[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 49 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 49

                Supporting the Local Radio Freedom Act.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 12, 2009

   Mr. Gene Green of Texas (for himself, Mr. Conaway, Mr. Akin, Mr. 
  Alexander, Mr. Altmire, Mr. Arcuri, Mr. Austria, Mrs. Bachmann, Mr. 
   Barrett of South Carolina, Mr. Barrow, Ms. Bean, Mr. Berry, Mrs. 
Biggert, Mr. Bishop of Georgia, Mr. Blunt, Mr. Bonner, Mr. Boozman, Mr. 
 Boswell, Mr. Boyd, Mr. Brady of Texas, Mr. Bright, Mr. Brown of South 
Carolina, Ms. Ginny Brown-Waite of Florida, Mr. Burgess, Mr. Burton of 
Indiana, Mrs. Capito, Mr. Capuano, Mr. Carter, Mr. Clay, Mr. Cole, Mr. 
Cuellar, Mr. Culberson, Mr. Davis of Kentucky, Mr. Davis of Tennessee, 
Mr. Dent, Mr. Lincoln Diaz-Balart of Florida, Mr. Mario Diaz-Balart of 
 Florida, Mr. Dicks, Mr. Edwards of Texas, Mr. Ellsworth, Mr. Fleming, 
  Mr. Fortenberry, Ms. Foxx, Mr. Gerlach, Mr. Gingrey of Georgia, Ms. 
Granger, Mr. Graves, Mr. Griffith, Mr. Guthrie, Mr. Hall of Texas, Mr. 
 Hare, Mr. Hastings of Washington, Ms. Herseth Sandlin, Mr. Hill, Mr. 
Hoekstra, Mr. Hunter, Ms. Jenkins, Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas, 
   Mr. Jones, Mr. Kline of Minnesota, Mr. Larsen of Washington, Mr. 
LaTourette, Mr. Latta, Mr. Lee of New York, Mr. LoBiondo, Mr. Loebsack, 
Mr. Luetkemeyer, Mrs. Lummis, Mr. Manzullo, Mrs. McCarthy of New York, 
Mr. McCaul, Mr. McClintock, Mr. McHenry, Mr. McHugh, Mr. McIntyre, Mrs. 
  McMorris Rodgers, Mr. Michaud, Mrs. Miller of Michigan, Mr. Gary G. 
Miller of California, Mr. Moran of Kansas, Mrs. Myrick, Mr. Neugebauer, 
Mr. Nunes, Mr. Pallone, Mr. Pascrell, Mr. Pitts, Mr. Poe of Texas, Mr. 
 Price of North Carolina, Mr. Price of Georgia, Mr. Rahall, Mr. Reyes, 
  Mr. Rogers of Alabama, Mr. Ross, Mr. Schock, Mr. Sessions, Ms. Shea-
 Porter, Mr. Shuler, Mr. Shuster, Mr. Simpson, Mr. Souder, Mr. Spratt, 
Mr. Stupak, Mr. Sullivan, Mr. Terry, Mr. Thompson of Pennsylvania, Mr. 
    Thompson of California, Mr. Tiahrt, Mr. Tiberi, Mr. Turner, Mr. 
 Westmoreland, Mr. Wilson of South Carolina, Mr. Scott of Georgia, and 
  Mr. Jordan of Ohio) submitted the following concurrent resolution; 
          which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
                Supporting the Local Radio Freedom Act.

Whereas the United States enjoys broadcasting and sound recording industries 
        that are the envy of the world, due to the symbiotic relationship that 
        has existed among these industries for many decades;
Whereas for more than 80 years, Congress has rejected repeated calls by the 
        recording industry to impose a performance fee on local radio stations 
        for simply playing music on the radio and upsetting the mutually 
        beneficial relationship between local radio and the recording industry;
Whereas local radio stations provide free publicity and promotion to the 
        recording industry and performers of music in the form of radio air 
        play, interviews with performers, introduction of new performers, 
        concert promotions, and publicity that promotes the sale of music, 
        concert tickets, ring tones, music videos and associated merchandise;
Whereas Congress found that ``the sale of many sound recordings and the careers 
        of many performers benefited considerably from airplay and other 
        promotional activities provided by both noncommercial and advertiser-
        supported, free over-the-air broadcasting'';
Whereas local radio broadcasters provide tens of thousands of hours of essential 
        local news and weather information during times of national emergencies 
        and natural disasters, such as September 11th, and Hurricanes Katrina, 
        Rita, and Ike, as well as public affairs programming, sports, and 
        hundreds of millions of dollars of time for public service announcements 
        and local fund raising efforts for worthy charitable causes, all of 
        which are jeopardized if local radio stations are forced to divert 
        revenues to pay for a new performance fee;
Whereas there are many thousands of local radio stations that will suffer severe 
        economic hardship if any new performance fee is imposed, as will many 
        other small businesses that play music including bars, restaurants, 
        retail establishments, sports and other entertainment venues, shopping 
        centers and transportation facilities; and
Whereas the hardship that would result from a new performance fee would hurt 
        American businesses, and ultimately the American consumers who rely on 
        local radio for news, weather, and entertainment; and such a performance 
        fee is not justified when the current system has produced the most 
        prolific and innovative broadcasting, music, and sound recording 
        industries in the world: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That 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.
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