With 2025 just around the corner, NRB’s Office of Public Policy is preparing for a productive new year of advocating for your interests in Washington, D.C., and protecting the rights of Christian communicators while fostering collaboration with a new presidential administration and Congress.
NRB’s Washington, D.C.-based public policy team spearheads direct lawmaker engagement, maintains NRB’s profile on Capitol Hill, coordinates with industry colleagues, publishes policy articles and analysis, submits public filings in the agency rulemaking process, and much more.
2024 Accomplishments At a Glance
2024 yielded strategic wins in a variety of public policy verticals, springing from NRB’s distinctive profile as the top trade association specializing in the field of religious broadcasting.
Public Policy Operations
2024 was a dynamic year of opportunity to expand the scope of our operations and capitalize on our strategic initiatives. One of our favorite moments: hosting the Presidential Forum at the NRB Convention as (then-candidate) President-elect Donald J. Trump directly addressed the community of religious broadcasters.
- Launched the second volume of NRB’s public policy newsletter Washington Next Week, reaching upwards of 13,000 readers every other week.
- Represented NRB at meetings, events, and conferences nationwide.
- NRB president & CEO Troy A. Miller issued weekly statements and discussed NRB public policy priorities in 100+ media interviews, including names like Gov. Mike Huckabee, Dr. Ben Carson, and Fox & Friends.
- Published six op-eds in national outlets.
- Launched a collection of radio PSAs aimed at activating Christian voters in the 2024 election.
- Completed advanced trainings in subject areas including legislative strategy, congressional procedure, and constitutional theory, including a Senate procedure and strategy course held by the Conservative Partnership Institute (CPI).
- Hosted top lawmakers and policy experts at the 2024 NRB Convention, including the NRB Presidential Forum featuring (then-candidate) President-elect Donald J. Trump.
- Hosted “Representing NRB Members’ Interests in Washington,” a public policy-focused Forum at the NRB Convention.
- Attracted upwards of 170 earned media hits surrounding the NRB Convention.
- Welcomed a record number of new members to the NRB President’s Council.
- Hosted influential lawmakers and commentators at the 2024 Capitol Hill Media Summit (CHMS), including Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Roger Severino of The Heritage Foundation, Robert Greenway of The Allison Center for National Defense at The Heritage Foundation, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Trump trade advisor Dr. Peter Navarro, Rev. Dr. Uriesou Brito of Providence Church (Pensacola, Fla.), Professor Jonathan Turley of George Washington University Law School, and FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr.
- Took steps to foster strong corporate engagement, including a fireside chat at the Capitol Hill Media Summit with Kevin Martin, former FCC chairman and current vice president of U.S. public policy at Meta.
- Supported the development of a new slate of NRB Board Resolutions affirming NRB’s commitment to advocating for Christian communicators and upholding Gospel truth.
- Celebrated the 80th anniversary of NRB and premiered a new short historical documentary of NRB at the 2024 NRB Convention.
Hill Advocacy
NRB worked to build momentum around issues affecting our industry and advocate for the perspective of religious broadcasters.
- Delivered hundreds of letters and communications to Capitol Hill on legislative issues impacting NRB members and recruited lawmaker support for key legislation.
- Supported the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act (H.R. 8449, S.1669) and hosted one of its original cosponsors, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), at the 2024 Capitol Hill Media Summit.
- Recruited the support of top Christian leaders for the AM Radio For Every Vehicle Act.
- Received the support of President-elect Donald J. Trump in the effort to keep AM radio in cars.
- Encouraged support for Israel through participation in events, trips, working groups, and Christian leader coalitions.
- Strengthened partnerships with like-minded lawmakers and advocacy groups through participation in the House and Senate Values Action Teams (VAT) and other coalitions.
- Held a regular presence at crucial industry-related hearings held by committees and subcommittees with jurisdiction of the broadcasting industry.
Regulatory
NRB represents Christian communicators working in one of America’s most regulated industries. For radio and television broadcasters, there has never been a more important time to have a trusted advocate monitoring regulatory actions that may improperly burden or limit the effectiveness of Christian broadcasters.
- Filed a comment before the FCC in support of Christian low-power television broadcasters.
- NRB’s previous comments in the FCC’s foreign sponsor ID proceeding produced constructive results in the final rulemaking.
- Hosted a fireside chat with FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr for members of the NRB President’s Council.
- Endorsed Carr for FCC Chairman. Carr was designated for the role shortly thereafter.
- Attended FCC Open Commission Meetings.
- Held a workshop panel discussion at the 2024 NRB Convention titled “FCC Regulatory Landscape With Five-Seated Commissioners” with veteran communications attorneys Joseph Chautin III, Managing Partner at Hardy, Carey, Chautin & Balkin, LLP and David Oxenford, Partner at Wilkinson Barker Knauer LLP.
Legal
Thanks to the work of the NRB Office of General Counsel, NRB has advanced and supported significant legal actions that stand to deliver important wins for Christian communicators. Some of our actions in this area include:
- Launched a historic legal challenge to the Johnson Amendment, the longstanding IRS restriction on the free speech of nonprofits.
- Filed a petition for review of the FCC’s reinstatement of workforce data collection form 395-B.
- Hired Scott Hunter, executive director of the NRB Music Licensing Committee, to NRB’s Office of General Counsel.
- Filed several Supreme Court amicus briefs, the latest being in L.M. v. Town of Middleborough, Massachusetts.
- Saw a victory in Masterpiece Cakeshop, Inc. v. Scardina, a case in which NRB filed a brief.
- Hosted a panel at the 2024 NRB Convention titled “Christian Liberty: The Current Legal Landscape with NRB’s General Counsel and leadership from the Pacific Justice Institute, Liberty Counsel, Alliance Defending Freedom, and First Liberty.
Looking Ahead
With a new incoming Congress and presidential administration, NRB is monitoring numerous avenues of engagement and opportunities for partnership for 2025.
- Addressing corporate threats to free speech.
- Advancing efforts to improve child safety online.
- Building partnership and dialogue with America’s most powerful players in technology and independent media.
- Completing NRB’s 2024-2026 fundraising campaign to acquire permanent headquarters in Washington, D.C. Click to learn more about The Voice of Christian Broadcasting in the Nation’s Capital.
- Defending against religious persecution and displacement of Christian communities worldwide.
- Promoting a favorable business environment for broadcasters through regulatory and legislative engagement.
- Strengthening support for America’s ally Israel.
- Supporting the confirmations of executive branch and judicial nominees who will positively reinforce First Amendment freedoms.
- Supporting federal agencies in reinstating robust conscience protections in federal law.
- Supporting the incoming administration in establishing a task force to fight anti-Christian bias and the weaponization of government against Christians.
In 2024, NRB’s public policy team worked hand-in-glove with our communications team to message our priorities and keep members up to date with what’s going on in Washington, D.C. The public policy division worked to enhance our network on Capitol Hill, developing strategic partnerships with lawmakers, congressional staff, subject matter experts, and industry colleagues. With all the success of the past year, NRB is anticipating a new year filled with opportunity and preparing to attain the highest standards of advocacy excellence in 2025.