Congress Once Again Stands in Support of Local Radio

June 17, 2021

Last month, the Local Radio Freedom Act was introduced in the U.S. Congress by Reps. Kathy Castor (FL-14) and Steve Womack (AR-3) and Sens. Martin Heinrich (NM) and John Barrasso (WY) in support of the vital work of local radio stations and the listeners that depend on them.

53 Words for Freedom

The resolution reads: “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 the public performance of sound recordings on a local radio station broadcast over the air.”

Brief but powerful, it makes sure radio remains the valuable public resource it has been since the beginning.

Strong cosponsorship will continue to ensure that local radio stations will not have to pay a performance tax on top of the hundreds of millions in royalties they already pay. Just since last month, more than 150 members of Congress have signed on to support the measure.

Let’s Send it to the Top of the Charts

The resolution has only just been introduced and needs to build a fan base. Over 150  cosponsors in both the House and the Senate in just one month is not too shabby! But together, the people can raise that number.

We here at the Free Radio Alliance are drumming up support, getting music lovers like yourself to contact their representatives and senators and tell them to sound-off in support of free local radio.

If you want to help keep local radio playing, add your voice.