H.Con.Res. 13

[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 13 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. CON. RES. 13

Supporting the Local Radio Freedom Act.

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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 Missouri, 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 Georgia, 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 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 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 nearly a century, 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, 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 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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