Collins Welcomes Senate Version of Songwriter Equity Act

Press Release

Congressman Doug Collins (GA-09) today welcomed the news that three senior United States Senators are introducing the Senate version of H.R. 4079, the Songwriter Equity Act. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) and Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) made the announcement today at joint event at the Bluebird Café in Nashville.

Congressman Collins said, "Today is a great day for the hundreds of thousands of songwriters across the country, who could not ask for better champions in the Senate than Senators Alexander, Corker, and Hatch. I look forward to partnering with them as we work to move this legislation through our respective Judiciary Committees and make fairness a reality for songwriters, whose creativity inspires generations and empowers an important part of our economy."

Congressman Collins introduced the Songwriter Equity Act in February of this year with widespread industry support. The Songwriter Equity Act removes nearly century-old barriers to fair market royalty payments by allowing federal rate courts to consider relevant evidence when setting royalty rates and directing the Copyright Royalty Board to set rates based on current fair market value.

Congressman Doug Collins is a first-term Member of the House Judiciary Committee, which holds jurisdiction over copyright and intellectual property issues and has taken the active lead in copyright reform during this Congress.

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