Hatch, Alexander: Music Modernization Act Now Has 63 Senate Co-sponsors

United States Senators Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today announced that their Music Modernization Act now has 63 U.S. Senate cosponsors, putting the bill on a "path to becoming law and ensuring songwriters across the country are paid fair market value for their work."

In a joint statement, Senators Hatch and Alexander said: "We're in the age of the Internet, and the laws governing what songwriters are paid are stuck in the age of the player piano -- but help is on the way. We have over 60 senators who have cosponsored the Music Modernization Act, which puts the bill on a path to becoming law and ensuring songwriters across the country are paid fair-market value for their work. Our legislation addresses two of the greatest challenges facing songwriters: One is that the arrival of the Internet has meant that many songwriters aren't paid royalties when their songs are played; and two, when they are paid, they aren't paid a fair market value for their songs. Our legislation has the support of music creators, publishers, and digital music companies. The House passed the bill in April, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved it in June, and now it's time for the full Senate to pass this bill."

The bill is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Doug Jones (D-Ala.), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), David Perdue (R-Ga.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), John Kennedy (R-La.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Roger Wicker (R- Miss.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), Cory Booker (D-N.Y.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Michael Enzi (R-Wyo.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), James Inhofe (R-Okla.), Angus King (I-Maine), Joe Manchin (R-W.Va.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Bill Nelson (D-Fl.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio), James Risch (R-Idaho), Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), John Thune (R-S.D.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Todd Young (R-Ind.).

Background:

The Music Modernization Act creates a new, simplified licensing system to make it easier for digital music companies to obtain a license for songs. The simplified system will also ensure that songwriters are paid the royalties they are owed. In addition, the bill revises outdated songwriter royalty standards to ensure songwriters are paid a fair market rate for their work.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Music Modernization Act on April 25, 2018.
Senators Hatch and Alexander introduced the Music Modernization Act in the Senate on May 10, 2018.
The Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously approved the legislation on June 28, 2018.
Senators Hatch and Alexander today announced that the legislation now has 63 cosponsors in the Senate.

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