Missouri DPS Director Calls on Congress to Pass AM Radio Bill

Missouri Department of Public Safety Director Mark James urges Congress to pass the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act as soon as possible. In a letter to House and Senate leadership dated July 1, 2026, James expressed support for keeping AM radios in passenger vehicles and called for the legislation to receive a floor vote in each house of Congress.

James wrote that AM radio is essential to ensuring emergency warnings and protective information during emergencies and natural disasters, using the 2011 Joplin tornado as an example in Missouri. He pointed out that AM broadcast radio serves as the backbone of the Emergency Alert System and for decades has proven to be a critical source of reliable information for public safety, especially when power and phones are down.

You can read the full letter from Director James below.