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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 9, 2015
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Dennis Wharton
202-429-5350
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NAB Statement on Rep. Nadler's Proposed Radio Performance Royalty Legislation

WASHINGTON, DC -- In response to the reports that Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) plans to introduce legislation that would negatively impact local radio stations across America, NAB Executive Vice President of Communications Dennis Wharton issued the following statement:

"NAB will strongly oppose the legislation reportedly being introduced by Rep. Nadler on Monday. It is disappointing that this bill retreads years-old policy positions rather than advancing the copyright dialogue through policies that help grow the entire music ecosystem. NAB stands ready to work with Congress on a balanced music licensing proposal that promotes innovation and recognizes the benefit of our free locally-focused platform to the benefit of artists and listeners. We're pleased that, in a little over three months into the new Congress, 147 House Members and 11 Senators already agree that the fees proposed by Rep. Nadler would kill jobs, hurt artist promotion and devastate local economies across America."

Reps. Michael Conaway (R-TX) and Gene Green (D-TX) are the principal sponsors of the Local Radio Freedom Act (H. Con. Res. 17) in the House of Representatives. Sens. John Barrasso (R-WY) and Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) are the principal sponsors of the companion resolution (S. Con. Res. 4) in the Senate.

"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 147 House cosponsors of the Local Radio Freedom Act include:

Ralph Abraham (LA-5)
Joe Barton (TX-6)
Joyce Beatty (OH-3)
Dan Benishek (MI-1)
Gus Bilirakis (FL-12)
Sanford Bishop (GA-2)
Rod Blum (IA-1)
Charles Boustany (LA-3)
Mo Brooks (AL-5)
Corinne Brown (FL-5)
Larry Bucshon (IN-8)
Cheri Bustos (IL-17)
G.K. Butterfield (NC-1)
Bradley Byrne (AL-1)
Ken Calvert (CA-42)
Michael Capuano (MA-7)
Steve Chabot (OH-1)
Wm. Lacy Clay (MO-1)
Mike Coffman (CO-6)
Tom Cole (OK-4)
Chris Collins (NY-27)
Michael Conaway (TX-11)
Paul Cook (CA-8)
Joe Courtney (CT-2)
Kevin Cramer (ND-AL)
Rick Crawford (AR-1)
Ander Crenshaw (FL-4)
John Culberson (TX-7)
Rodney Davis (IL-13)
Peter DeFazio (OR-4)
Charles Dent (PA-15)
Sean Duffy (WI-7)
John Duncan (TN-2)
Renee Ellmers (NC-2)
Blake Farenthold (TX-27)
Michael Fitzpatrick (PA-8)
Bill Flores (TX-17)
Jeff Fortenberry (NE-1)
Virginia Foxx (NC-5)
Rodney Frelinghuysen (NJ-11)
Bob Gibbs (OH-7)
Christopher Gibson (NY-19)
Paul Gosar (AZ-4)
Trey Gowdy (SC-4)
Kay Granger (TX-12)
Sam Graves (MO-6)
Gene Green (TX-29)
Glenn Grothman (WI-6)
Richard Hanna (NY-22)

Gregg Harper (MS-3)
Andy Harris (MD-1)
Vicky Hartzler (MO-4)
Alcee Hastings (FL-20)
Joseph Heck (NV-3)
Ruben Hinojosa (TX-15)
Richard Hudson (NC-8)
Tim Huelskamp (KS-1)
Randy Hultgren (IL-14)
Will Hurd (TX-23)
Robert Hurt (VA-5)
Evan Jenkins (WV-3)
Lynn Jenkins (KS-2)
David Jolly (FL-13)
Jim Jordan (OH-4)
David Joyce (OH-14)
Marcy Kaptur (OH-9)
William Keating (MA-9)
Derek Kilmer (WA-6)
Ron Kind (WI-3)
Adam Kinzinger (IL-16)
Ann Kirkpatrick (AZ-1)
John Kline (MN-2)
Ann McLane Kuster (NH-2)
Doug LaMalfa (CA-1)
Doug Lamborn (CO-5)
Leonard Lance (NJ-7)
Robert Latta (OH-5)
Frank LoBiondo (NJ-2)
David Loebsack (IA-2)
Billy Long (MO-7)
Frank Lucas (OK-3)
Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-3)
Michelle Lujan Grisham (NM-1)
Cynthia Lummis (WY-AL)
Stephen Lynch (MA-8)
Kenny Marchant (TX-24)
Thomas Massie (KY-4)
Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-5)
David McKinley (WV-1)
Luke Messer (IN-6)
Markwayne Mullin (OK-2)
Mick Mulvaney (SC-5)
Randy Neugebauer (TX-19)
Kristi Noem (SD-AL)
Devin Nunes (CA-22)
Pete Olson (TX-22)
Beto O'Rourke (TX-16)
Bill Pascrell (NJ-9)

Stevan Pearce (NM-2)
Robert Pittenger (NC-9)
Joseph Pitts (PA-16)
Ted Poe (TX-2)
Mike Pompeo (KS-4)
Charles Rangel (NY-13)
James Renacci (OH-16)
Reid Ribble (WI-8)
Harold Rogers (KY-5)
Mike Rogers (AL-3)
Todd Rokita (IN-4)
Peter Roskam (IL-6)
Dennis Ross (FL-15)
Edward Royce (CA-39)
Paul Ryan (WI-1)
Tim Ryan (OH-13)
Matt Salmon (AZ-5)
John Sarbanes (MD-3)
Kurt Schrader (OR-5)
David Schweikert (AZ-6)
David Scott (GA-13)
Pete Sessions (TX-32)
Michael Simpson (ID-2)
Albio Sires (NJ-8)
Adrian Smith (NE-3)
Christopher Smith (NJ-4)
Jason Smith (MO-8)
Steve Stivers (OH-15)
Glenn Thompson (PA-5)
Patrick Tiberi (OH-12)
Scott Tipton (CO-3)
Michael Turner (OH-10)
Marc Veasey (TX-33)
Peter Visclosky (IN-1)
Ann Wagner (MO-2)
Tim Walberg (MI-7)
Greg Walden (OR-2)
Jackie Walorski (IN-2)
Timothy Walz (MN-1)
Brad Wenstrup (OH-2)
Bruce Westerman (AR-4)
Ed Whitfield (KY-1)
Roger Williams (TX-25)
Frederica Wilson (FL-24)
Joe Wilson (SC-2)
Steve Womack (AR-3)
Kevin Yoder (KS-3)
Don Young (AK-AL)
Ryan Zinke (MT-AL)

The Local Radio Freedom Act's 11 Senate cosponsors are:

John Barrasso (R-WY)
John Boozman (R-AR)
Bill Cassidy (R-LA)
Tom Cotton (R-AR)
Michael Enzi (R-WY)
Martin Heinrich (D-NM)

Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND)
James Inhofe (R-OK)
Jerry Moran (R-KS)
Pat Roberts (R-KS)
Tom Udall (D-NM)

About NAB
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.






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