Text of Senate Amendment 6794

On 2026-09-17, Senator Christopher Murphy (D-CT) delivered a floor speech titled "Text Of Senate Amendment 6794" in the Senate.

Text of Senate Amendment 6794

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 147 (Thursday, September 17, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 147 (Thursday, September 17, 2026)] [Senate] [Pages S4835-S4836] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] SA 6794. Mr. MURPHY (for himself and Mr. Booker) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4668, to protect the name, image, and likeness rights of, and provide protections for, student athletes and to promote fair competition among intercollegiate athletics, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows: Strike section 107(b) and insert the following: (b) Mandatory Independent Investigation of Sexual Assault, Abuse, and Misconduct.-- (1) In general.--Each institution, conference, and intercollegiate athletic association shall-- [[Page S4836]] (A) establish, maintain, and enforce written policies requiring that any report or allegation of sexual assault, sexual misconduct, sexual harassment, or physical abuse involving a student athlete be referred within 24 hours of receipt to-- (i) an independent investigator who is not employed by, and has no financial relationship with, the institution, conference, or intercollegiate athletic association against which the report is made; and (ii) the appropriate local law enforcement agency, unless the student athlete who is the subject of the alleged harm affirmatively declines such referral in writing after being informed of the referral requirement; (B) not permit any coach, athletic director, or employee of the athletic department of an institution to participate in, influence, or be notified of the specific factual findings of any investigation described in subparagraph (A) prior to completion of the investigation; (C) provide to any student athlete who reports sexual assault, sexual misconduct, sexual harassment, or physical abuse, at no cost-- (i) an independent, confidential victim advocate not employed by the athletic department or Title IX office of the relevant institution; (ii) access to a sexual assault forensic examination, including any forensic evidence collection kit; and (iii) written notification of rights under applicable Federal and State law, including the right to file a civil action; and (D) retain records of all reports, referrals, investigations, and outcomes under this paragraph for not less than 10 years and make such records available to the Office of the Student Athlete Ombudsman established under section 108 upon request. (2) Retaliation prohibited.--No institution, conference, intercollegiate athletic association, or agent thereof may take any adverse action against a student athlete who makes a report under paragraph (1). (3) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to limit the obligation of any institution to comply with title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. 1681 et seq.) or any applicable State law governing reporting of sexual assault or physical abuse. ______