| 00:00:01 | HOLDERS, INCLUDING THE DIGITAL MEDIA ASSOCIATION, AND RIAA HAVE BEEN NEGOTIATING FOR A LOWER RATE TO PRESERVE THE EXISTENCE OF INTERNET RADIO AS WE KNOW IT. |
| 00:00:13 | WE KNOW THE RATES SET BY THE C. |
| 00:00:16 | R.B. WOULD HAVE KILLED INTERNET RADIO AND TODAY WE STAND ON THE CUSP AFTER GOKESES BETWEEN THE PARTIES. |
| 00:00:24 | THIS MAKES ANY OTHER CHANGES TO THE UNDERLIE -- DOES NOT MAKE CHANGES TO THE UNDERLYING COPYRIGHT LAW. |
| 00:00:30 | IT DOES NOT AFFECT BROADCASTERS THEY WILL NOT BE BOUND BY ANY NEGOTIATED SETTLEMENT OR SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT. |
| 00:00:37 | IT CLEARS THE PATH FOR PRIVATE NEGOTIATIONS TO CONTINUE WHILE CONGRESS IS IN RECESS. |
| 00:00:42 | I'VE LONG OPPOSED CONGRESSIONAL MANDATES AND OTHER GOVERNMENT IMPOSITIONS ON PRIVATE PARTIES. |
| 00:00:49 | I URGE MY PARTIES -- I URGE MY COLLEAGUES TO SUPPORT THIS. |
| 00:00:56 | THIS GIVES THEM THE FREEDOM TO CONTINUE NEGOTIATION OF PROCESS. |
| 00:01:00 | WITHOUT THIS LEGISLATION, NEGOTIATION COULD NOT CONTINUE AND ALL PARTIES WOULD BE BOUND BY THE C. |
| 00:01:05 | R.B. DECISION. |
| 00:01:06 | MR. SPEAKER, THIS IS LIKELY TO BE THE LAST TIME I ADDRESS THE HOUSE, AT LEAST FOR SOME TIME, AND I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE STAFF, THE MAJORITY STAFF, THE MINORITY STAFF, FOR THEIR TIRELESS WORK AND FOR THE FLOOR STAFF OF BOTH THE MAJORITY AND MINORITY PARTIES WHO HAVE BEEN AMAZINGLY GOOD AT KEEPING THINGS MOVING HERE AND WE'D LIKE TO THANK OUR WONDERFUL CLERICAL STAFF AND MADE THIS SUCH A PLEASANT AND PROFESSIONAL STAFF WHO MADE THIS SUCH A GREAT PLACE TO DO WIZ. |
| 00:01:44 | THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER. WITH THAT, I YIELD BACK THE BALANCE OF MY TIME. |
| 00:01:47 | THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE TIME OF THE GENTLEMAN OF UTAH, MR. |
| 00:01:53 | CANNON, HAS EXPIRED. |
| 00:01:54 | THE GENTLEMAN FROM CALIFORNIA. |
| 00:01:57 | MR. BERMAN: WITH GREAT ADMIRATION AND RESPECT FOR THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER, MR. |
| 00:02:02 | CANNON, WHO WILL BE MOVING ON FROM THIS BODY SOON AND I WANT TO RECOGNIZE |
Mr. CANNON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 7084, the Webcasters Settlement Act of 2008.
I want to thank my friend, Chairman Berman, for his tireless work on this issue, as well as Mr. Inslee, Ms. Zoe Lofgren and the ranking member of the Judiciary Committee, Mr. Smith.
Since the CRB's ruling in March of 2007, the stakeholders, including the Digital Media Association, NPR and RIAA, have been negotiating for a lower rate to preserve the existence of Internet radio as we know it.
We know that the rates set by the CRB would have killed Internet radio, and today we stand on the cusp of a major breakthrough after months of difficult negotiations between the private parties. This bill does nothing to affect the scope of performance rights or make any other changes to the underlying copyright law. It clearly does not affect broadcasters. They will not be bound by any settlement, negotiated settlement or settlement agreement.
This bill simply clears the path for the private negotiations to continue while Congress is in recess. I have long opposed congressional mandates and other government impositions on private parties.
I urge my colleagues to support this legislation. It simply gives the webcasters and copyright holders the freedom to continue the negotiation process.
Without this legislation, negotiation could not continue, and all parties would be bound by the CRB decision.
Mr. Speaker, this is likely to be the last time I address the House, at least for some time, and I would like to take a moment to thank the Judiciary Committee staff, and the majority staff, and minority staff, for their tireless work, and for the floor staff of both the majority and minority parties who have been amazingly good at keeping things moving here.
Finally, I would like to thank our wonderful clerical staff who keep things moving and have made this such a pleasant and wonderful place to do business. I think I should also like to add thanks to our security for the floor for the wonderful support they have been.