ascap does this for me. i love ascap. we rely on a network of reciprocal relationships with foreign pros in countries all over the world. these foreign royalties can cute an ever increasing portion of american music creators' income. it's over 1/3. and it makes a positive contribution to our balance of trade. i am sad to report that we are grossly underpaid for public performances of our works in russia. a few comparisons compare my point. with the french and italian economies roughly the same size, our performance royalties collected in 2009 in france are 11 times better. viva la france. in italy almost nine times greater. denmark, denmark, with only 4% of russia's population, denmark and an economy 1/10 the size of russia collects nearly twice as much for public performances as russia. it is clear that american music creators are not reaping the benefits from russia's passion for american music and movies. why is this? we believe the russian legal system handicaps the effort of rau, ascap's partner. it's not allowed to

i love ascap. we rely on a network of reciprocal relationships an ever increasing portion of american music creators income, it's over one-third and makes a positive contribution to our balance and trade. i am sad to report that we are grossly underpaid for public performances for our works in russia. for french and italian economies, our performance royalties in france are 11 times greater, viva la france. and an economy one-tenth the size of russia collects twice as much as public performances in russia. we believe the russian legal system handy caps the efforts of row in collecting public performance royalties. russian courts don't follow the law. russian courts have row's right to russian ascap members and sometimes they -- it makes no sense. further ascap composures are supposed to receive royalties for the public performance of movies exhibited in russian theaters. in fact row has sent us royalties in the past. but there is no doubt that the royal fis could be increasingly significant as amer

ascap does this for me.we rely on a network of reciprocal relationships with foreign pro's and companies all over the world. these foreign royalties can constitute an ever-increasing portion of american music creator's income. is over one third and makes a positive contribution to our balance -- i am sad to report however that we are grossly underpaid for public performances of our work in russia. few comparisons prove my point when the french and italian economies in roughly the same size or performance royalties collected in 2009 in france are 11 times greater. and eataly on most nine times greater, denmark, denmark with only 4% of russia's population, denmark at an economy one tenth the size of russia collects nearly twice as much for public performances as russia. it is clear that american music theaters are not reaping the benefits for russia's passion for america's music and movies. why is this? we believe the russian legal system handicaps the efforts. that is ascap's russian counterpart in collecting

and a member of ascap. >> i know that too. i've heard some of his songs. they're pretty good. >> they are good. >> very good. >> exactly. they get even better when i'm in his office. >> next up mr. larson, undersecretary of state? >> yes, sir. >> in the bush administration. >> clinton and bush. >> clinton and bush. so thank you very much. the honorable allen larson. thank you very much. >> chairman baucus, senator kyl, distinguished senators, thank you for the invitation to testify. my testimony is informed by many experiences. formally as undersecretary of state for economics during the clinton and george w. bush administrations. currently as senior international policy adviser at covington and burling. and currently as chairman of the board of directors of transparency international usa. in 2009, my transparency international counterpart, whom i'm very pleased you had the opportunity to meet, mr. chairman, and i participated in a private sector group that prepared and submitted a joint report to president medvedev and president obama. entitled russia u.s

i will tell you that we're in the rare position at ascap and other administrators, i understand your stance completely, we're in a position where whether it's granted or not, our music is going to continue to grow and movies are going to continue to grow in the country. my specific concern as an organization, we don't have a specific stance on npr. i will tell you right now, i sit here and i can imagine watching the prospects of china stepping in if we can't do business. for my administration, i have to represent them and i would say that what we need is no matter what happens from nptr, we need some action zealing with the government, dealing with the judges, dealing with a value added tax that is totally unfair. where we hopefully will not wind up with a situation like china where i get more money from honduras than i do from china. it's terrifying. >> because my time is so short, that's the point i'm trying to make here. that's the things that we could hold china to, we had a very thick document with china. yet you the report that i held up. it's very difficult after you have gran

i will tell you we're in the rare position at ascap and as music creators, unlike these gentlemen, and i understand your stance completely. we're in a position where whether it's granted or not, our music is going to continue to grow and movies will continue to grow in the country. so my specific concern as an organization, we don't have a specific stance on pntr. i am synthetic to it. individually i'll tell you right now, i sit here and i imagine watching the prospects of china stepping in if we can't do business. for my organization, i have to represent them. and i would say that what we need is no matter what happens with pntr, we need some aggressive action from the party of the united states government dealing with the russian government and dealing with the judges, dealing with the value added tax that is totally unfair, and where we hopefully will not wind up with a situation like china where, you know, senator, i get more money from honduras than i do from china. it's terrifying. >> and because my time is so short, that's the point i'm trying to make here. we tried to anticipat

ascap does this for me. it we rely on a network of suri -- if we rely on a network of foreign pro's. these royalty constitute a portion of american music creators income. it is over one-third. i am sad to report, however, that we are underpaid for public performances of all works in russia. two comparisons prove my point with the french and italian economies. in france, the royalties to work 11 times greater. in italy, nine times greater. denmark, with only question% of russia today population, denmark collects nearly twice as much for public performances as russia. it is clear that american music creators are not reaping the benefits from russia's passion for american music and movies. why is this? we believe the russian legal system handicaps' the efforts of ascap's russian counterparts. they're fully qualified to act as a collecting society for you as easy creators. yet, russian courts often do not follow the law. the do not follow law. russian courts demand extraordinary costly documentation of their rig