Sponsor
Darren Michael Soto
Representative · D-FL
Representative · D-FL
The bill provides targeted federal grants to help small, local AM/FM stations fix foreign‑origin interference and preserve local service, but it uses taxpayer funds, won't reach every affected station, and comes with regulatory/operational limits on recipients.
Small, non‑network AM/FM stations in affected areas (rural communities, local governments, schools/universities) can receive grants to buy and operate interference‑mitigation equipment, restoring service, preserving local news and emergency alerts for their listeners.
Stations that operate grant‑funded equipment under FCC terms will be treated as compliant with the Communications Act and their licenses, reducing legal and regulatory risk for small broadcasters.
Because assistance is distributed via competitive grants, some affected small stations may not receive funding and could face continued interference and delayed restoration of service for listeners.
Grant‑funded mitigation equipment must be operated in ways that avoid interfering with other spectrum users, which may impose operational constraints and limit stations' flexibility.
The program requires FCC administration and federal grant funding, increasing government spending paid by taxpayers to benefit a subset of broadcasters.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Directs the FCC to create a competitive grant program to help certain small AM/FM stations mitigate harmful radio interference from transmissions originating in Cuba.
Requires the Federal Communications Commission to create a competitive grant program to help small, non‑network AM and FM radio stations that have suffered harmful interference from radio transmissions originating in Cuba buy and operate equipment and technology that mitigates that interference. Grants go only to licensees that document interference and meet FCC application and operating conditions; use of grant‑funded equipment within FCC rules is treated as compliant with the Communications Act and the station’s license.
Official title: To direct the Federal Communications Commission to establish a program to make grants to certain radio stations experiencing harmful interference, and for other purposes.
Introduced December 12, 2025 by Darren Michael Soto · Last progress December 12, 2025