IV 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. CON. RES. 20 

Supporting the Local Radio Freedom Act. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 19, 2019 

Ms. CASTOR of Florida (for herself, Mr. CONAWAY, Mr. BUTTERFIELD, Mr. 

JOHNSON of Ohio, Mr. GIANFORTE, Mr. MCEACHIN, Mr. LAMALFA, Mr. 

ROGERS of Kentucky, Mr. GOSAR, Mr. WEBER of Texas, Mr. GRAVES of 

Georgia, Mrs. DINGELL, Mr. MOULTON, Mr. BABIN, Mr. YOUNG, Mr. 

COMER, Mr. JORDAN, Mr. BOST, Mr. KELLY of Pennsylvania, Mr. COLE, 

Mr. KEATING, Mr. FLORES, Mr. HAGEDORN, Mr. CRAWFORD, Mr. 

PALAZZO, Mr. O’HALLERAN, Ms. MCCOLLUM, Mr. RYAN, Mr. 

KINZINGER, Mr. COLLINS of New York, Ms. STEFANIK, Mr. TURNER, 

Mr. OLSON, Mr. ALLEN, Mr. CHABOT, Mr. MASSIE, Mr. HILL of Arkansas, Mr. WESTERMAN, Mr. UPTON, Mr. DUNCAN, Mr. WALKER, Mr. 

RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois, Mr. RUSH, Mr. KILMER, Mr. WALBERG, Mr. 

GONZALEZ of Texas, Mr. KIND, Mr. LYNCH, Mr. LAHOOD, Mr. 

GROTHMAN, Mr. WILSON of South Carolina, Mr. LATTA, Mr. WILLIAMS, 

Mr. BUDD, Ms. KUSTER of New Hampshire, Mr. LONG, Mr. BILIRAKIS, 

Mr. ARRINGTON, Mr. HICE of Georgia, Mr. SHIMKUS, Mr. ZELDIN, Mr. 

MEADOWS, Mr. MULLIN, Mr. EMMER, Mr. LAWSON of Florida, Mr. PALLONE, Mr. CLAY, Mr. POSEY, Mr. NEWHOUSE, Mr. WOMACK, Mr. WALDEN, Mr. HASTINGS, Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia, Mr. HARRIS, Mr. 

MCKINLEY, Mr. ROUZER, Mr. NUNES, Mr. LAMBORN, Mr. CALVERT, Mr. 

ROGERS of Alabama, Mr. MCHENRY, Mr. MARSHALL, Mr. BUCHANAN, 

Mr. DAVIDSON of Ohio, Mr. DEFAZIO, Mr. MOONEY of West Virginia, 

Mr. LOEBSACK, Mr. CARTER of Georgia, Mr. CUELLAR, Mr. DUFFY, Mrs. 

BROOKS of Indiana, Ms. FOXX of North Carolina, Mrs. KIRKPATRICK, 

Mr. BROWN of Maryland, Mr. GIBBS, Mr. WENSTRUP, Mr. BRENDAN F. 

BOYLE of Pennsylvania, Mrs. RODGERS of Washington, Mr. SIMPSON, 

Mr. DUNN, Mr. COOK, Mr. MITCHELL, Mr. STIVERS, Miss GONZA ́LEZCOLO ́N of Puerto Rico, Mrs. BEATTY, Mr. EVANS, Mr. BROOKS of Alabama, Mr. FORTENBERRY, Mr. PAYNE, Mr. LUETKEMEYER, Mr. YARMUTH, Mr. COURTNEY, Mrs. RADEWAGEN, Mrs. BUSTOS, Mr. BANKS, 

Mr. GALLAGHER, Mr. SMITH of Nebraska, Mr. KELLY of Mississippi, and 

Mrs. WAGNER) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 

referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
2 

•HCON 20 IH 

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 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; 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
3 

•HCON 20 IH 

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 

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 

2 concurring), That Congress should not impose any new 

3 performance fee, tax, royalty, or other charge relating to 

4 the public performance of sound recordings on a local 

5 radio station for broadcasting sound recordings over-the6 air, or on any business for such public performance of 

7 sound recordings. 

Æ 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS