Newest Texas Congressman Sides with Radio on Performance Tax

posted on 10.11.2021

- Resolution 29 Signatures Shy of House Majority

Rep. Jake Ellzey, R-Midlothian, is the 16th member of the Texas Congressional delegation to sign on as a co-sponsor of The Local Radio Freedom Act. The measure opposes requiring local broadcast Radio stations to pay a performance royalty to record labels in addition to the millions of dollars in royalties the industry already pays to songwriters, authors and composers through firms like ASCAP, BMI, GMR and SESAC.

Ellzey, who served seven months in the Texas House, was elected July 27 to the seat once held by Ron Wright, R-Dallas, who died of COVID in February.

Born in Amarillo and reared in Perryton, Ellzey is a former U.S. Navy fighter pilot who worked as private pilot and social aide in the George W. Bush administration after leaving the Navy.  He also served six years on the Texas Veterans Commission.

Act Enjoys Bipartisan Support
Known as HConRes 33 in the House and SConRes 9 in the Senate, The Local Radio Freedom Act has garnered bipartisan support from 189 U.S. House members from across the country, 29 shy of the majority needed to block it from advancing.

If record labels succeed in their effort to impose a new royalty on Radio stations, it would cripple many stations and force others to abandon music formats altogether.

For several years, the House effort was led by two representatives from Texas, Houston Democrat Gene Green and Midland Republican Mike Conaway. Both are now retired, and the baton is now carried by Reps. Kathy Castor, D-FL, and Steve Womack, R-AR.

In the Senate, the effort is being led by New Mexico Democrat Martin Heinrich and John Barrasso, a Wyoming Republican.

Texas Congressional Support
To date, the following Texas members of Congress have signed on as co-sponsors of HConRes 33:

• Rep. Jodey Arrington, R-Lubbock
• Rep. Brian Babin, R-Woodville
• Rep. John Carter, R-Round Rock
• Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo
• Rep. Jake Ellzey, R-Midlothian
• Rep. Lance Gooden, R-Canton
• Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-Edinburg
• Rep. Kay Granger, R-Arlington
• Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Richmond
• Rep. August Pfluger, R-Midland
• Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Waco
• Rep. Van Taylor, R-Plano
• Rep. Filemon Vela, D-Brownsville
• Rep. Marc Veasey, D-Dallas
• Rep. Randy Weber, R-Pearland
• Rep. Roger Williams, R-Weatherford

Texas members of Congress who’ve previously supported The Local Radio Freedom Act and whose renewal is still pending include:

• Rep. Michael Burgess, R-Lewisville
• Rep. Kevin Brady, R-The Woodlands
• Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Houston
• Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Austin

Texas members of Congress who remain silent include:

• Rep. Colin Allred, D-Dallas
• Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio
• Rep. Michael Cloud, R-Victoria
• Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin
• Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso
• Rep. Pat Fallon, R-Sherman
• Rep. Lizzie Fletcher, D-Houston
• Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Tyler
• Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-San Antonio
• Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Amarillo
• Rep. Chip Roy, R-Wimberley
• Rep. Beth Van Duyne, R-Irving

Texas members of Congress who have previously voiced support for a Performance Tax include:

• Rep. Sylvia Garcia, D-Houston
• Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Houston
• Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Dallas

Questions? Contact TAB’s Oscar Rodriguez or call (512) 322-9944.

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