Supporting the Local Radio Freedom Act.

IV 118TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. CON. RES. 13 Supporting the Local Radio Freedom Act. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FEBRUARY 6, 2023 Mr. WOMACK (for himself, Ms. CASTOR of Florida, Mr. AMODEI, Mr. ARRINGTON, Mr. BACON, Mr. BALDERSON, Mr. BARR, Mrs. BEATTY, Mr. BILIRAKIS, Mr. BOST, Mr. BOYLE of Pennsylvania, Mr. BUCHANAN, Mr. BUCSHON, Ms. BUDZINSKI, Mr. CALVERT, Mr. CAREY, Mr. CARL, Mr. CARSON, Mr. CARTER of Texas, Mr. CLYDE, Mr. COLE, Mr. COMER, Mr. COSTA, Mr. COURTNEY, Mr. CRAWFORD, Mr. CUELLAR, Ms. DAVIDS of Kansas, Mr. DAVIDSON, Ms. DE LA CRUZ, Mrs. DINGELL, Mr. DONALDS, Mr. DUNCAN, Mr. ELLZEY, Mr. EMMER, Mr. EVANS, Mr. EZELL, Mr. FALLON, Mr. FEENSTRA, Mr. FINSTAD, Mr. FITZPATRICK, Mr. FLOOD, Ms. FOXX, Mr. C. SCOTT FRANKLIN of Florida, Mr. FRY, Mr. GALLAGHER, Mr. MIKE GARCIA of California, Mr. GOLDEN of Maine, Mr. VICENTE GONZALEZ of Texas, Ms. GRANGER, Mr. GRAVES of Mis- souri, Ms. GREENE of Georgia, Mr. GROTHMAN, Mr. GUEST, Ms. HAGEMAN, Mr. HILL, Ms. HOULAHAN, Mr. HUDSON, Mr. HUIZENGA, Mr. HUNT, Mr. JOHNSON of Ohio, Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana, Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania, Ms. KAPTUR, Mr. KEAN of New Jersey, Mr. KEATING, Mr. KELLY of Pennsylvania, Mr. KELLY of Mississippi, Mr. KILMER, Mr. KIM of New Jersey, Ms. KUSTER, Mr. LAHOOD, Mr. LAMALFA, Mr. LARSON of Connecticut, Mr. LATTA, Mr. LATURNER, Ms. LETLOW, Mr. LYNCH, Ms. MACE, Mr. MCHENRY, Mr. MEUSER, Mr. MOOLENAAR, Mr. MOULTON, Mr. MRVAN, Mr. MURPHY, Mr. NEHLS, Mr. NEWHOUSE, Mr. NORMAN, Mr. PENCE, Mr. PFLUGER, Mr. PHILLIPS, Mr. POSEY, Mrs. RADEWAGEN, Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky, Mr. ROSENDALE, Mr. SABLAN, Mr. SCHNEIDER, Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Geor- gia, Mr. SESSIONS, Ms. SEWELL, Ms. SHERRILL, Mr. SIMPSON, Mr. SMITH of Nebraska, Ms. STANSBURY, Mr. STAUBER, Ms. TENNEY, Mr. TIFFANY, Mr. TIMMONS, Mr. VALADAO, Ms. VAN DUYNE, Mr. VEASEY, Mrs. WAGNER, Mr. WALBERG, Mr. WEBER of Texas, Mr. WENSTRUP, Mr. WESTERMAN, Mr. WITTMAN, Mr. ZINKE, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, and Mr. JACKSON of Texas) submitted the following concurrent resolu- tion; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:18 Feb 07, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6652 E:\BILLS\HC13.IH HC13 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 2 •HCON 13 IH CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Supporting the Local Radio Freedom Act. Whereas the United States enjoys broadcasting and sound re- cording industries that are the envy of the world, due to the symbiotic relationship that has existed among these industries for many decades; Whereas, for nearly a century, Congress has rejected re- peated calls by the recording industry to impose a per- formance fee on local radio stations for simply playing music on the radio and upsetting the mutually beneficial relationship between local radio and the recording indus- try; Whereas local radio stations provide free publicity and pro- motion to the recording industry and performers of music in the form of radio air play, interviews with performers, introduction of new performers, concert promotions, and publicity that promotes the sale of music, concert tickets, ring tones, music videos and associated merchandise; Whereas Congress found that ‘‘the sale of many sound re- cordings and the careers of many performers benefited considerably from airplay and other promotional activities provided by both noncommercial and advertiser-sup- ported, free over-the-air broadcasting’’; Whereas local radio broadcasters provide tens of thousands of hours of essential local news and weather information during times of national emergencies and natural disas- ters, as well as public affairs programming, sports, and hundreds of millions of dollars of time for public service announcements and local fundraising efforts for worthy charitable causes, all of which are jeopardized if local VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:18 Feb 07, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HC13.IH HC13 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 3 •HCON 13 IH 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 per- formance fee is imposed, as will many other small busi- nesses 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 perform- ance 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 1 concurring), That Congress should not impose any new 2 performance fee, tax, royalty, or other charge relating to 3 the public performance of sound recordings on a local 4 radio station for broadcasting sound recordings over the 5 air, or on any business for such public performance of 6 sound recordings. 7 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:18 Feb 07, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\HC13.IH HC13 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB