releases: https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/reps-cleaver-horsford-introduce-bill-advancing-minority-and-women
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/reps-cleaver-horsford-introduce-bill-advancing-minority-and-women | Reps. Cleaver, Horsford Introduce Bill Advancing Minority and Women Ownership of Broadcast TV, Radio | 2025-06-10 | 2025 | 2025-06 | Democrat | House | MO | Emanuel Cleaver | C001061 | cleaver.house.gov | cleaver | https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases | scraper | (Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Representatives Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO) and Steven Horsford (D-NV) introduced The Broadcast VOICES (Varied Ownership Incentives for Community Expanded Service) Act, legislation to reestablish the Federal Communications Commission’s Minority Tax Certificate Program (MTCP). From 1978 to 1995, the MTCP provided a tax incentive to those who sold their majority interest in a broadcast station to diverse individuals, increasing diverse ownership in broadcast stations by more than 550 percent. “Kansas City is proud to be home of the oldest Black-owned radio broadcast company in the United States, serving as a prime example of the quality and community connection that comes with minority-owned media outlets,” Rep. Cleaver said. “I’m honored to introduce the Broadcast VOICES Act with my friend Congressman Horsford, which will ensure opportunities are provided to more women- and minority-owned broadcasters who uplift the voices of communities that are far too often overlooked.” “Diverse ownership in broadcasting helps amplify voices, viewpoints and perspectives that our society has historically silenced,” Rep. Horsford said. “The Minority Tax Certificate Program’s nearly twenty-year success record diversifying broadcast ownership speaks for itself – not just in effective tax incentives, but also in creating economic opportunities and empowering disadvantaged communities. I’m proud to partner with Rep. Cleaver on the Broadcast VOICES Act to make sure America’s airwaves reflect the diversity of our people.” Data from 2021 shows that less than 6 percent full power commercial broadcast television stations in the United States are owned by women and less than 4 percent are minority-owned. Moreover, data also shows approximately 9 percent of FM broadcast radio stations are owned by women, while less than three percent are owned by minorities. The Broadcast VOICES Act would: Reestablish a Minority Tax Certificate Program. Establish a tax credit for broadcast owners who donate their stations to train individuals new in the management and operation of broadcast stations, equal to the fair market value of the station. Require annual reports from the Federal Communications Commission on: Ways to increase minority and/or women-controlled broadcast stations; Whether to expand the tax certificate program to other commission-regulated entities; Whether there is a nexus between diversity of ownership and diversity of the viewpoints broadcast by stations; Annual sales for which certificates have been issued. Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Greenwood, Blue Springs, North Kansas City, Gladstone, and Claycomo. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance. | 1 | 2026-03-30T01:40:41Z | 2026-04-07T01:08:28Z |