The LRFA is the Local Radio Freedom Act, a resolution that would prohibit Congress from imposing “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 the public performance of sound recordings on a local radio station broadcast over the air.”
Two bills are currently struggling to get Capitol Hill support that would introduce fees for local radio stations. Among the supporters of such legislation are Rep. Ted Deutch (D-Fla.) and Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.).
As the weeks into the new Congress pass, the chances of the Deutch-supported PROMOTE Act and the Blackburn-backed Fair Play Fair Pay Act coming up for a House vote grow dimmer. That’s because the LRFA now has has 195 co-sponsors in the House and 22 in the Senate.
As of Friday (6/23) the “Fair Play” Act (H.R. 1836) had 20 co-sponsors. The Deutch-backed “PROMOTE” Act (H.R. 1914) had one co-sponsor: him. It was introduced by California Republican Darrell Issa, and has seen zero support from House members.
Adding their support for the Local Radio Freedom Act in the House are Reps. Alma Adams (N.C.), Kevin Brady (Tex.), Brian Fitzpatrick (Penna.) and Tom Rice (S.C.).
Texas Republican House Members Michael Conaway and Gene Green are the principal cosponsors of the Local Radio Freedom Act (H. Con. Res. 13) in the House of Representatives.
Sens. John Barrasso (R-WY) and Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) introduced a companion resolution in the Senate (S. Con. Res. 6).
