FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 2, 2017
13 Representatives, 3 Senators cosponsor resolution opposing performance royalty
WASHINGTON, DC — A bipartisan group of 13 Representatives and three Senators have joined as cosponsors of a resolution that opposes “any new performance fee, tax, royalty, or other charge” on local broadcast radio stations. The Local Radio Freedom Act (LRFA) now has 142 cosponsors in the House and 15 in the Senate.
“NAB is very thankful for the recognition by Members of Congress of the indispensable role that local radio plays in spurring music creation and promotion,” said NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith. “Broadcast radio and the record industry enjoy a long-standing partnership that has propelled countless artists to stardom. We are grateful for the support from lawmakers in rejecting a job-killing performance royalty that would harm a vibrant music economy. “
Adding their support for the Local Radio Freedom Act in the House are Reps. Mo Brooks (AL-5), Susan Brooks (IN-5), Mike Coffman (CO-6), Charles Dent (PA-15), Kay Granger (TX-12), Trent Kelly (MS-1), Ron Kind (WI-3), Dennis Ross (FL-15), Kyrsten Sinema (AZ-9), Mark Walker (NC-6), Rob Wittman (VA-1), John Yarmuth (KY-3) and David Young (IA-3). Sens. John Hoeven (R-ND), James Inhofe (R-OK) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) are the new cospsonsors of the Senate resolution.
Reps. Michael Conaway (R-TX) and Gene Green (D-TX) are the principal cosponsors of the Local Radio Freedom Act (H. Con. Res. 13) in the House of Representatives. Sens. John Barrasso (R-WY) and Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) introduced a companion resolution in the Senate (S. Con. Res. 6).
“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 the public performance of sound recordings on a local radio station broadcast over the air,” reads the Local Radio Freedom Act.
On numerous occasions, both record label executives and artists have recognized the promotional value of free radio airplay. In an interview yesterday, country music star Keith Urban praised local radio as a way to reach fans:
“A huge amount of my audience still listens to radio. That’s where they get a lot of my music.”
The 142 House co-sponsors of the Local Radio Freedom Act include (new cosponsors in bold):
|
Ralph Abraham (LA-5)
Rick Allen (GA-12)
Mark Amodei (NV-2)
Brian Babin (TX-36)
Jim Banks (IN-3)
Lou Barletta (PA-11)
Andy Barr (KY-6)
Joyce Beatty (OH-3)
Gus Bilirakis (FL-12)
Sanford Bishop (GA-2)
Rod Blum (IA-1)
Madeleine Bordallo (AL-GU)
Mike Bost (IL-12)
Jim Bridenstine (OK-1)
Mo Brooks (AL-5)
Susan Brooks (IN-5)
Larry Bucshon (IN-8)
G.K. Butterfield (NC-1)
Ken Calvert (CA-42)
Michael Capuano (MA-7)
Andre Carson (IN-7)
Buddy Carter (GA-1)
Kathy Castor (FL-14)
Steve Chabot (OH-1)
Wm. Lacy Clay (MO-1)
Mike Coffman (CO-6)
Tom Cole (OK-4)
Chris Collins (NY-27)
James Comer (KY-1)
Michael Conaway (TX-11)
Paul Cook (CA-8)
Joe Courtney (CT-2)
Kevin Cramer (ND-AL)
Rick Crawford (AR-1)
Rodney Davis (IL-13)
Peter DeFazio (OR-4)
John Delaney (MD-6)
Charlie Dent (PA-15)
Debbie Dingell (MI-12)
John Duncan (TN-2)
Keith Ellison (MN-5)
Tom Emmer (MN-6)
Blake Farenthold (TX-27)
Bill Flores (TX-17)
Virginia Foxx (NC-5)
Rodney Frelinghuysen (NJ-11)
Jeff Fortenberry (NE-1)
Mike Gallagher (WI-8)
|
Bob Gibbs (OH-7)
Paul Gosar (AZ-4)
Kay Granger (TX-12)
Al Green (TX-9)
Gene Green (TX-29)
Glenn Grothman (WI-6)
Brett Guthrie (KY-2)
Vicky Hartzler (MO-4)
Jaime Herrera Beutler (WA-3)
French Hill (AR-2)
Richard Hudson (NC-8)
Randy Hultgren (IL-14)
Evan Jenkins (WV-3)
Lynn Jenkins (KS-2)
Bill Johnson (OH-6)
Jim Jordan (OH-4)
David Joyce (OH-14)
Marcy Kaptur (OH-9)
John Katko (NY-24)
Bill Keating (MA-9)
Trent Kelly (MS-1)
Derek Kilmer (WA-6)
Ron Kind (WI-3)
Adam Kinzinger (IL-16)
Ann Kuster (NH-2)
Darin LaHood (IL-18)
Doug LaMalfa (CA-1)
Doug Lamborn (CO-5)
Leonard Lance (NJ-7)
Bob Latta (OH-5)
Frank LoBiondo (NJ-2)
Dave Loebsack (IA-2)
Billy Long (MO-7)
Frank Lucas (OK-3)
Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-3)
Michelle Lujan Grisham (NM-1)
Stephen Lynch (MA-8)
Thomas Massie (KY-4)
David McKinley (WV-1)
Luke Messer (IN-6)
Alex Mooney (WV-2)
Markwayne Mullin (OK-2)
Dan Newhouse (WA-4)
Kristi Noem (SD-AL)
Beto O’Rourke (TX-16)
Steven Palazzo (MS-4)
Frank Pallone (NJ-6)
Bill Pascrell (NJ-9)
|
Steve Pearce (NM-2)
Robert Pittenger (NC-9)
Ted Poe (TX-2)
Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen (AS-AL)
Jim Renacci (OH-16)
Hal Rogers (KY-5)
Mike Rogers (AL-3)
Todd Rokita (IN-4)
Dennis Ross (FL-15)
David Rouzer (NC-7)
Steve Russell (OK-5)
Tim Ryan (OH-13)
Kurt Schrader (OR-5)
David Schweikert (AZ-6)
David Scott (GA-13)
Terri Sewell (AL-7)
John Shimkus (IL-15)
Adrian Smith (NE-3)
Kyrsten Sinema (AZ-9)
Chris Smith (NJ-4)
Elise Stefanik (NY-21)
Chris Stewart (UT-2)
Steve Stivers (OH-15)
Glenn Thompson (PA-5)
Pat Tiberi (OH-12)
Michael Turner (OH-10)
Fred Upton (MI-6)
David Valadao (CA-21)
Marc Veasey (TX-33)
Ann Wagner (MO-2)
Tim Walberg (MI-7)
Mark Walker (NC-6)
Greg Walden (OR-2)
Jackie Walorski (IN-2)
Tim Walz (MN-1)
Randy Weber (TX-14)
Brad Wenstrup (OH-2)
Bruce Westerman (AR-4)
Rob Wittman (VA-1)
Frederica Wilson (FL-24)
Joe Wilson (SC-2)
Steve Womack (AR-3)
John Yarmuth (KY-3)
Kevin Yoder (KS-3)
David Young (IA-3)
Don Young (AK-AL)
|
The Local Radio Freedom Act’s 15 Senate cosponsors are (new cosponsor in bold):
|
John Barrasso (R-WY)
John Boozman (R-AR)
Richard Burr (R-NC)
Tom Cotton (R-AR)
Mike Enzi (R-WY)
Deb Fischer (R-NE)
Martin Heinrich (D-NM)
John Hoeven (R-ND)
|
Cory Gardner (R-CO)
Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND)
James Inhofe (R-OK)
Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)
Dan Sullivan (R-AK)
Jon Tester (D-MT)
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.
Article Courtesy NAB
