Orrin G. Hatch Music Modernization Act
Floor Speech
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Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I thank Senators Alexander, Whitehouse, Grassley, Feinstein, Coons, and Kennedy for all of their hard work on this important bill. I am touched by this gesture. I also thank all of the staffs involved, including those in the cloakroom, and the legislative counsel for their assistance. I feel like we have been really blessed to be able to get this bill through.
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Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I want to thank my dear colleague from Nashville--really, from Tennessee--for his very kind remarks. He covered this really well.
I have had this experience of writing pretty nice songs, mainly because of my cowriters. I have to say that I was shocked that even though hundreds of thousands--even millions--of records have been sold on some of these songs, the songwriters are paid little and in many cases, not paid at all. This will enhance songwriting in America and give songwriters a chance to be able to hopefully make a living, especially the good ones, even some who are not necessarily in Nashville or Hollywood or New York or in any number of other places.
I want to say that we all are very lucky to have Senator Lamar Alexander, who is one of our chief advocates in this area. He understands these problems. He has lived with these problems. He has anguished over them, and he has played a tremendous role in finally getting us to this passed bill.
This is a very important bill. People don't realize it, but they will once this bill is really utilized the way it is allowed.
I can't say that I am a great songwriter, although I do have one platinum and one gold record and some others that will probably go gold and platinum. But I can say this: It has been one of the most enjoyable, productive, and interesting experiences to write songs--for me and for those who write with me.
All I can say is that I feel really, really indebted to everyone in the Senate and the House for doing this to help spur on the music industry in this country and to get people treated properly from a remunerative standpoint.
I am grateful for Lamar Alexander and for the leadership that he has provided. We couldn't have done this without him.
Frankly, it is always a pleasure to work with him. He has such a great sense of humor. He is a tremendous musician himself. He plays the piano as well as anybody I know and, frankly, has done so for a lot of us around here. He has uplifted us with his talents. He is a good guy. I think in Tennessee, and especially in Nashville, they are very lucky to have him as a U.S. Senator.
I am grateful to the Senate for allowing us to get this done. I am grateful for my friends on the Democratic side for opening the door here, and I am grateful for my friends on the Republican side, all of whom realize how important this bill is and how much good it is going to do for America and for the music industry--to enlighten us all, to lift us all during times of difficulty and grief and so forth, and to provide the incentives to do even better in the future than we have done in the past. This is an important bill. I am pleased that I have had a role in helping to pass it.
I am very grateful to Senator Alexander. He is one of my favorite people here. I used to chair the Labor and Human Resources Committee that he now chairs. I understand how difficult that committee has been. This is great and thoughtful legislation, and he has done a tremendous job on that committee. He is one of the great Senators, and I am not just saying that because he has helped me on this particular bill. I just have to say that I am very grateful to him, grateful for his leadership in the Senate, and grateful for my friendship with him and his friendship with me. He is a really wonderful man, and he makes a real difference in this body.
I want to thank everybody in the Senate for allowing this to happen. I am just very, very appreciative and would feel badly if I did not at least make that very clear here today.
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