I'm not big on causes, most are self-serving. In today's email, I found this important announcement I had to share with you from the SaveNetRadio campaign. It's been slightly altered to apply to everyone who cares about Internet radio.

On Wednesday morning, the Senate Commerce Committee will meet to hold a hearing on the future of radio in the United States. Representatives from broadcast radio, music industry, and Internet radio will testify before the committee about the current state of the radio industry and how royalty fees and other issues, like competition and innovation, affect the future of the industry. This is an unprecedented opportunity for Internet radio to explain its value to Congress, and we need your help to make sure they are listening.

Please take a moment to call and ask each Senator to attend this important hearing. The Internet Radio Equality Act is still pending in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. This hearing will give members an opportunity to learn more about this legislation.

Here is a list of the members and their direct lines of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation:

Democrats:
Chairman Daniel K. Inouye (HI) (202) 224-3934
John D. Rockefeller, IV (WV) (202) 224-6472
John F. Kerry (MA) (202) 224-2742
Byron L. Dorgan (ND) (202) 224-2551
Barbara Boxer (CA) (202) 224-3553
Bill Nelson (FL) (202) 224-5274
Maria Cantwell (WA) (202) 224-3441
Frank R. Lautenberg (NJ) (202) 224-3224
Mark Pryor (AR) (202) 224-2353
Thomas Carper (DE) (202) 224-2441
Claire McCaskill (MO) (202) 224-6154
Amy Klobuchar (MN) (202) 224-3244

Republicans:
Vice Chairman Ted Stevens (AK) (202) 224-3004
John McCain (AZ) (202) 224-2235
Trent Lott (MS) (202) 224-6253
Kay Bailey Hutchison (TX) (202) 224-5922
Olympia J. Snowe (ME) (202) 224-5344
Gordon H. Smith (OR) (202) 224-3753
John Ensign (NV) (202) 224-6244
John E. Sununu (NH) (202) 224-2841
Jim DeMint (SC) (202) 224-6121
David Vitter (LA) (202) 224-4623
John Thune (SD) (202) 224-2321

When calling, give the following information:

* I am an avid Internet radio listener calling to ask that as a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, the Senator attend Wednesday's hearing on the future of radio.

* Internet radio has been a revolutionary force in the music industry since its creation and now empowers artist, consumers, and music lovers of every kind. The Copyright Royalty Board's unprecedented and ill informed decision to increase royalty fees for Webcasters by more than 300% has threatened to bankrupt this important industry and we need the Senator's help.

* The real future of radio for music lovers, artists, and the music industry as a whole is online. To save this industry and allow it to prosper, there must be parity and equality between webcasters, satellite radio, and broadcast radio. Today, Internet radio pays a recording royalty fee more than twice that of satellite radio, and terrestrial radio pays none at all. To fix this unfair and inexplicable inequality, please co-sponsor The Internet Radio Equality Act, S. 1353, which is pending in the Senate.

Please make the calls and ask each Senator to attend this important hearing. Thank you once again for your support of the SaveNetRadio campaign. This issue could not have gotten the attention it has without your support and cannot move any further without your continued efforts.