Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) and Representative Michael Baumgartner (R-Wash.) have voiced strong opposition to the Student Compensation and Opportunity through Rights and Endorsements (SCORE) Act. They urged the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade to delay its scheduled markup of the bill.
Sen. Cantwell stated, “If you thought the dissolution of the Pac-12 was a heist, the SCORE Act is the National Championship of all heists. This legislation is a power grab by the two biggest conferences that will leave athletes, coaches, and small and mid-sized institutions behind.”
Rep. Baumgartner added his concerns: “In its current form, the SCORE Act fails to protect what makes college sports special. It puts student-athletes at risk by empowering the wealthiest programs to poach talent and control the system.” He emphasized that smaller schools like Washington State University, Gonzaga University, and Eastern Washington University need protection for their future in college athletics.
In a letter addressed to subcommittee Chairman Gus Bilirakis and Ranking Member Jan Schakowsky, Sen. Cantwell and Rep. Baumgartner outlined six areas needing improvement in the SCORE Act:
1. Policies to increase revenue for small and mid-sized schools as well as women’s and Olympic sports.
2. Giving college athletes a voice in policy-making processes.
3. Addressing inequities from the House v. NCAA settlement concerning women’s athletics.
4. Tackling budgetary issues faced by smaller schools.
5. Ensuring health and safety protections for athletes.
6. Establishing a commission focused on the future of college athletics.
Their letter concluded with an appeal for Congress to consider long-term impacts on college sports across various institutions nationwide.
