HOUSE OPPOSITION TO PERFORMANCE TAX REACHES 214
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June 2, 2009
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Kristopher Jones
202-429-5486
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-- 14 more lawmakers back radio;
RIAA opposition now four lawmakers shy of a House majority --
WASHINGTON, DC -- A bipartisan group of 214 House lawmakers, just four lawmakers shy of a House majority, is now on record in opposition to a record label-led effort to begin charging local radio stations a new fee for music aired free to listeners. The mounting opposition comes just weeks after the House Judiciary Committee voted 21-9 in favor of a bill that would levy a new tax on radio stations for music airplay. If enacted, the legislation would direct 50 percent of the new fee to the record label companies. Three of the four largest labels -- EMI, Sony Music and Universal Music -- are based outside the United States.
Adding their support to The Local Radio Freedom Act, a Congressional counter-measure aimed at thwarting the label-sought fees, are Reps. Elijah Cummings (MD-7), Leonard Lance (NJ-7),Shelley Berkley (NV-1), Gus Bilirakis (FL-9), Dale Kildee (MI-5), Jean Schmidt (OH-2),Christopher Smith (NJ-4), Brian Bilbray (CA-50), John Sarbanes (MD-3), Vern Buchanan(FL-13), David Price (NC-4), Ike Skelton (MO-4), Harry Teague (NM-2) and Phil Roe (TN-1). The 14 new co-sponsors of the resolution, which opposes "any new performance fee, tax, royalty, or other charge" on local radio stations, brings the total co-sponsors to 214 House members.
"As opposition to the multinational record labels nears a House majority, lawmakers are growing acutely aware of this bill's negative impact on both musicians and the millions of listeners to America's hometown radio stations," said NAB Executive Vice President Dennis Wharton. "Local radio remains an unparalleled provider of free promotion for recording artists, as well as a trusted friend to charities across America. Funneling money from local radio to the foreign record labels will only hurt community-based organizations that rely on broadcasters in times of need."
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 214 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)
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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)
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)
Lynn Jenkins (KS-2)
Timothy Johnson (IL-15)
Walter Jones (NC-3)
Jim Jordan (OH-4)
Steve Kagen (WI-8)
Dale Kildee (MI-5)
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)
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)
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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)
Dutch Ruppersberger (MD-2)
Paul Ryan (WI-1)
Tim Ryan (OH-17)
John Sarbanes (MD-3)
Jean Schmidt (OH-2)
Aaron Schock (IL-18)
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)
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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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