College sports are a unique and positive part of American culture that demonstrate the talent, skills and creativity of American students-athletes. These sports also provide a route for higher education for young men and women, many of which are the first to go to college in their families.
Despite this monumental role in our society, college athletics faces an uncertain future. Name, image, and equality (NIL) rights have been greatly benefited for students-athletes, but NIL has also created an environment where laws that separate between states are pioneers for unexpected results and chaos for students-athletes and schools.
As a result of inconsistent rules, athletes are forced to navigate competition standards and restrictions based on their school location. As we have seen over the years, court decisions, legal settlements and executive orders cannot provide a comprehensive, permanent solution to this problem. The Congress alone can make a clear and consistent standard to stabilize the college game and can ensure that future educational and athletics opportunities are available for students athletes.
There itself Student compensation and opportunity through the Rights and Endorsments Act (Score) Act Comes in. The Score Act College protects the educational mission of athletics and, for the first time in the history of our country, establishes a federal bill rights for college athletes, in which uniform rights, security from hunter agents, opportunities to share direct sharing in the revenue of the athletic department, degree closing and health care as well as guarantee of health care, as well as guarantee of health care, for not-day.
The Score Act also symbolizes and continues the historical commitment of colleges and universities for women and Olympic Games through several provisions, including a requirement that institutions sponsor at least 16 Versity Sports programs and a provision that allows a new governing unit to allow a new physics to be overseen.
According to the most recent education department athletics data, the four largest athletic conferences alone spent more than $ 2.3 billion on the game in addition to basketball and football in the financial year 2024 alone. This ongoing commitment has produced extraordinary opportunities and results for American students-athletes with 381 American Olympians from 60 institutes participating in 2024 Paris Games. Of those 381 Olympic athletes, 219 were medalists. The Score Act will ensure that the legacy of the Olympic Games of the US continues not only, but also flourishes.
I was blessed to spend 12 years in the American House and Senate and it can be difficult to find a common ground by recognizing our polarized climate. But, we should always remember, it is the art of making good law. As a former Democratic MP, I believe the Score Act today addresses the biggest challenges in front of the college athletics and aligns with the values of our party – reward for fairness, opportunity and hard work.
Now it is a moment for the Congress to work to pass historical rights and benefits for college athletes across the nation. The Score Act moves biased division and wants to restore stability to a specific American system that educates and develops the youth of our country and unite our communities. My message to Congress: Let’s score a touchdown for college game in America and complete it.
Joe Donley represented Indiana in the Congress as a Democrat from 2007 to 2013 and as a member of the US Senate from 2013 to 2019.
