Music Modernization Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Nadler for yielding. I appreciate the work of Mr. Goodlatte and the other sponsors, Mr. Nadler and everybody else.

This was really an issue where we showed that Congress can be productive, can get something done, working with all of the different groups and bringing them together. It is a successful effort.

Music is very important to my hometown of Memphis, which, of course, is the hometown of Elvis Presley, where Sam Phillips put Elvis in the studio at Sun Records and produced the rock and roll that Chuck Berry and Little Richard had been playing but had not really reached a lot of people's ears. It did, and it set the world on fire. It brought a change in music and an appreciation for it.

In Memphis, we have had Isaac Hayes, who did so much; Sam and Dave; David Porter; and many, many Memphians who participated.

But I have personal friends in Warren Zevon, Jackson Browne, and J.D. Souther, who were great songwriters and performers and have not received, necessarily, their financial due as they should, and fairness, and this will get them done.

As Mr. Crowley mentioned, it will get engineers and producers payment for their work to help create these musical creations that people love.

Mr. Speaker, I thank all of the sponsors and appreciate the fact that I was able to participate and support it and be a cosponsor.

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