An attempt to govern collegiate athletics backed by the NCAA, the U.S. Olympic committee, and the White House has stalled in Congress, as critics voice apprehension regarding the extensive authority it bestows upon the NCAA and its leading institutions.
TL;DR
- NCAA-backed collegiate athletics bill stalled in Congress due to concerns over NCAA authority.
- House Republican leaders delayed a vote on the SCORE Act, citing member questions and need for coalition finalization.
- Critics argue the bill grants excessive power to the NCAA and prohibits athletes from being employees.
- The legislation's future is uncertain, with a return to the floor this year unlikely due to a busy agenda.
House Republican leaders had intended to advance the legislation, referred to as the SCORE Act, toward a conclusive decision during this week. However, those intentions were suddenly abandoned following a procedural ballot to move the bill forward earlier this week that almost did not pass.
“There were a few members that had some questions and wanted to know more about the bill,” Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., said Thursday. “So we’re just going to take our time with it to make sure we can get the coalition finalized.”
This marks merely the most recent postponement for legislation that seemed poised for approval during the summer months, only to encounter repeated obstacles. Scalise declined to guarantee the bill's return to the floor within the current year, stating that the House possesses a “busy agenda.”
Opponents say bill is ‘not ready for prime time’
The NCAA and its Division I conferences present the new legislation as formalizing the regulations established by the multibillion-dollar lawsuit settlement, which permits student-athletes to receive compensation, offering a clarity that proponents believe is overdue. On Tuesday, the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee, alongside the White House, expressed their backing for the proposed bill.
“Urgent federal action is necessary to provide the stability, fairness and balance that will protect student-athletes and preserve collegiate athletic opportunities,” the White House said.
However, the proposed legislation has encountered strong disapproval from labor organizations and sports figures, alongside numerous state attorneys general. Although some Democrats have co-signed the bill, the leadership of the House Democrats encouraged their representatives to vote against it. Furthermore, Republicans have grown increasingly negative towards the bill this week, expressing concerns that it was hurried to a vote and that other matters require attention before the year concludes.
“I just don’t think it was ready for prime time and we’re trying to work through some of the lingering issues,” Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, said Wednesday.
Critics have cautioned that the legislation would bestow extensive power upon the NCAA and leading athletic associations, especially via antitrust exemptions and a clause prohibiting collegiate athletes from being recognized as employees. AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler characterized the proposal as “union-busting policy in action” in a declaration.
The bill would also preempt state laws that regulate the payments to players.
“I don’t think we should be doing anything to help the NCAA. They created this mess,” said GOP Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida, who is running for governor. He said the NCAA is “coming here crying poverty, saying that they need to fix the save college sports.”
“Last time I checked, every stadium was full last Saturday. We’re going to have a new national champion in a month. College sports is making more money than they ever have. But the control factor of the NCAA and other major conferences is not what it used to be,” added Donalds, who is a graduate of Florida State University, which is not part of the two most powerful conferences.
Congress is likely to punt
The most recent difficulties for the legislation commenced on Tuesday, during which a procedural ballot to move several pieces of legislation toward a conclusive decision was kept open for more than sixty minutes while Republicans discussed modifications. From that point forward, opposition from Republicans appears to have intensified, with certain individuals who had previously endorsed the bill now expressing uncertainty.
“I was initially for it. I hear the arguments against it. So, I’m undecided,” said GOP Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida. She added that she doesn’t think the bill is a “top priority issue right now for us.
Due to this week's postponement, it appears that the House's consideration of the SCORE Act will almost certainly be deferred until the following year. Following Speaker Mike Johnson's decision to keep the chamber adjourned for close to two months during the government shutdown this autumn, the House is now urgently working to process a backlog of essential legislation, such as a defense authorization bill and a possible resolution for Affordable Care Act subsidies that are set to expire.
Currently, assisting the NCAA and the sport's most influential conferences doesn't seem to be a priority that unites GOP members, who have become more inclined to defy their leadership.
“We’re in the infancy of what college athletics is because of the changes in NIL,” Donalds said. “We shouldn’t just come in and cut that off because the NCAA wants to be able to have your cake and eat it too.”
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Associated Press national sports writer Eddie Pells contributed to this report.
