IV
119THCONGRESS
1
STSESSION H. CON. RES. 12
Supporting the Local Radio Freedom Act.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FEBRUARY13, 2025
Mr. W
OMACK(for himself, Ms. CASTORof Florida, Mrs. HOUCHIN, Mr.
B
ENTZ, Mr. FITZPATRICK, Mr. LUTTRELL, Mr. LALOTA, Mr. ZINKE, Mr.
B
OST, Mr. COSTA, Mr. FINSTAD, Ms. FOXX, Mr. MOYLAN, Ms. MCCOL-
LUM, Mr. MRVAN, Mr. CISCOMANI, Mr. SESSIONS, Ms. SEWELL, Mr.
F
LOOD, Mrs. MILLERof Illinois, Mr. EZELL, Mr. MOOLENAAR, Mr.
M
OULTON, Mr. LUCAS, Mr. GARBARINO, Ms. STANSBURY, Mr. LAWLER,
Ms. M
ALOY, Mr. KELLYof Pennsylvania, Mr. CLYDE, Mr. ALFORD, Mr.
S
COTTFRANKLINof Florida, Mr. COLLINS, Mr. KENNEDYof New York,
Mr. N
EWHOUSE, Mr. FEENSTRA, Mr. BILIRAKIS, Mr. BALDERSON, Mr.
K
EATING, Mr. LANGWORTHY, Ms. DELACRUZ, Mr. GRAVES, Mr. WITT-
MAN, Mr. GOLDENof Maine, Mr. ROUZER, Mr. ROGERSof Alabama, Mr.
D
AVIDSON, Mr. MEUSER, Mrs. BEATTY, Mr. BEANof Florida, Mr. TUR-
NERof Ohio, Mr. RULLI, Mr. CUELLAR, Mr. VASQUEZ, Mr. BISHOP, Ms.
B
UDZINSKI, Mr. DAVIDSCOTTof Georgia, Mr. THANEDAR, Mr. AMODEI
of Nevada, Mrs. M
ILLERof West Virginia, Mr. TIFFANY, Mr. DAVISof
North Carolina, Mr. L
AMALFA, Mr. LAHOOD, Mr. SIMPSON, Mr.
H
UIZENGA, Mr. CARTERof Louisiana, Mr. COLE, Ms. DAVIDSof Kansas,
Mr. S
MITHof Nebraska, Mrs. SYKES, Mr. WESTERMAN, Mr. TIMMONS,
Mr. C
OMER, Mr. KEAN, Mr. THOMPSONof Mississippi, Mr. AUSTIN
S
COTTof Georgia, Mr. MORAN, Mr. YAKYM, Mr. VALADAO, Mr.
G
ROTHMAN, Mr. NORMAN, Mr. CONNOLLY, Mr. BERGMAN, Mr. VAN
O
RDEN, Mrs. MCIVER, Mr. PERRY, Mrs. DINGELL, Mr. CAREY, Mr.
E
LLZEY, Mr. SCHNEIDER, Mr. STAUBER, Mr. HUDSON, Mr. LATTA, Ms.
V
ANDUYNE, Mr. GUEST, Mr. FLEISCHMANN, Mr. MANN, Mr. WEBER
of Texas, Mr. W
EBSTERof Florida, Mr. COURTNEY, Mr. KUSTOFF, Mr.
F
ALLON, Mr. GOTTHEIMER, Mr. DELUZIO, Ms. HAGEMAN, Mr. VAN
D
REW, Mr. SORENSEN, Mr. CRENSHAW, Mr. DONALDS, Mr.
B
AUMGARTNER, Ms. TENNEY, Mr. BURLISON, and Mr. PFLUGER) sub-
mitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the
Committee on the Judiciary
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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
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•HCON 12 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
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