[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 135 (Thursday, July 30, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H3991-H3992]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            SAVE OUR STAGES

  (Mr. WILLIAMS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. WILLIAMS. Mr. Speaker, Austin, Texas, is known as the Live Music 
Capital of the World, and every year millions of people come from 
around the world to my district to enjoy concerts and events.
  Venues like Songbird Live in Cleburne, Hudson's on Mercer Street in 
Dripping Springs, and Mohawk in Austin play a crucial role in our 
culture. During COVID-19, these venues have faced devastation as they 
were the first to close and will be among the last to open.
  In order to provide relief, I am proud to introduce the bipartisan 
Save Our Stages Act with my colleague, Peter Welch, to create a grant 
program that will ensure they have the resources needed to survive.
  American music legends that rose to fame once graced their stages 
that are currently empty and motionless. They moved the young and old 
alike and inspired the next generation of artists.
  It is my hope that our venues, with the help of Congress and our 
communities, will be able to once again welcome their next act to the 
stage. I urge consideration and passage of this vital bill.

[[Page H3992]]

  In God we trust.

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