsewhere

Many Venezuelan immigrants shun Florida and turn to smaller cities in Utah, elsewhere

Many Venezuelan immigrants are shunning Florida and turning instead to communities in places like Utah
Rapid ReadRapid Read
GOP Representative Thomas Massie Introduces Articles of Impeachment Against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth

GOP Representative Thomas Massie Introduces Articles of Impeachment Against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth

Representative Thomas Massie, a Republican from Kentucky, has introduced a resolution to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The resolution, filed on Tuesday, accuses Hegseth of engaging in hostilities in Iran for over 90 days without congressional authorization, violating the 1973 War Powers Resolution. Massie's resolution includes eight articles of impeachment. Beyond the Iran conflict, these articles allege that Hegseth disregarded laws to limit civilian casualties, ordered extrajudicial killings of suspected drug traffickers, retaliated against Senator Mark Kelly for exercising free-speech protections, directed the seizure of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores without legal authority, and initiated military operations in Yemen without congressional approval. This is not the first impeachment effort against Hegseth, as House Democrats previously introduced six articles against him in April, also citing an unauthorized war against Iran.
AP NewsAP News
A border surge reshaped America. Now, data shows who 4.5 million migrants were and where they went

A border surge reshaped America. Now, data shows who 4.5 million migrants were and where they went

A surge in border crossings over the past decade reshaped America: Millions of people from more than 150 countries arrived, bringing the immigrant population to its highest levels
Rapid ReadRapid Read
House Passes Bill Requiring AM Radio in New Vehicles

House Passes Bill Requiring AM Radio in New Vehicles

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed H.R. 979, the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act, by voice vote. This legislation mandates that automakers include devices capable of receiving AM broadcast stations as standard equipment in all new passenger vehicles, without any additional charge to consumers. U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., who co-led an earlier version of the bill in May 2023, supported its passage. The bill was initially introduced after some automakers began removing AM radio from electric vehicles. Supporters, including the House Energy and Commerce Committee, emphasize AM radio's crucial role in distributing emergency information, especially when internet or cellular networks are disrupted. The New Jersey Broadcasters Association (NJBA) Executive Director Jordan Walton highlighted AM radio's century-long provision of music, sports, news, and entertainment, and its critical function as a lifeline during emergencies. The legislation now moves to the Senate for consideration.
The Commercial AppealThe Commercial Appeal
Trump hits negative approval rating in Tennessee for first time

Trump hits negative approval rating in Tennessee for first time

New polling shows Trump's net approval rating in Tennessee has fallen below zero for the first time during either of his presidential terms.
Rapid ReadRapid Read
House Democrats Introduce Bill to Prohibit Wage Garnishment for Medical Debt

House Democrats Introduce Bill to Prohibit Wage Garnishment for Medical Debt

Three House Democrats, including Representative Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (D-Va.), ranking member of the House Committee on Education and Workforce, have introduced legislation aimed at prohibiting wage garnishment for medical debt nationwide. The "Protecting Workers’ Wages from Medical Debt Act" was co-sponsored by Representative Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and Representative Greg Casar (D-Texas). The proposed bill seeks to amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, explicitly stating that an employee's wages cannot be garnished for the payment of any medical debt. It would also prevent federal or state courts, officers, or agencies from enforcing orders that violate this prohibition. The legislation defines garnishment as any legal or equitable procedure requiring wage withholding for medical debt and medical debt as debt from healthcare services or facilities. The measure is intended to take effect six months after its enactment. Currently, federal law limits weekly garnishment to 25% of disposable earnings or ...
AP NewsAP News
The Latest: Board votes to close Kennedy Center amid financial woes and name dispute

The Latest: Board votes to close Kennedy Center amid financial woes and name dispute

The Kennedy Center board has voted to close most of the iconic performing arts venue just hours after a federal judge blocked the institution from returning President Donald Trump’s name to the building