[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 83 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 83

     Expressing the sense of Congress that the National Basketball 
Association and the Players Association should extend pension benefits 
     to certain surviving post-World War II, pre-1965 professional 
                          basketball players.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 16, 1997

    Mr. Lipinski (for himself, Ms. Brown of Florida, Mr. Jackson of 
 Illinois, Mr. Gutierrez, Mr. Blagojevich, Mr. Davis of Illinois, Mr. 
 Diaz-Balart, Mr. Rush, Mr. Poshard, Mr. Costello, Mr. Evans, and Mr. 
  Brown of California) submitted the following concurrent resolution; 
   which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
     Expressing the sense of Congress that the National Basketball 
Association and the Players Association should extend pension benefits 
     to certain surviving post-World War II, pre-1965 professional 
                          basketball players.

Whereas the purpose of the National Basketball Association is to promote the 
        best interests of professional basketball by encouraging good 
        sportsmanship and good will among its players and the fans;
Whereas the purpose of the Players Association is to promote the best interests 
        of professional basketball players by protecting their rights and 
        livelihood;
Whereas the current pension provisions of the NBA Players Pension Plan extend 
        pension benefits to post-1965 players with only 3 years of 
        participation, while pre-1965 players must have played a minimum of 5 
        years to obtain these benefits;
Whereas these provisions created a double standard whereby approximately 60 of 
        the most needy, post-World War II, pre-1965 pioneer professional 
        basketball players were unfairly excluded from any pension rights;
Whereas pioneer players are guilty only of being born too soon, because they 
        would have qualified for the benefits if they had participated in the 
        league after 1965;
Whereas these pioneer players' participation of 3 or 4 years was no lesser of a 
        contribution to the development of the National Basketball Association 
        than the post-1965 players' 3 years of participation;
Whereas the players of today earn multimillion dollar contracts and are 
        guaranteed prosperous pensions as a direct result of the unselfish 
        dedication of these pioneer players;
Whereas the National Basketball Association chose to celebrate its glorious past 
        and honor certain old timers at the All Star Game, but chooses to 
        neglect those players who suffer daily under the hardships of poverty;
Whereas the National Basketball Association proclaims no legal obligation to 
        extend pension benefits to the very players who have provided the basis 
        for the prosperity and durability of the present-day National Basketball 
        Association; and
Whereas the National Basketball Association disavows its moral obligation to 
        care for its own, and thus fails to promote the best interests of the 
        league and good will among current and former players: Now, therefore, 
        be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of the Congress that the surviving post-World War 
II, pre-1965 Basketball Association of America, National Basketball 
League, and National Basketball Association players with a minimum of 3 
years of eligible service should be entitled to pension benefits.
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