[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 211 (Monday, December 14, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S7461]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



             Collegiate Athlete and Compensation Rights Act

  Mrs. BLACKBURN. Madam President, those of you who have taken time out 
to watch college sports this fall--and I know there are many in this 
Chamber who have, and they know that the games this year have looked 
very different when you compare them to previous years' games. A lot 
has changed for these young players, but they are no less popular with 
their fans and no less important to the success and prominence of the 
academic institutions they represent.
  For a while now, I have been joined by other members of the Commerce 
Committee as we have tried to resolve the tension that exists between 
the NCAA and college sports stars over a student athlete's right to 
earn compensation for the use of their name, image, or likeness. This 
is called the NIL issue.
  Last week, Senator Wicker, who is chairman of the Commerce Committee, 
introduced the Collegiate Athlete and Compensation Rights Act, which 
would finally create a uniform national framework to allow student 
athletes to receive that compensation without the risk of losing their 
amateur status and without falling into traps set by dishonest outside 
parties looking to exploit their fame.
  Normally, we don't make too much hay over a bill introduction, but 
just getting everyone to the table is a first step that student 
athletes have wanted to see happen for a while. And I thank Chairman 
Wicker and Senator Moran for backing this legislation.
  I do want to point out that the reason the Senate has stepped in is 
because the NCAA just never could get around to addressing this issue. 
They kept kicking the can down the road. They kept sending it to one 
committee and to another committee, and the NCAA has shown very little 
determination to solve this issue for these young athletes. Because the 
leadership at the NCAA has proven unable and has shown an inability to 
address this, we have stepped up to address this issue. Our student 
athletes deserve more respect than they have been shown by the NCAA.
  (Mr. BOOZMAN assumed the Chair.)