Sen Paul tries to eliminate EV subsides in popular measure to keep AM radio in cars, nix entire bill

Pointing out that electric vehicles make up 2% of all vehicles and taxpayers subsidize them, Paul proposed an amendment that would strike the AM radio mandate and replace it with language repealing federal electric vehicle subsidies.

By Kevin Killough

Published: December 6, 2023 2:55pm

GOP Sen. Rand Paul on Wednesday blocked the passage of a popular, bipartisan bill requiring automakers to keep AM radios in new vehicles – using an amendment that also tries to eliminate electric vehicle subsidies from the measure.

The AM For Every Vehicle Act was introduced earlier this year by Massachusetts Democrat Sen. Ed Markey, after EV manufacturers said the motors in their vehicles cause static and noise on AM transmissions.

Backers of the measure – which has support in the House and Senate – say AM radio is an important communication tool especially when motorists need to be alerted about such matters as traffic accidents and storms in their area.

"Mandating that all cars have AM radio is antithetical to any notion of limited government," Paul said on the Senate floor.

He also said members of Congress simply cannot say, "Oh, well, because it's something we like, we're going to mandate it.’” Paul said, according to the libertarian-minded Reason magazine.

The libertarian-mind Paul also argued electric vehicles make up 2% of all vehicles and taxpayers subsidize them.