Congressional Record—House H9198
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H9198 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE December 9, 2015 beds or low beds for timber sales. In Now, as a conservative, one thing I comes out of the their minds, what some parts of our country, our saw- believe is that the government has a comes out and is expressed on paper mills have been decimated. As small role—it has a limited constitutional and is then translated many times businesses, we need to help people with role—especially when it comes to the through artists’ singing across the small businesses keep that foothold ultimate of the small businesses: the world, is worth protecting. It is intel- that we have and regain it. entrepreneurs. Those are some of our lectual property. It is as much intellec- Those are just a few of the things— songwriters and composers. The Fed- tual property as is this property of my all not my ideas. Those all came out of eral Government should not have its phone in my hand, and we have got to our hearing with the October 8 sub- thumb on the scale, and that is what understand that. committee that we had on wildfires. we are seeing tonight. So you are going Tonight, I have some friends with I very much appreciate the bipar- to hear about that as we go along. The me. We will have a lot of time to talk tisan participation tonight by my col- government’s heavy hand in this indus- about this. I want to start off up north leagues on this very important issue. I try needs to go. a little bit. My friend from North Da- think we have done some really good We have got another issue here of the kota, KEVIN CRAMER, is here. We have things with the farm bill to help our Songwriter Equity Act. We have got talked about this issue, and I am glad forest products industry. Again, this some folks I want to have talk tonight; he has joined me here tonight. truly is about the health of the forest. but I want to introduce this, and they One of the things that we talked It is about revenue for the country, but are all cosponsors of this act. It is H.R. about, Kevin, as you came on the floor, it is about the prosperity of rural 1283. you said, You know, it is just about America. When I start talking about this to- fairness. I think that is a great way to Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the oppor- night, for those watching, there are put it. It is just about fairness. So I am tunity to have this Special Order. three ways songwriters get paid. I am happy to yield to the gentleman to I yield back the balance of my time. going to make it very simple. There talk about this. f are three ways they get paid: Two of Mr. CRAMER. I thank the gen- which the government has its thumb tleman, my friend from Georgia, and SONGWRITER EQUITY ACT on and—guess what?—one of which others who have carried the ball on The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. they don’t. Does anybody want to take this issue for some time. KELLY of Mississippi). Under the a guess? Raise your hand. Not my col- A special thanks to our friend from Speaker’s announced policy of January leagues, you know this. Will anyone Tennessee, MARSHA BLACKBURN. I serve 6, 2015, the Chair recognizes the gen- raise his hand really quickly? Which on the same committee with her, and I tleman from Georgia (Mr. COLLINS) for way is the fairest way? It is when they have learned a great deal about this 30 minutes. are able to negotiate on their own. and other things from Representative Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Mr. Speak- That is the sync license. BLACKBURN. er, it is good to be back on the floor of So, with the Songwriter Equity Act, Mr. Speaker, I was reminded of a the House. I am thrilled tonight to be it removes the antiquated evidentiary quote by the songwriting and song per- surrounded with my friends and col- standard; it adopts a fair rate standard forming phenom Taylor Swift, who leagues, and to be part on championing for reproduction, or mechanical li- said: I think songwriting is the ulti- a call that is close to my heart, and censes. Why? To ensure that song- mate form of being able to make any- should be for every Member of Con- writers, composers, and publishers are thing that happens in your life produc- gress. Because we are dealing with appropriately compensated for the use tive. songs and songwriters and the special of their intellectual property. Certainly, with whatever happens in place that they have in American life, Before I get ready to turn it over to your life, whether it is sad or glorious and really in the world. some of my friends who are here with or joyful or heavy, you can write a The amazing thing is how the songs me tonight and who are part of cospon- song. It could be productive, but that that come from the hearts of many soring this, the issue before us is: We doesn’t mean it is profitable. If some- from Nashville, where I have friends to- all can point back to that time. It is a thing is not profitable, the produc- night, Rob and Lance and Lee Thomas, song on the radio. This is the time of tivity of it will certainly wane over and the rest, they are watching others year, this holiday season. Or it may be time, and we will be robbed of that across the country are songwriters, a long drive in the summer. Or it may very important piece of the music who are very interested in what goes be sitting outside, but there is that value chain: Where the product begins, on here. Because, amazingly enough, song and that special someone. That which is in the heart and mind of the here in Washington, DC, as the tenta- song comes on, and you hear it, and the songwriter. cles spread out, you come to find out performer is performing it wonderfully. One of the things I love so much that, even in songwriting, Washington It may have been the performer, or it about this job—and I am happy to has its grip on it. may have been something else. But a admit it to my friends in the Chamber lot of times, there is someone who is tonight—is all of the things that you 1930 b sitting in a room or is sitting some- are forced to learn that you never I just want to point out for those who where, and what comes out of their thought were important before you may be watching—now, this is a quote. hand and onto a piece of paper has learned about them. It is kind of amaz- This doesn’t come from me. It comes come out of their heart and their mind ing. Here we are, 435 colleagues, rep- from Kevin Kadish. You may know and their mouth. It has affected our resenting, roughly, 700,000 people. In Kevin. If you like to listen to a little hearts and our minds, and it has af- my case, I represent the entire State of bit of music, he happened to have a lit- fected us even to this day. North Dakota. We think about things tle, small hit with Meghan Trainor, You can think about those songs. like agriculture and coal and oil. We ‘‘All About That Base,’’ and Miley That is what makes songwriters spe- think about things like highway bills, Cyrus’ ‘‘Two More Lonely People.’’ He cial. That is what makes this cause but we don’t necessarily think a lot made a comment. He said that no one something that we need to fight for. about songwriting. We think a lot is trying to put Pandora or Spotify out You have heard them on the radio. about markets. We think a lot about of business. We just want a fair market Our radio stations have played these fairness. We think a lot about regula- value for our blood, sweat, and tears. songs. For a State trooper’s kid, who tion. This is something that, for me, is grew up in northeast Georgia, to listen I was a regulator for nearly 10 years very special because, over the next 30 to the radio, that was my escape. Be- before becoming a Member of Congress. minutes, you are going to hear about a tween that and books, I traveled the I regulated monopoly industries, and I million and a half songwriters, pub- world and always longed to see it, and was a rate regulator. When I was a rate lishers, and composers across the Na- those songwriters took me there. This regulator, setting the rates for elec- tion and how the current music licens- is why we are fighting today. It is be- tricity rates or natural gas, I had a lot ing regime is causing them to be paid cause we believe that what these art- of tools at my disposal, not the least of well below market value. ists have is intellectual property. What which was all of the evidence that the VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:41 Dec 10, 2015 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00116 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K09DE7.081 H09DEPT1 smartinez on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with HOUSE December 9, 2015 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H9199 record could be filled with.