Judiciary leaders call for Performance Rights Act negotiations

Judiciary Committee leaders from both the House and Senate are calling for negotiations between the National Association of Broadcasters and the Music First Coalition, who have been battling over proposed leglislation that would require broadcasters to pay royalties to artists.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers (D-Mich.) and Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) sent the two parties a letter today asking them to meet with Members and staffers from both committees to try to hammer out an agreement over the Performance Rights Act, which was recently approved by both panels. 

House Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxamn (D-Calif.) is also supportive of the effort, said the letter, which was also signed by Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and by Reps. James Sensenbrenner (R-Wisc.), Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) and Howard Berman (D-Calif.).

"We request that your organizations, as representatives of the stakeholders most affected by the provisions of this legislation, enter into negotiations before this legislation is considered on the floor of either House. The negotiated resolution will be considered by Congress as it takes up passage of this Act," the letter said. "We will request a recommendation from Committee Members and staff resulting from the negotiations."

The negotiations will go between Nov. 17 and Dec. 1. 

"With your good faith participation, we are confident that an acceptable and mutually beneficial resolution to this longstanding disagreement can be found," said the letter.