Why Did Congress Delay the Shocking $5 Billion College Athlete Compensation Bill? You Won't Believe the Fallout!

WASHINGTON — In a significant development for college athletics, the U.S. House GOP leadership unexpectedly pulled a bill from the schedule that aimed to create a national framework for compensating college athletes. The legislation, known as the Student Compensation and Opportunity through Rights and Endorsements, or “SCORE” Act, sought to bar student-athletes from being classified as employees and would have granted broad antitrust immunity to the NCAA and various college sports conferences.

The bill, which had initially been slated for discussion, was postponed without explanation, a move that has raised eyebrows among lawmakers and advocates alike. Majority Whip Tom Emmer's office announced the postponement in the afternoon, aligning with a common practice in Congress where reasons for cancellations are often not disclosed.

Leading the sponsorship of the SCORE Act are GOP Rep. Gus Bilirakis of Florida and Democratic Reps. Janelle Bynum of Oregon and Shomari Figures of Alabama. They are joined by several Republican co-sponsors, including House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Brett Guthrie of Kentucky and Education and Workforce Committee Chair Tim Walberg of Michigan. Other notable Republican supporters include Reps. Jim Jordan of Ohio, Lisa McClain of Michigan, Scott Fitzgerald of Wisconsin, and Russell Fry of South Carolina.

Bipartisan Opposition and Concerns

While the bill has garnered considerable support within the Republican Party, it has also faced bipartisan backlash, particularly from Democrats. Critics argue that the SCORE Act would erode student-athletes' rights, granting the NCAA "unchecked authority" without adequate protections for the athletes themselves. Concerns have been raised that the legislation does not prioritize the best interests of the athletes it aims to regulate.

Some Republican legislators have also voiced their discontent. Texas Rep. Chip Roy referred to the proposed legislation as a “Band-Aid on a gunshot wound” during a House Rules Committee hearing on Monday. Roy, along with fellow members of the House Freedom Caucus—Byron Donalds of Florida and Scott Perry of Pennsylvania—joined Democrats in voting against the rule governing the floor debate. Despite this division within the GOP, the rule was still adopted narrowly, with a vote count of 210-209.

The SCORE Act had previously made its way through the House Energy and Commerce and Education and Workforce committees in July, indicating some level of traction in Congress. However, the ongoing debate over student-athlete compensation has been ignited by the NCAA's 2021 guidelines, which allow athletes to profit from their name, image, and likeness (NIL). The current landscape remains tumultuous, characterized by a patchwork of state laws and no overarching federal regulation on NIL.

Adding to the complexity, a federal judge recently approved terms of a nearly $2.8 billion antitrust settlement that allows schools to directly compensate athletes, thus further complicating the legislative landscape surrounding college sports.

Competing Legislation in the Senate

The SCORE Act now faces an uphill battle in the Senate, where Democratic senators Maria Cantwell of Washington, Cory Booker of New Jersey, and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut have introduced their own competing legislation. Known as the Student Athlete Fairness and Enforcement Act, or “SAFE Act,” this proposal aims to provide all athletes with comprehensive NIL rights while establishing uniform health and safety standards, protecting scholarships, and mandating that agents register with the state and adhere to clear contract requirements, including a 5 percent cap on agent fees.

This ongoing tug-of-war over college athlete compensation speaks to larger issues within the realm of college sports and the rights of student-athletes. As the landscape evolves, it remains clear that lawmakers will have to navigate these competing interests carefully to ensure that any new legislation addresses the multitude of challenges facing college athletes today.