Local Radio Freedom Act Picks Up 13 New House Co-Sponsors, 3 More In Senate

13 More Co-Sponsors

The Local Radio Freedom Act has picked up 13 additional co-sponsors in the House and three in the Senate. The bill now has 142 co-sponsors in the House and 15 in the Senate.

Signing on to co-sponsor the bill are Reps. MO BROOKS (R-AL), SUSAN BROOKS (R-IN), MIKE COFFMAN (R-CO), CHARLES DENT (R-PA), KAY GRANGER (R-TX), TRENT KELLY (R-MS), RON KIND (D-WI), DENNIS ROSS (R-FL), KYRSTEN SINEMA (D-AZ), MARK WALKER (R-NC), ROB WITTMAN (R-VA), JOHN YARMUTH (D-KY) AND DAVID YOUNG (R-IA) and Sens. JOHN HOEVEN (R-ND), JAMES INHOFE (R-OK), and JEANNE SHAHEEN (D-NH).  Reps. MICHAEL CONAWAY (R-TX) and GENE GREEN (D-TX) are the original sponsors in the House, and Sens. JOHN BARRASSO (R-WY) and HEIDI HEITKAMP (D-ND) are the original Senate sponsors.

The bill reads, "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."

"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 Pres./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."

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