Bill · H.R. 861· House(119-HR-861)
American Music Fairness Act of 2025
- Introduced
- 1/31/2025
- Last activity
- 1/31/2025 — Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- Sponsored by
- Darrell Issa
- Cosponsors
- - 3 - 10
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The American Music Fairness Act of 2025 aims to amend title 17 of the United States Code regarding the use of sound recordings. This legislation seeks to provide equitable treatment for terrestrial broadcasts and internet services by amending performance rights for audio transmissions. It establishes new procedures for determining royalty rates and terms for nonsubscription broadcast transmissions. Additionally, the bill introduces specific, fixed royalty fees intended to protect small broadcasters. It also addresses the distribution of certain royalties and requires copyright royalty judges to consider the value of promotion when determining rates.
Yes
Would business owners be better off under this?+8
Small broadcasters receive predictable and low-cost fixed royalty fees to assist their operations.
Does this make it easier to run a small business?+7
The bill establishes significantly reduced, fixed annual royalty fees for small-scale broadcast stations based on revenue thresholds.
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?+1
The bill's provisions primarily affect media industry entities rather than household income levels.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Equitable Treatment for Audio Transmissions: The bill amends the definition of "audio transmission" to include digital, analog, or other formats, which applies to the performance right of sound recordings (Section 2).
-
Protection for Small Broadcasters: The bill establishes specific, fixed annual royalty fees for individual terrestrial broadcast stations that meet certain revenue thresholds (Section s 4).
- Low-revenue stations: Stations generating less than $100,000 in the previous year would pay $10 per calendar year (Section 4).
- Public broadcasting entities: Public entities generating between $100,000 and $1,500,000 would pay $100 per calendar year (Section 4).
- Other broadcast stations: Non-public stations generating between $100,000 and $1,500,000 would pay $500 per calendar year (Section 4).
-
Protection for Songwriters: The act explicitly states that it shall not adversely affect the public performance rights or royalties payable to songwriters or copyright owners of musical works (Section 6).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Requirement for Certification: To qualify for the special, lower royalty rates, small broadcast station owners must provide a written and signed certification of their eligibility to a nonprofit collective by January 31 of the relevant year (Section 4).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Business Owners+8Good For Low Income Households+1
- Economy And Finance
- Improves Small Business Support+7
- 2/23/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 2/13/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 8/29/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 7/14/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 6/2/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 3/24/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 3/18/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 3/4/2025
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- 1/31/2025
- Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- 4 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Julia BrownleyDemocrat · California
Judy ChuDemocrat · California
Lloyd DoggettDemocrat · Texas
Dwight EvansDemocrat · Pennsylvania
Laura FriedmanDemocrat · California
Lance GoodenRepublican · Texas
Mark GreenRepublican · Tennessee
Pramila JayapalDemocrat · Washington
Sydney Kamlager-DoveDemocrat · California
Ted LieuDemocrat · California
Tom McClintockRepublican · California
Jerrold NadlerDemocrat · New York
Jamie RaskinDemocrat · Maryland