The Local Radio Freedom Act, which would protect radio broadcasters from the imposition of performance royalties, has added co-sponsors, raising the total number of US legislators in favor of the bill to 139 in the House and 11 in the Senate.
Six members of the House added their names to the list, including:
The lead sponsors in both houses include one member from each party. Michael Conaway (R-TX) and Gene Green (D-TX) are leading the effort in the House, with John Barrasso (R-WY) and Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) taking the lead in the Senate.
* Joe Barton (TX-6)
* Lynn Jenkins (KS-2)
* Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-5)
* Erik Paulsen (MN-3)
* Jim Renacci (OH-16)
* Carol Shea-Porter (NH-1)
Coming aboard on the Senate side:
* Sen. David Vitter (R-LA)
The bill states, “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.”
