Senator Bill Cassidy, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, delivered remarks on Mar. 26 during a committee hearing focused on reforming college athletics to better protect student-athletes and promote their success.
The issue is significant as changes in college sports have led to new challenges for student-athletes. The hearing addressed concerns about financial exploitation and the long-term well-being of students who participate in collegiate athletics. The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee works to legislate on public health, education, workforce issues and retirement programs with the goal of protecting health and supporting worker rights, according to the official website.
Cassidy said that while paying student-athletes is a positive development—"Student-athletes are getting paid above the table, sharing in the universities’ profit"—there are risks: "People are preying upon young athletes... leaving them without a degree...and without that long term prospect for achieving the American dream." He emphasized that most student-athletes will not play professionally: "More than 98% may lose their opportunity to achieve the American dream." Cassidy also highlighted economic aspects of college sports: "LSU home football games bring in millions of dollars to Baton Rouge...Economic impact all over the place!"
He warned about possible consequences if reforms do not occur: "Title IX violations are very likely if we don’t change course...schools will cut non-revenue sports and as a result cut off hundreds of thousands of young people’s chance to go to college." Cassidy called for solutions that protect student-athletes as students rather than just athletes.
In this session he reiterated his commitment by saying: "Let’s bring stability so students and institutions can navigate without unnecessary burden or costs. Let’s get off the sidelines!" In addition to legislative hearings like this one chaired by Cassidy in the 119th Congress according to the official website, he has led roundtable discussions with other senators and experts on these topics.
The HELP Committee influences federal regulations affecting health and education across the United States according to its official website. It also provides oversight for federal laws related to health and labor policy decisions as noted by its official site. The committee oversees agencies such as FDA and NIH while focusing broadly on policies within health, education, labor sectors according to information from its website.
