WASHINGTON, D.C. -- A bipartisan coalition of 20 senators led by Sens. Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and John Barrasso (R-WY) introduced a resolution today opposing "any new performance fee, tax, royalty or other charge" on local broadcast radio stations. The Local Radio Freedom Act (LRFA) signals policymakers’ opposition to any potential legislation that would impose new performance fees on broadcast radio stations for music airplay.
"America's hometown broadcasters are grateful for the strong support of the LRFA in Congress, and we thank Sens. Hassan and Barrasso for leading the charge on this issue in the Senate," said NAB President and CEO Curtis LeGeyt. "A new job-crushing performance fee on local radio stations would hurt stations' ability to provide their free, essential service in communities across the country. We appreciate the more than 170 members of Congress that are standing alongside broadcast radio and our tens of millions of listeners by signing onto this critical resolution this year."
"Granite Staters regularly tune in to their local radio station to catch up on the news around the state, listen to music and stories, and get weather and emergency alerts," said Senator Hassan. "I am glad to stand with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle in supporting listeners and broadcasters alike. We will keep working to ensure that our local radio stations are able to continue providing vital information and entertainment to communities across our country."
"People across Wyoming depend on local radio stations for timely information, news and programming that have a direct impact on their lives," said Senator Barrasso. "For more than 100 years, radio stations and the recording industry have enjoyed a mutually beneficial relationship: free airplay for free promotion. If forced to pay a performance royalty, broadcasters will have to make cuts to important programing in order to make ends meet. I'm proud to join Senator Hassan in reintroducing our bipartisan legislation to block any new performance tax on broadcasters across the country."
The Local Radio Freedom Act's 20 Senate cosponsors are:
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John Barrasso (R-WY) Mike Braun (R-IN) John Boozman (R-AR) Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) Susan Collins (R-ME) Kevin Cramer (R-ND) Mike Crapo (R-ID) Steve Daines (R-MT) Maggie Hassan (D-NH) Martin Heinrich (D-NM) |
John Hoeven (R-ND) Ron Johnson (R-WI) Angus King (I-ME) Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) Dan Sullivan (R-AK) Jon Tester (D-MT) Roger Wicker (R-MS) Todd Young (R-IN) |
Reps. Steve Womack (R-AR-3) and Kathy Castor (D-FL-14) are the lead cosponsors of a companion resolution in the House. Recently adding their support for the LRFA in the House are Mark Alford (R-MO-4), Jack Bergman (R-MI-1), Neal Dunn (R-FL-2), Michelle Fischbach (R-MN-7), Paul Gosar (R-AZ-9), Tony Gonzales (R-TX-23), Bob Good (R-VA-5), David Joyce (R-OH-14), Debbie Lesko (R-AZ-8), Frank Lucas (R-OK-3), Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-MO-3), Max Miller (R-OH-7), Alex Mooney (R-WV-2), Nathaniel Moran (R-TX-1), Jay Obernolte (R-CA-23), Mike Rogers (R-AL-3), David Rouzer (R-NC-7), Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD-2), Eric Sorensen (D-IL-17), Glenn Thompson (R-PA-15), Daniel Webster (R-FL-11), Joe Wilson (R-SC-2) and Rudy Yakym (R-IN-2).
The 155 House cosponsors of the Local Radio Freedom Act are (new cosponsors in bold):
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Mark Alford (R-MO-4) Rick Allen (R-GA-12) Mark Amodei (R-NV-2) Jodey Arrington (R-TX-19) Don Bacon (R-NE-2) Troy Balderson (R-OH-12) Andy Barr (R-KY-6) Joyce Beatty (D-OH-3) Jack Bergman (R-MI-1) Gus Bilirakis (R-FL-12) Sanford Bishop (D-GA-2) Mike Bost (R-IL-12) Brendan Boyle (D-PA-2) Vern Buchanan (R-FL-16) Larry Bucshon (R-IN-8) Julia Budzinski (D-IL-13) Ken Calvert (R-CA-41) Mike Carey (R-OH-15) Jerry Carl (R-AL-1) Andre Carson (D-IN-7) Buddy Carter (R-GA-1) John Carter (R-TX-31) Troy Carter (D-LA-2) Kathy Castor (D-FL-14) Andrew Clyde (R-GA-9) Tom Cole (R-OK-4) James Comer (R-KY-1) Jim Costa (D-CA-21) Joe Courtney (D-CT-2) Rick Crawford (R-AR-1) Henry Cuellar (D-TX-28) Sharice Davids (D-KS-3) Warren Davidson (R-OH-8) Monica De La Cruz (R-TX-15) Debbie Dingell (D-MI-6) Byron Donalds (R-FL-19) Jeff Duncan (R-SC-3) Neal Dunn (R-FL-2) Jake Ellzey (R-TX-6) Tom Emmer (R-MN-6) Dwight Evans (D-PA-3) Mike Ezell (R-MS-4) Pat Fallon (R-TX-4) Randy Feenstra (R-IA-4) Brad Finstad (R-MN-1) Michelle Fischbach (R-MN-7) Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-1) Mike Flood (R-NE-1) Virginia Foxx (R-NC-5) Scott Franklin (R-FL-18) Russell Fry (R-SC-7) Mike Gallagher (R-WI-8) Mike Garcia (R-CA-27) Jared Golden (D-ME-2) Tony Gonzales (R-TX-23) Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX-34) Bob Good (R-VA-5) Paul Gosar (R-AZ-9) Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ-5) Kay Granger (R-TX-12) Sam Graves (R-MO-6) Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA-14) Glenn Grothman (R-WI-6) Michael Guest (R-MS-3) Harriet Hageman (R-WY-AL) Kevin Hern (R-OK-1) French Hill (R-AR-2) Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA-6) Richard Hudson (R-NC-9) Bill Huizenga (R-MI-4) Wesley Hunt (R-TX-38) Ronny Jackson (R-TX-13) Bill Johnson (R-OH-6) Dusty Johnson (R-SD-AL) Mike Johnson (R-LA-4) David Joyce (R-OH-14) John Joyce (R-PA-13) Marcy Kaptur (D-OH-9) |
Tom Kean (R-NJ-7) Bill Keating (D-MA-9) Mike Kelly (R-PA-16) Trent Kelly (R-MS-1) Derek Kilmer (D-WA-6) Andy Kim (D-NJ-3) Annie Kuster (D-NH-2) Darin LaHood (R-IL-16) Doug LaMalfa (R-CA-1) John Larson (D-CT-1) Bob Latta (R-OH-5) Jake LaTurner (R-KS-2) Debbie Lesko (R-AZ-8) Julia Letlow (R-LA-5) Frank Lucas (R-OK-3) Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-MO-3) Stephen Lynch (D-MA-8) Nancy Mace (R-SC-1) Patrick McHenry (R-NC-10) Dan Meuser (R-PA-9) Max Miller (R-OH-7) John Moolenaar (R-MI-2) Alex Mooney (R-WV-2) Nathaniel Moran (R-TX-1) Seth Moulton (D-MA-6) Frank Mrvan (D-IN-1) Greg Murphy (R-NC-3) Troy Nehls (R-TX-22) Dan Newhouse (R-WA-4) Ralph Norman (R-SC-5) Jay Obernolte (R-CA-23) Chris Pappas (D-NH-1) Donald Payne (D-NJ-10) Greg Pence (R-IN-6) August Pfluger (R-TX-11) Dean Phillips (D-MN-3) Bill Posey (R-FL-8) Amata Coleman Radewagen (R-AS-DL) Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA-5) Hal Rogers (R-KY-5) Mike Rogers (R-AL-3) Matt Rosendale (R-MT-2) David Rouzer (R-NC-7) Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD-2) Gregorio Sablan (D-MP-DL) Brad Schneider (D-IL-10) David Scott (D-GA-13) Pete Sessions (R-TX-17) Terri Sewell (D-AL-7) Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ-11) Mike Simpson (R-ID-2) Adrian Smith (R-NE-3) Chris Smith (R-NJ-4) Eric Sorensen (D-IL-17) Melanie Stansbury (D-NM-1) Pete Stauber (R-MN-8) Elise Stefanik (R-NY-21) Bryan Steil (R-WI-1) Claudia Tenney (R-NY-24) Glenn Thompson (R-PA-15) Tom Tiffany (R-WI-7) William Timmons (R-SC-4) David Valadao (R-CA-22) Beth Van Duyne (R-TX-24) Derrick Van Orden (R-WI-3) Marc Veasey (D-TX-33) Ann Wagner (R-MO-2) Tim Walberg (R-MI-5) Randy Weber (R-TX-14) Daniel Webster (R-FL-11) Brad Wenstrup (R-OH-2) Bruce Westerman (R-AR-4) Joe Wilson (R-SC-2) Rob Wittman (R-VA-1) Steve Womack (R-AR-3) Rudy Yakym (R-IN-2) Ryan Zinke (R-MT-1) |
The National Association of Broadcasters is the premier advocacy association for America's broadcasters. NAB advances radio and television interests in legislative, regulatory and public affairs. Through advocacy, education and innovation, NAB enables broadcasters to best serve their communities, strengthen their businesses and seize new opportunities in the digital age. Learn more at www.nab.org.