[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 1 (Tuesday, January 6, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Pages S54-S55]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. McCAIN (for himself and Mr. Dorgan):
  S. 38. A bill to establish a United States Boxing Commission to 
administer the Act, and for other purposes; to the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
  Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, today I am pleased to be joined by Senator 
Dorgan in introducing the Professional Boxing Amendments Act of 2009. 
This legislation is virtually identical to a measure reported by the 
Commerce Committee during the first executive session of the 110th 
Congress, after being approved unanimously by the Senate in 2005. 
Simply put, this bill would better protect professional boxing from the 
fraud, corruption, and ineffective regulation that have plagued the 
sport for far too many years, and that have devastated physically and 
financially many of our Nation's professional boxers. I remain 
committed to moving the Professional Boxing Amendments Act through the 
Senate and I trust that my colleagues will once again vote favorably on 
this important legislation.
  Since 1996, Congress has made efforts to improve the sport of 
professional boxing--and for very good reason. With rare exception, 
professional boxers come from the lowest rung on our economic ladder. 
Often they are the least educated and most exploited athletes in our 
nation. The Professional Boxing Safety Act of 1996 and the Muhammad Ali 
Boxing Reform Act of 2000 established uniform health and safety 
standards for professional boxers, as well as basic protections for 
boxers against the sometimes coercive, exploitative, and unethical 
business practices of promoters, managers, and sanctioning 
organizations. But further action is needed.
  The Professional Boxing Amendments Act would strengthen existing 
Federal boxing law by improving the basic health and safety standards 
for professional boxers, establishing a centralized medical registry to 
be used by local commissions to protect boxers, reducing the arbitrary 
practices of sanctioning organizations, and enhancing the uniformity 
and basic standards for professional boxing contracts. Most 
importantly, this legislation would establish a Federal regulatory 
entity to oversee professional boxing and set basic uniform standards 
for certain aspects of the sport.
  Current law has improved to some extent the state of professional 
boxing. However, I remain concerned, as do many others, that the sport 
remains at risk. In 2003, the Government Accountability Office spent 
more than six months studying ten of the country's busiest state and 
tribal boxing commissions. Government auditors found that many State 
and tribal boxing commissions still do not comply with Federal boxing 
law, and that there is a troubling lack of enforcement by both Federal 
and State officials.
  Ineffective and inconsistent oversight of professional boxing has 
contributed to the continuing scandals, controversies, unethical 
practices, and unnecessary deaths in the sport. These problems have led 
many in professional boxing to conclude that the only solution is an 
effective and accountable Federal boxing commission. The Professional 
Boxing Amendments Act would create such an entity.
  Professional boxing remains the only major sport in the United States 
that does not have a strong, centralized association, league, or other 
regulatory body to establish and enforce uniform rules and practices. 
Because a powerful few benefit greatly from the current system of 
patchwork compliance and enforcement of Federal boxing law, a national 
self-regulating organization--though preferable to Federal government 
oversight is not a realistic option.
  This bill would establish the United States Boxing Commission 
``USBC'' or Commission. The Commission would be responsible for 
protecting the health, safety, and general interests of professional 
boxers. The USBC would also be responsible for ensuring uniformity, 
fairness, and integrity in professional boxing. More specifically, the 
Commission would administer Federal boxing law and coordinate with 
other Federal regulatory agencies to ensure that this law is enforced; 
oversee all professional boxing matches in the United States; and work 
with the boxing industry and local commissions to improve the safety, 
integrity, and professionalism of

[[Page S55]]

professional boxing in the United States.
  The USBC would also license boxers, promoters, managers, and 
sanctioning organizations. The Commission would have the authority to 
revoke such a license for violations of Federal boxing law, to stop 
unethical or illegal conduct, to protect the health and safety of a 
boxer, or if the revocation is otherwise in the public interest.
  It is important to state clearly and plainly for the record that the 
purpose of the USBC is not to interfere with the daily operations of 
State and tribal boxing commissions. Instead, the Commission would work 
in consultation with local commissions, and it would only exercise its 
authority when reasonable grounds exist for such intervention. In point 
of fact, the Professional Boxing Amendments Act states explicitly that 
it would not prohibit any boxing commission from exercising any of its 
powers, duties, or functions with respect to the regulation or 
supervision of professional boxing to the extent not inconsistent with 
the provisions of Federal boxing law.
  Let there be no doubt, however, of the very basic and pressing need 
in professional boxing for a Federal boxing commission. The 
establishment of the USBC would address that need. The problems that 
plague the sport of professional boxing undermine the credibility of 
the sport in the eyes of the public and--more importantly--compromise 
the safety of boxers. The Professional Boxing Amendments Act provides 
an effective approach to curbing these problems.
  As this measure continues through the legislative process, I fully 
expect Congress will ensure that funding offsets are provided to it and 
every other spending measure as we work to restore fiscal discipline to 
Washington in a bipartisan manner. I urge my colleagues to support this 
legislation.
                                 ______