WASHINGTON, DC -- A majority of U.S. House members is now publicly opposed to a record label-led effort to strap radio stations with new fees for airing music free to listeners, NAB announced today. The Local Radio Freedom Act, a bipartisan resolution that denounces the imposition of "any new performance fee, tax, royalty or other charge" on radio for music airplay now has 220 House co-sponsors and 13 Senate co-sponsors.
Adding their support to the Local Radio Freedom Act are Reps. Alcee Hastings (FL-23), Ron Kind (WI-3), Allyson Schwartz (PA-13), Bob Inglis (SC-4), Edward Royce (CA-40) and Ben Ray Lujan (NM-3). Sens. Jeff Bingaman (NM), Kay Hagan (NC), Jon Tester (MT), Christopher Bond (MO), Judd Gregg (NH), Mike Crapo (ID), and Roger Wicker (MS) have added their support to an identical resolution in the Senate.
"Today's milestone stands as a testament to the tireless efforts of NAB staff, our state association partners, and grassroots efforts of stations across America," said NAB Radio Board Chairman Steve Newberry, president and CEO of Kentucky-based Commonwealth Broadcasting. "But this fight on behalf of 235 million weekly listeners is far from over. Our continued success is dependent on radio broadcasters remaining engaged in building additional support in Congress, and in reminding lawmakers of radio's unparalleled promotional value for both record labels and artists.
"We salute Reps. Gene Green and Mike Conaway and the 218 additional House members who recognize that the proposed record label performance tax stands as a di
The Local Radio Freedom Act, unveiled at a February Capitol Hill event hosted by the Free Radio Alliance, was introduced by Reps. Gene Green (TX-29) and Mike Conaway (TX-11). In March, an identical resolution was introduced in the Senate (S. Con. Res. 14) by Sens. Blanche Lincoln (AR) and John Barrasso (WY).
"Congress should not impose any new performance fee, tax, royalty, or other charge relating to the public performance of sound recordings on a local radio station for broadcasting sound recordings over-the-air, or on any business for such public performance of sound recordings," reads The Local Radio Freedom Act.
The bipartisan House resolution now has 220 cosponsors, including:
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Robert
Aderholt (AL-4) Rob Andrews (NJ-1) Todd Akin (MO-2) Rodney Alexander (LA-5) Jason Altmire (PA-4) Mike Arcuri (NY-24) Steve Austria (OH-7) Michele Bachmann (MN-6) Spencer Bachus (AL-6) Gresham Barrett (SC-3) John Barrow (GA-12) Roscoe Bartlett (MD-6) Melissa Bean (IL-8) Shelley Berkley (NV-1) Marion Berry (AR-1) Judy Biggert (IL-13) Brian Bilbray (CA-50) Gus Bilirakis(FL-9) Sanford Bishop (GA-2) Roy Blunt (MO-7) Jo Bonner (AL-1) John Boozman (AR-3) Dan Boren (OK-2) Leonard Boswell (IA-3) Charles Boustany (LA-7) Allen Boyd (FL-2) Kevin Brady (TX-8) Robert Brady (PA-1) Bruce Braley (IA-1) Bobby Bright (AL-2) Paul Broun (GA-10) Corrine Brown (FL-3) Henry Brown (SC-1) Ginny Brown-Waite (FL-5) Vern Buchanan (FL-13) Michael Burgess (TX-26) Dan Burton (IN-5) Steve Buyer (IN-4) John Campbell (CA-48) Shelly Moore Capito (WV-2) Ken Calvert (CA-44) Mike Capuano (MA-8) Russ Carnahan (MO-3) Andre Carson (IN-7) John Carter (TX-31) Ben Chandler (KY-6) William Lacy Clay (MO-1) Tom Cole (OK-4) Mike Conaway (TX-11) Jerry Costello (IL-12) Joseph Courtney (CT-2) Ander Crenshaw (FL-4) Henry Cuellar (TX-28) John Culberson (TX-7) Elijah Cummings (MD-7) Artur Davis (AL-7) Danny Davis (IL-7) Geoff Davis (KY-4) Lincoln Davis (TN-4) Charles Dent (PA-15) Lincoln Diaz-Balart (FL-21) Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-25) Norm Dicks (WA-6) Joe Donnelly (IN-2) Steve Driehaus (OH-1) John Duncan (TN-2) Chet Edwards (TX-17) Vernon Ehlers (MI-3) Brad Ellsworth (IN-8) Jo Ann Emerson (MO-8) Mary Fallin (OK-5) Chaka Fattah (PA-2) John Fleming (LA-4) Jeff Fortenberry (NE-1) |
Virginia
Foxx (NC-5) Elton Gallegly (CA-24) Jim Gerlach (PA-6) Phil Gingrey (GA-11) Kay Granger (TX-12) Sam Graves (MO-6) Al Green (TX-9) Gene Green (TX-29) Parker Griffith (AL-5) Brett Guthrie (KY-2) Ralph Hall (TX-4) Deborah Halvorson (IL-11) Phil Hare (IL-17) Alcee Hastings (FL-23) Doc Hastings (WA-4) Dean Heller (NV-2) Wally Herger (CA-2) Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (SD-AL) Baron Hill (IN-9) Ruben Hinojosa (TX-15) Pete Hoekstra (MI-2) Tim Holden (PA-17) Duncan Hunter (CA-52) Bob Inglis (SC-4) Lynn Jenkins (KS-2) Timothy Johnson (IL-15) Walter Jones (NC-3) Jim Jordan (OH-4) Steve Kagen (WI-8) Dale Kildee (MI-5) Ron Kind (WI-3) Jack Kingston (GA-1) Mark Kirk (IL-10) Larry Kissell (NC-8) John Kline (MN-2) Doug Lamborn (CO-5) Leonard Lance (NJ-7) Rick Larsen (WA-2) Steve LaTourette (OH-14) Robert Latta (OH-5) Jerry Lewis (CA-41) John Lewis (GA-5) John Linder (GA-7) Chris Lee (NY-26) Frank Lucas (OK-3) Frank LoBiondo (NJ-2) Dave Loebsack (IA-2) Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-9) Ben Ray Lujan (NM-3) Cynthia Lummis (WY-AL) Don Manzullo (IL-16) Kenny Marchant (TX-24) Betsy Markey (CO-4) Carolyn McCarthy (NY-4) Michael McCaul (TX-10) Tom McClintock (CA-4) Patrick McHenry (NC-10) John McHugh (NY-23) Mike McIntyre (NC-7) Howard McKeon (CA-25) Cathy McMorris Rogers (WA-5) Michael Michaud (ME-2) Brad Miller (NC-13) Candice Miller (MI-10) Gary Miller (CA-42) Jeff Miller (FL-1) Walt Minnick (ID-1) Harry Mitchell (AZ-5) Dennis Moore (KS-3) Jerry Moran (KS-1) Sue Myrick (NC-9) Randy Neugebauer (TX-19) Devin Nunes (CA-21) |
James
Oberstar (MN-8) Pete Olson (TX-22) Solomon Ortiz (TX-27) Frank Pallone (NJ-6) Erik Paulson (MN-3) Bill Pascrell (NJ-8) Ron Paul (TX-14) Mike Pence (IN-6) Tom Perriello (VA-5) Tom Petri (WI-6) Pedro Pierluisi (PR-At Large) Joe Pitts (PA-16) Todd Platts (PA-19) Ted Poe (TX-2) Earl Pomeroy (ND-AL) Bill Posey (FL-15) David Price (NC-4) Tom Price (GA-6) George Radanovich (CA-19) Nick Rahall (WV-3) Charles Rangel (NY-15) Dennis Rehberg (MT-AL) Silvestre Reyes (TX-16) Phil Roe (TN-1) Harold Rogers (KY-5) Mike Rogers (AL-3) Mike Rogers (MI-8) Peter Roskam (IL-6) Mike Ross (AR-4) Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (FL-18) Edward Royce (CA-40) Dutch Ruppersberger (MD-2) Paul Ryan (WI-1) Tim Ryan (OH-17) John Sarbanes (MD-3) Jean Schmidt (OH-2) Aaron Schock (IL-18) Allyson Schwartz (PA-13) David Scott (GA-13) Pete Sessions (TX-32) John Shimkus (IL-19) Carol Shea-Porter (NH-1) Heath Shuler (NC-11) Bill Shuster (PA-9) Mike Simpson (ID-2) Albio Sires (NJ-13) Ike Skelton (MO-4) Adrian Smith (NE-3) Christopher Smith (NJ-4) Zack Space (OH-18) Mark Souder (IN-3) John Spratt (SC-5) Cliff Stearns (FL-6) Bart Stupak (MI-1) John Sullivan (OK-1) Harry Teague (NM-2) Lee Terry (NE-2) Mike Thompson (CA-1) Glenn Thompson (PA-5) "Mac" Thornberry (TX-13) Todd Tiahrt (KS-4) Pat Tiberi (OH-12) Mike Turner (OH-3) Fred Upton (MI-6) Peter Visclosky (IN-1) Greg Walden (OR-2) Timothy Walz (MN-1) Lynn Westmoreland (GA-3) Ed Whitfield (KY-1) Charlie Wilson (OH-6) Joe Wilson (SC-2) Rob Wittman (VA-1) Don Young (AK-At Large) |
An identical Senate resolution, S. Con. Res. 14, has thirteen co-sponsors, including:
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John
Barrasso (WY) Jeff Bingaman (NM) Christopher Bond (MO) Sam Brownback (KS) |
Richard
Burr (NC) Mike Crapo (ID) Michael Enzi (WY) Judd Gregg (NH) |
Kay
Hagan (NC) Blanche Lincoln (AR) Benjamin Nelson (NE) Jon Tester (MT) Roger Wicker (MS) |
About NAB
The National Association of Broadcasters is the premier advocacy association
for America's broadcasters. As the voice of more than 8,300 radio and
television stations, NAB advances their 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.
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