Reps. Gene Green (D-TX) and Mike Conaway (R-TX) have sent a letter to House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers (D-MI) asking that they be included on the upcoming November 17 meeting regarding the issue of the Performance Rights Act. Reps. Green and Conaway are both lead sponsors of the Local Radio Freedom Act, a bipartisan resolution opposing the Performance Rights Act, and they have been active on this issue for two consecutive Congresses.

"We have serious concerns that legislation imposing a new royalty on local radio stations, particularly in this economic climate, will be tremendously harmful to radio stations and their employees, local communities that rely on radio, and recipients, such as charities and non-profits, that receive free airtime for their causes," wrote Green and Conaway in the letter. "Additionally, this legislation could negatively affect existing songwriter royalties and reduce airtime available to new, undiscovered performers seeking their 'break' on local radio."

They concluded, "As you have opened the meeting to members of the Judiciary Committees, we are hopeful that you will consider further opening the meeting to other members of Congress, including ourselves, so that all sides in this Congressional debate may be represented."

Their letter came after House Judiciary Committee Chairman Conyers and Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) sent a letter to NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith and Joint Board Chairman Steve Newberry calling for negotiations between the NAB and the musicFirst Coalition over the Performance Rights Act.