Performance royalties are again an issue on Capital Hill. From Radio Ink:

In a letter sent earlier this week to fellow members of the House of Representatives, Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers (D-MI), Committee on Foreign Affairs Chairman Howard Berman (D-CA), Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA), and Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) tell their House colleagues, "In the coming days, you will likely be presented with a resolution supported by radio broadcasters, which advocates protections for the radio industry but in effect denies performers payment for their work. While the resolution will be framed in terms of preventing a 'tax,' 'fee,' or 'burden' on local radio stations, in reality, the only payment broadcasters would be required to make would be for the use of someone else's property."

The letter urges lawmakers not to co-sponsor the resolution, which, it says, is designed to "prevent a fair compromise on the issue of compensating another person for the use of their property."

The letter asks House members to consider supporting the Performance Rights Act, which, it says, will be reintroduced in this Congress.