Press Releases

Today, Congressional Black Caucus Chair Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09) and members of the Congressional Black Caucus issued the following statement:

“For months, the Congressional Black Caucus has made clear its opposition to the Senate advancing the Protect College Sports Act in its current form. This debate has always been about more than college athletics. At its core, it is about whether Black athletes, coaches, agents, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and the communities that helped build college sports into a multibillion-dollar enterprise will have a meaningful voice in shaping the industry and the economic futures of Black athletes.

“Months ago, we urged the Senate to pause consideration of this legislation until our substantive issues were addressed and until college athletics leaders engaged with us about the attacks on Black political representation. To date, there has been no meaningful engagement with the CBC from the Senate on this legislation, nor have college athletics leaders meaningfully engaged with us on the critical issues of civic engagement and Black political representation.

“The legislation passed by the Senate fails to provide student-athletes with employment rights, includes antitrust provisions that restrict student-athletes’ ability to bring private legal action when disputes arise, and fails to guarantee funding for HBCUs, among other significant shortcomings.

“The CBC has also made clear that Congress should not provide federal protections and legal certainty to powerful athletic institutions while those same institutions remain largely silent as Black voting rights and Black political representation face unprecedented attacks.

“The Protect College Sports Act in its current form fails the communities we represent. The CBC has consistently called for legislation that strengthens athlete protections, increases transparency and accountability, ensures meaningful representation in the governance of college athletics, and expands—not limits—opportunities for Black athletes, Black coaches, Black agents, Black entrepreneurs, and HBCUs.

“The CBC will continue to oppose this legislation in its current form and will continue to advocate for a college athletics system that protects athletes, respects their rights, invests in HBCUs, and ensures that the communities that built this industry have a meaningful voice in its future.”