Twenty additional lawmakers have signed on to a bipartisan U.S. House of Representatives resolution opposing the introduction of "any new performance fee, tax, royalty, or other charge" on local radio stations. The growing chorus of Congressional support for The Local Radio Freedom Act, which opposes an effort led by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), now stands at 178.

On April 21, NAB also unveiled a new radio advertisement opposing the performance tax effort. The 60-second spot, dubbed "Don't Feed the Fat Cat," was purchased by NAB and will begin airing today on Washington, D.C. radio stations WMAL-AM and WTOP-FM. The advertisement will also be available for radio stations to download through NAB's recently launched grassroots advocacy Web site, NoPerformanceTax.org.

To download and listen to the 60-second spot in WMA format, click here. A transcript of the ad can be read here.

"NAB is delighted by the growing, bipartisan opposition to the performance tax," said NAB Executive Vice President Dennis Wharton. "Members of Congress aren't buying the ludicrous RIAA implication that record label business woes are somehow being caused by radio stations playing music. Bolstered by this new ad, we are cautiously optimistic Congress won't impose a new fee that would decimate radio stations facing the worst advertising recession since the Great Depression."

To see a full list of Congressional support for the Local Radio Freedom Act, click here.