Tim Walz on Technology Democrat

Boost mass transit & new Amtrak rail line

Also among Walz's climate accomplishments: boosting Minnesota's mass transit, including by championing a new Amtrak rail line, between the Twin Cities and Chicago, which came online in May.

Under Walz's leadership, the state of Minnesota also tackled planet-heating pollution from the building sector by updating its commercial buildings codes and energy efficiency rules while lowering utility costs for low-income households.

Supports Net Neutrality (equal access to Internet)

Jeff Johnson (R): Unknown.

Tim Walz (D): Yes.

Safeguard our online activity from public scrutiny

We must also remain vigilant to protect our nation from terrorists and those who wish to do us harm. Cyber security is one of the most serious economic and national security challenges we face as a nation. An effective response to cyber-attacks will require coordination among intelligence agencies, law enforcement, and private owners of critical cyber infrastructure. However, it is also imperative that we not sacrifice citizens' privacy and civil liberties. I will continue to fight for measures that allow us to find the proper balance between national security and personal privacy.

Member of House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure.

The House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure has jurisdiction over all modes of transportation: aviation, maritime and waterborne transportation, roads, bridges, mass transit, and railroads. But the Committee has jurisdiction over other aspects of our national infrastructure, such as clean water and waste management, the transport of resources by pipeline, flood damage reduction, the economic development of depressed rural and urban areas, disaster preparedness and response, activities of the Army Corps of Engineers and the various missions of the Coast Guard.

When combined, these areas of jurisdiction provide a comprehensive view of how communities across the United States are connected to one another, how infrastructure affects the growth and flow of commerce at home and abroad, and how an effective government can improve the lives of its citizens.

Subcommittee	Chair	Ranking Member
Aviation	Tom Petri (R-WI)	Jerry Costello (D-IL)
Subcommittee	Chair	Ranking Member
Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation	Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ)	Rick Larsen (D-WA)
Subcommittee	Chair	Ranking Member
Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management	Jeff Denham (R-CA)	Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC)
Subcommittee	Chair	Ranking Member
Highways and Transit	Jimmy Duncan (R-TN)	Peter DeFazio (D-OR)
Subcommittee	Chair	Ranking Member
Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials	Bill Shuster (R-PA)	Corrine Brown (D-FL)
Subcommittee	Chair	Ranking Member
Water Resources and Environment	Bob Gibbs (R-OH)	Tim Bishop (D-NY)

No performance royalties for radio music.

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Supporting the Local Radio Freedom Act
• Whereas the US enjoys broadcasting and sound recording industries that are the envy of the world, due to the symbiotic relationship that has existed among these industries for many decades;
• Whereas for more than 80 years, Congress has rejected repeated calls by the recording industry to impose a performance fee on local radio stations for simply playing music on the radio;
• Whereas local radio stations provide free publicity and promotion to the recording industry and performers of music in the form of radio air play, interviews with performers, introduction of new performers, and concert promotions;
• Whereas Congress found that `the sale of many sound recordings and the careers of many performers benefited considerably from airplay and other over-the-air broadcasting;
• Whereas there are many thousands of local radio stations that will suffer severe economic hardship if any new performance fee is imposed, as will many other small businesses that play music including bars, restaurants, shopping centers and transportation facilities;
• Resolved: That Congress should not impose any new performance fee, tax, royalty, or other charge relating to the public performance of sound recordings on a local radio station for broadcasting sound recordings over-the-air, or on any business for such public performance of sound recordings.