On Wednesday, June 11, NAB Radio Board Chair Steve Newberry and First Vice Chair Charles Warfield testified before the House Judiciary's Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet and Intellectual Property. The hearing discussed H.R. 4789, the Performance Rights Act, the bill introduced by Rep. Howard Berman (D-CA-28) that would impose a performance tax on local radio broadcasters to benefit the recording industry.

To counter this effort to impose a performance tax, NAB has been working to advance H. Con. Res 244, the Local Radio Freedom Act, which expresses opposition to any new tax on local radio stations. H. Con. Res 244 has 217 cosponsors, and the Senate companion bill, S. Con. Res. 82, has 11 cosponsors.

Portions of Mr. Newberry and Mr. Warfield's testimony can be seen by clicking here. Click here for the transcript of their oral testimony.