Musicians Deserve A Living Wage

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, I am from Motown, where our music has changed the world in so many incredible ways forever.

But artists in my district and across our country are struggling to make ends meet in an industry where the money just keeps going to executives and shareholders.

It would take more than 800,000 streams per month to make the equivalent of $15 an hour, and the vast majority of our artists are on platforms like Apple Music and Spotify, and they never, ever get to 800,000 streams in a year.

This is a big deal. Streaming now represents 84 percent of the recorded music industry's revenue in the United States, but most of the artists who bring joy to our lives and culture aren't seeing any of it.

The Living Wage for Musicians Act, which I introduced with Representative Bowman, would change that by creating a new fund that aims to pay artists at least one penny per stream.

The bill would completely reform the music industry, supporting a much more diverse set of artists, enabling more recording and touring, and sending a ripple effect throughout local economies by supporting professionals throughout the music industry.

I truly encourage my colleagues to learn more about this legislation, cosponsor the bill, and help change artists' lives forever. Remembering Chef Maxcel Hardy

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, our community is deeply saddened by the loss of Chef Max Hardy, a Detroit native who was a trailblazer in his advocacy to end hunger.

Chef Max was the owner of Rosedale Park neighborhood restaurants River Bistro, COOP Caribbean Fusion inside the Detroit Shipping Company, and Jed's Detroit on Seven Mile Road.

He founded the One Chef Can 86 Hunger Foundation, a nonprofit organization that fights against hunger and raises awareness about food insecurity.

The New York Times named Hardy one of 16 Black Chefs Changing Food in America in 2021.

Chef Max also cowrote ``The Marley Coffee Cookbook'' with Rohan Marley, Bob Marley's son, and was featured on the Food Network.

He was a champion of aspiring young people in Detroit, teaching them the fundamentals of conscious cooking.

On behalf of the 12th Congressional District, we send our love and condolences to Chef Max's two daughters and his family. He truly will be missed. Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the remarkable work of the Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries, as they recently celebrated their 115th anniversary of service to our residents.

For over a century, Detroit Rescue Mission has been a beacon of hope, providing, food, shelter, and services to those in our community that are most vulnerable.

Detroit Rescue Mission was founded by David Stucky on February 14, 1909.

The Mission began as a soup kitchen with a mission to find permanent solutions for our most vulnerable residents in the city of Detroit.

The Detroit Rescue Mission has worked tirelessly to rebuild hundreds of thousands of lives destroyed by addiction, homelessness, and poverty.

I am so grateful for the work of the Detroit Rescue Mission for their incredible leadership in our community, and I am looking forward to witnessing all they will continue to accomplish in the years to come.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source