A six month reprieve.

September 29, 2002 6:22 PM

A six month reprieve. Congressman Sensenbrenner just last week proposed a bill that would delay for six months the effectiveness of CARP fees webcasters would otherwise have to start paying in October. The bill is up for a crucial vote on Tuesday. If you want to Save Internet Radio in the U.S., this is your chance! Call your representative (no time to use faxes or snail mail, just dial the Congressional Switchboard, 202-225-3121) and tell your Congresscritter to support HR 5469.
posted by IPLawyer (9 comments total)

Two points about Tuesday's vote: having the bill on the calendar then means that it is expected to pass, since mostly non-controversial measures come up on Tuesdays (or Mondays if the House decides to put in a full week). The flip side of that is that it requires a two-thirds vote to pass, so a simply majority vote is not good enough in this instance.
posted by thescoop at 6:47 PM on September 29, 2002

Good point. Although it is true that stuff put on the suspension calendar is generally non-controversial, the other side may try to mobilze its high powered constituents to pressure a no vote. To the extent that lots o' constituents make their preferences known, it could make the difference between the necessary two thirds and an insufficient simple majority.
posted by IPLawyer at 7:40 PM on September 29, 2002

*I heart IPLawyer.*
posted by zpousman at 8:34 PM on September 29, 2002

I have to wonder whether it is too little, too late. Too many sites have shut down already. Ultimately, all that can be hoped for is that the cost per song will go down a bit, but it seems very doubtful that such a thing would "save Internet radio".
posted by insomnia_lj at 9:19 PM on September 29, 2002

I heart IPLawyer.

So do I, zpousman... so do I.

/me resists urge to comment on other body parts.
posted by mikewas at 9:59 PM on September 29, 2002

iplawyer, thanks for posting this. I'm glad I heard about it in time to send off a quick fax.
posted by chipr at 12:35 PM on September 30, 2002

a simple fax form is available here for the lazy.
posted by wah at 9:46 AM on October 1, 2002

I just heard from a colleague that the bill has been pulled from the House schedule because of opposition, especially from Democrats. John Conyers of Michigan, the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, circulated a letter Monday night asking that his colleagues oppose the bill. This doesn't mean the bill is dead, but it does have some ways to go.
posted by thescoop at 11:42 AM on October 1, 2002

The latest: the recording industry and other folks will reach an agreement on the bill by Friday and it should be brought up next week.
posted by thescoop at 1:28 PM on October 1, 2002