Pelosi Remarks at Recording Academy's 'GRAMMY on the Hill' Annual Advocacy Day

Washington, D.C. - Speaker Nancy Pelosi delivered opening remarks at the Recording Academy's "GRAMMY on the Hill" annual Advocacy Day this morning in the Capitol Visitor Center.  The Recording Academy's annual advocacy event honors legislators who work to improve the environment for music makers and artists.  Below are the Speaker's remarks as prepared for delivery:

"Thank you for your advocacy on behalf of the aspirations and work of 20,000 singers, songwriters, and musicians nationwide.  Thank you for bringing such a strong group of artists, performers, and leaders to Capitol Hill.

"'GRAMMY on the Hill' is an opportunity for musicians and recording artists to make their voices heard in the halls of the Capitol and to reaffirm the statement by the great poet, Percy Shelley: 'The greatest instrument of moral good is imagination.'

"Creativity deserves to be celebrated, honored, and encouraged as a cornerstone of our national strength.

"In coming to Congress today, you are sending a message too often lost outside the recording studio, in the political debate, or on the airwaves - that ideas, music, and imagination are as valuable as any material invention.  And artists deserve to be compensated for their work and rewarded for their contributions to our economy and our culture.

"You have an army of advocates standing by your side - from both parties - on Capitol Hill.

"Whether it's Chairman Howard Berman; or ‘GRAMMY on the Hill' award winners Senator Durbin and Congressman Issa; or artists leading the charge - the rights of performers are not forgotten.

"I look forward to working with these leaders and with Chairman Conyers to find a way forward on the issue of performers' rights.

"You come at a time when we are celebrating an historic moment for our country, with the passage of health care reform.

"In securing quality, affordable health care for all Americans, we address a wide range of concerns expressed by those in the performing arts, where: 44 percent of artists lack health insurance; most self-employed artists are struggling to get by without the backing of an employer; many strive to make it on their own and follow their creative, entrepreneurial spirit, yet face soaring costs and skyrocketing premiums.

"For you - and for millions of Americans facing the same challenges - reform will open the doors of the individual insurance market to everyone.  It will end the ban on pre-existing conditions; extend tax credits to small businesses, which rest at the heart and soul of the music industry; cap limits on lifetime coverage; and ensure that being a woman is no longer a pre-existing condition.

"In the Declaration of Independence, our Founders stated that all are "endowed by [our] Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

"Health care reform gives all artists - and every American - the freedom to lead healthier lives and the liberty to pursue their dreams.

"Throughout history, artists have served voices of truth and passion for our nation.  In the United States and around the world, music has been a true ‘instrument of moral good;' a product of dreamers and an expression of extraordinary creativity and imagination.

"Here in Congress, we must ensure that your voices and imagination are heard in our political discourse.  And we will continue to address your concerns, and represent your hopes and dreams in the future."