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-- Four new House members, two Senators oppose RIAA performance tax in last 24 hours--

WASHINGTON, DC -- Thirteen senators and 215 House members are now on record in opposition to a record industry-backed effort to levy a "new performance fee, tax, royalty or other charge" on local radio stations for music airplay. In the last 24 hours, four new House members and two additional Senators joined the growing chorus in opposition to a campaign led by the Recording Industry Association of America.

Sens. Chuck Hagel (R-NE) and John Barrasso (R-WY) became the 12th and 13th members of the U.S. Senate to co-sponsor the Local Radio Freedom Act (S. Con. Res. 82), which denounces the notion of a performance tax benefiting the foreign-owned record labels. Meanwhile, a House companion resolution, H. Con. Res. 244, gained the support of four additional lawmakers: Reps. Steve Israel (D-NY), Andre Carson (D-IN), Michael Burgess (R-TX) and Cliff Stearns (R-FL), ranking member of the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet.

"The chorus of lawmakers recognizing the immense promotional value provided by local radio airplay grows louder with each passing day," said NAB Executive Vice President Dennis Wharton. "RIAA may prefer to dismiss growing Congressional opposition to their performance tax effort, but to do so would be as foolish as disregarding the $2 billion dollars in music sales revenue generated annually through local radio airplay."

To gain a majority of the 435-member House of Representatives, local broadcasters need only the support of three additional lawmakers.

The Local Radio Freedom Act counters legislation supported by the RIAA, which would require America's hometown broadcasters to compensate the foreign-owned record labels for radio airplay of music.

"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," reads the Local Radio Freedom Act.

To date, 13 Senators have co-sponsored S. Con. Res. 82, including:

Allard, Wayne (R-CO)
Barrasso, John (R-WY)
Brownback, Sam (R-KS)
Burr, Richard (R-NC)
Hagel, Chuck (R-NE)
Inhofe, James M. (R-OK)
Isakson, Johnny (R-GA)

Lincoln, Blanche (D-AR)
Murkowski, Lisa (R-AK)
Nelson, E. Benjamin (D-NE)
Tester, Jon (D-MT)
Webb, Jim (D-VA)
Wicker, Roger F. (R-MS)

H. Con. Res. 244 currently has support from 215 House members, including:

Aderholt, Robert (R-AL)
Alexander, Rodney (R-LA)
Altmire, Jason (D-PA)
Akin, Todd (R-MO)
Arcuri, Mike (D-NY)
Bachmann, Michele (R-MN)
Bachus, Spencer (R-AL)
Baird, Brian (D-WA)
Barrett, Gresham (R-SC)
Barrow, John (D-GA)
Bartlett, Roscoe G. (R-MD)
Bean, Melissa (D-IL)
Berkley, Shelley (D-NV)
Berry, Marion (D-AR)
Biggert, Judy (R-IL)
Bilbray, Brian P. (R-CA)
Bishop, Rob (R-UT)
Bishop, Sanford (D-GA)
Blumenauer, Earl (D-OR)
Bonner, Jo (R-AL)
Boozman, John (R-AR)
Boswell, Leonard (D-IA)
Boustany, Charles W., Jr. (R-LA)
Boyd, Allen (D-FL)
Boyda, Nancy (D-KS)
Brady, Kevin (R-TX)
Braley, Bruce (D-IA)
Broun, Paul (R-GA)
Brown, Henry (R-SC)
Brown-Waite, Ginny (R-FL)
Burgess, Michael (R-TX)
Burton, Dan (R-IN)
Butterfield, G. K. (D-NC)
Buyer, Steve (R-IN)
Calvert, Ken (R-CA)
Camp, Dave (R-MI)
Campbell, John (R-CA)
Capito, Shelley Moore (R-WV)
Capuano, Michael (D-MA)
Cardoza, Dennis (D-CA)
Carnahan, Russ (D-MO)
Carter, John A. (R-TX)
Carson, Andre (D-IN)
Castle, Michael (R-DE)
Chabot, Steven (R-OH)
Chandler, Ben (D-KY)
Clay, William Lacy (D-MO)
Cleaver, Emmanuel (D-MO)
Cole, Tom (R-OK)
Conaway, Mike (R-TX)
Costello, Jerry F. (D-IL)
Courtney, Joe (D-CT)
Cramer, Bud (D-AL)
Crenshaw, Ander (R-FL)
Cubin, Barbara (R-WY)
Cuellar, Henry (D-TX)
Culberson, John Abney (R-TX)
Davis, Danny K. (D-IL)
Davis, David (R-TN)
Davis, Geoff (R-KY)
Davis, Lincoln (D-TN)
Dent, Charles W. (R-PA)
Diaz-Balart, Lincoln (R-FL)
Diaz-Balart, Mario (R-FL)
Dicks, Norman D. (D-WA)
Drake, Thelma D. (R-VA)
Donnelly, Joe (D-IN)
Doolittle, John T. (R-CA)
Edwards, Chet (D-TX)
Ehlers, Vernon J. (R-MI)
Ellsworth, Brad (D-IN)
Emerson, Jo Ann (R-MO)
English, Phil (R-PA)
Etheridge, Bob (D-NC)
Everett, Terry (R-AL)
Fallin, Mary (R-OK)
Fortenberry, Jeff (R-NE)
Fortuno, Luis G. (R-PR)
Foxx, Virginia (R-NC)
Franks, Trent (R-AZ)
Garrett, Scott (R-NJ)
Gerlach, Jim (R-PA)
Gillibrand, Kirsten (D-NY)
Gingrey, Phil (R-GA)
Goode, Virgil H., Jr. (R-VA)
Granger, Kay (R-TX)
Graves, Sam (R-MO)
Green, Al (D-TX)
Green, Gene (D-TX)
Hall, Ralph (R-TX)
Hare, Phil (D-IL)
Hastings, Doc (R-WA)
Hayes, Robin (R-NC)
Herseth Sandlin, Stephanie (D-SD)
Hill, Baron P. (D-IN)
Hobson, David L. (R-OH)
Hoekstra, Pete (R-MI)
Holden, Tim (D-PA)
Hulshof, Kenny (R-MO)
Hunter, Duncan (R-CA)
Israel, Steve (D-NY)
Johnson, Eddie B. (D-TX)
Johnson, Sam (R-TX)
Johnson, Tim (R-IL)
Jones, Stephanie Tubbs (D-OH)
Jones, Walter B. (R-NC)
Jordan, Jim (R-OH)
Kagan, Steve (D-WI)
Kind, Ron (D-WI)

King, Steve (R-IA)
Kingston, Jack (R-GA)
Kline, John (R-MN)
LaHood, Ray (R-IL)
Lamborn, Doug (R-CO)
Lampson, Nick (D-TX)
Larsen, Rick (D-WA)
Latham, Tom (R-IA)
Latta, Robert E. (R-OH)
LaTourette, Steve (R-OH)
Lewis, John (D-GA)
Lewis, Ron (R-KY)
Linder, John (R-GA)
LoBiondo, Frank (R-NJ)
Loebsack, Dave (D-IA)
Lucas, Frank D. (R-OK)
Mahoney, Tim (D-FL)
Manzullo, Donald A. (R-IL)
Marchant, Kenny (R-TX)
Matheson, Jim (D-UT)
Matsui, Doris (D-CA)
McCaul, Michael T. (R-TX)
McCotter, Thaddeus G. (R-MI)
McHenry, Patrick T. (R-NC)
McHugh, John (R-NY)
McIntyre, Mike (D-NC)
McMorris Rodgers, Cathy (R-WA)
Meeks, Gregory W. (D-NY)
Mica, John (R-FL)
Michaud, Mike (D-ME)
Miller, Candice (R-MI)
Miller, Gary G. (R-CA)
Mitchell, Harry E. (D-AZ)
Moore, Dennis (D-KS)
Moran, Jerry (R-KS)
Murphy, Chris (D-CT)
Musgrave, Marilyn N. (R-CO)
Myrick, Sue (R-NC)
Neugebauer, Randy (R-TX)
Nunes, Devin (R-CA)
Oberstar, James (D-MN)
Olver, John W. (D-MA)
Ortiz, Solomon (D-TX)
Pascrell, Bill, Jr. (D-NJ)
Paul, Ron (R-TX)
Payne, Donald M. (D-NJ)
Pearce, Stevan (R-NM)
Pence, Mike (R-IN)
Petri, Tom (R-WI)
Pitts, Joseph R. (R-PA)
Platts, Todd Russell (R-PA)
Poe, Ted (R-TX)
Pomeroy, Earl (D-ND)
Porter, Jon C. (R-NV)
Price, Tom (R-GA)
Pryce, Deborah (R-OH)
Rahall, Nick (D-WV)
Rangel, Charles B. (D-NY)
Ramstad, Jim (R-MN)
Rehberg, Dennis (R-MT)
Reyes, Silvestre (D-TX)
Reynolds, Thomas (R-NY)
Rodriquez, Ciro (D-TX)
Rogers, Harold (R-KY)
Rogers, Mike D. (R-AL)
Rogers, Mike J. (R-MI)
Roskam, Peter J. (R-IL)
Ross, Mike (D-AR)
Ruppersberger, Dutch (D-MD)
Ryan, Paul (R-WI)
Ryan, Tim (D-OH)
Scott, David (D-GA)
Sessions, Pete (R-TX)
Shea-Porter, Carol (D-NH)
Shimkus, John (R-IL)
Shuler, Heath (D-NC)
Shuster, Bill (R-PA)
Simpson, Mike (R-ID)
Sires, Albio (D-NJ)
Smith, Adrian (R-NE)
Smith, Christopher H. (R-NJ)
Souder, Mark E. (R-IN)
Space, Zack (D-OH)
Spratt, John (D-SC)
Stearns, Cliff (R-FL)
Stupak, Bart (D-MI)
Sullivan, John (R-OK)
Terry, Lee (R-NE)
Thompson, Mike (D-CA)
Thornberry, Mac (R-TX)
Tiahrt, Todd (R-KS)
Tiberi, Pat (R-OH)
Turner, Michael R. (R-OH)
Walberg, Tim (R-MI)
Walsh, Jim (R-NY)
Walden, Greg (R-OR)
Wamp, Zach (R-TN)
Weldon, Dave (R-FL)
Weller, Jerry (R-IL)
Westmoreland, Lynn (R-GA)
Whitfield, Ed (R-KY)
Wilson, Charlie (D-OH)
Wilson, Heather (R-NM)
Wilson, Joe (R-SC)
Wittman, Robert J. (R-VA)
Young, Don (R-AK)
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