Floor SpeechNeutral2026-08-07

Text of Senate Amendment 6762

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Context

On 2026-08-07, Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) delivered a floor speech titled "Text Of Senate Amendment 6762" in the Senate.

Full Text

Text of Senate Amendment 6762

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 130 (Friday, August 7, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 130 (Friday, August 7, 2026)] [Senate] [Pages S4584-S4585] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] SA 6762. Mr. CASSIDY 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: Beginning on page 85, strike line 2 and all that follows through page 89, line 17, and insert the following: ``the Commission shall be composed of 40 members, of whom-- (A) 4 members shall be appointed by the chair of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, of which at least 1 member shall be a student athlete or former student athlete; (B) 4 members shall be appointed by the ranking member of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, of which at least 1 member shall be a student athlete or former student athlete; (C) 4 members shall be appointed by the chair of the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives, of which at least 1 member shall be a student athlete or former student athlete; (D) 4 members shall be appointed by the ranking member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives, of which at least 1 member shall be a student athlete or former student athlete; (E) 4 members shall be appointed by the chair of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate, of which at least 1 member shall be a student athlete or former student athlete; (F) 4 members shall be appointed by the ranking member of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate, of which at least 1 member shall be a student athlete or former student athlete; (G) 4 members shall be appointed by the chair of the Committee on Education and Workforce of the House of Representatives, of which at least 1 member shall be a student athlete or former student athlete; (H) 4 members shall be appointed by the ranking member of the Committee on Education and Workforce of the House of Representatives, of which at least 1 member shall be a student athlete or former student athlete; (I) 1 member shall be a current or former student athlete appointed by the majority leader of the Senate, in consultation with the chair of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the chair of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate; (J) 1 member shall be a current or former student athlete appointed by the minority leader of the Senate, in consultation with the ranking member of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the ranking member of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate; (K) 1 member shall be a current or former student athlete appointed by Speaker of the House of Representatives, in consultation with the chair of the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives and the chair of the Committee on Education and Workforce of the House of Representatives; (L) 1 member shall be a current or former student athlete appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives, in consultation with the ranking member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives and the ranking member of the Committee on Education and Workforce of the House of Representatives; (M) 1 member shall be a representative of a historically Black college or university, appointed by the majority leader of the Senate; [[Page S4585]] (N) 1 member shall be a representative of a historically Black college or university, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; (O) 1 member shall be a representative of a mid-sized conference, appointed by the majority leader of the Senate; and (P) 1 member shall be a representative of a mid-sized conference, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives. (2) Requirements.--Members of the Commission shall be individuals who are nationally recognized for expertise, knowledge, or experience in matters related to college athletics, university administration, sports law, labor law, athlete welfare, sports economics, health care, or sports medicine. (3) Co-chairs, executive director, and staff.-- (A) Co-chairs.--The Commission shall have 2 co-chairs, of whom-- (i) 1 co-chair shall be a member selected by the majority party; and (ii) 1 co-chair shall be a member selected by the minority party. (B) Executive director and staff.--The co-chairs of the Commission shall appoint an executive director of the Commission and such staff as appropriate, with compensation. (4) Historically black college or university defined.--In this subsection, the term ``historically Black college or university'' has the meaning given the term ``part B institution'' in section 322 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061). (5) Mid-sized conference defined.--In this subsection, the term ``mid-sized conference'' means any conference that has generated less than $500,000,000 in total annual revenue during the preceding academic year. (c) Authority.--The Commission may, for the purpose of carrying out the duties of the Commission-- (1) hold such hearings and sit and act at such times and places, take such testimony, receive such evidence, and administer such oaths as the Commission considers relevant to the purpose of the Commission; and (2) require, by subpoena issued upon a majority vote of the Commission, the attendance and testimony of such witnesses and the production of such books, records, correspondence, memoranda, papers, and documents as the Commission considers relevant to the purpose of the Commission, provided that the Commission shall take such action as may be necessary and appropriate to preserve the confidentiality of trade secrets or other confidential information of conferences, intercollegiate athletic associations, institutions, or other entities the Commission deems appropriate. (d) Duties.--The duties of the Commission are as follows: (1) To study and develop recommendations regarding-- (A) an alternative structure for providing compensation for student athletes, including-- (i) consideration of the positive and negative implications associated with a collective bargaining structure and employment status for student athletes; and (ii) consideration of the opportunities, legal barriers, and regulatory barriers of institutions providing student athletes non-cash compensation, such as equity in an athletic program or team for which the student athlete competes, through the revenue share cap and retention fund amount described in section 114, including by considering how such non-cash compensation may promote the long-term financial stability of student athletes and the sustainability of athletic programs; ______

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Text of Senate Amendment 6762 Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 130 (Friday, August 7, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 130 (Friday, August 7, 2026)] [Senate] [Pages S4584-S4585] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] SA 6762. Mr. CASSIDY 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: Beginning on page 85, strike line 2 and all that follows through page 89, line 17, and insert the following: ``the Commission shall be composed of 40 members, of whom-- (A) 4 members shall be appointed by the chair of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, of which at least 1 member shall be a student athlete or former student athlete; (B) 4 members shall be appointed by the ranking member of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, of which at least 1 member shall be a student athlete or former student athlete; (C) 4 members shall be appointed by the chair of the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives, of which at least 1 member shall be a student athlete or former student athlete; (D) 4 members shall be appointed by the ranking member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives, of which at least 1 member shall be a student athlete or former student athlete; (E) 4 members shall be appointed by the chair of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate, of which at least 1 member shall be a student athlete or former student athlete; (F) 4 members shall be appointed by the ranking member of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate, of which at least 1 member shall be a student athlete or former student athlete; (G) 4 members shall be appointed by the chair of the Committee on Education and Workforce of the House of Representatives, of which at least 1 member shall be a student athlete or former student athlete; (H) 4 members shall be appointed by the ranking member of the Committee on Education and Workforce of the House of Representatives, of which at least 1 member shall be a student athlete or former student athlete; (I) 1 member shall be a current or former student athlete appointed by the majority leader of the Senate, in consultation with the chair of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the chair of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate; (J) 1 member shall be a current or former student athlete appointed by the minority leader of the Senate, in consultation with the ranking member of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the ranking member of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate; (K) 1 member shall be a current or former student athlete appointed by Speaker of the House of Representatives, in consultation with the chair of the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives and the chair of the Committee on Education and Workforce of the House of Representatives; (L) 1 member shall be a current or former student athlete appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives, in consultation with the ranking member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives and the ranking member of the Committee on Education and Workforce of the House of Representatives; (M) 1 member shall be a representative of a historically Black college or university, appointed by the majority leader of the Senate; [[Page S4585]] (N) 1 member shall be a representative of a historically Black college or university, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; (O) 1 member shall be a representative of a mid-sized conference, appointed by the majority leader of the Senate; and (P) 1 member shall be a representative of a mid-sized conference, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives. (2) Requirements.--Members of the Commission shall be individuals who are nationally recognized for expertise, knowledge, or experience in matters related to college athletics, university administration, sports law, labor law, athlete welfare, sports economics, health care, or sports medicine. (3) Co-chairs, executive director, and staff.-- (A) Co-chairs.--The Commission shall have 2 co-chairs, of whom-- (i) 1 co-chair shall be a member selected by the majority party; and (ii) 1 co-chair shall be a member selected by the minority party. (B) Executive director and staff.--The co-chairs of the Commission shall appoint an executive director of the Commission and such staff as appropriate, with compensation. (4) Historically black college or university defined.--In this subsection, the term ``historically Black college or university'' has the meaning given the term ``part B institution'' in section 322 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061). (5) Mid-sized conference defined.--In this subsection, the term ``mid-sized conference'' means any conference that has generated less than $500,000,000 in total annual revenue during the preceding academic year. (c) Authority.--The Commission may, for the purpose of carrying out the duties of the Commission-- (1) hold such hearings and sit and act at such times and places, take such testimony, receive such evidence, and administer such oaths as the Commission considers relevant to the purpose of the Commission; and (2) require, by subpoena issued upon a majority vote of the Commission, the attendance and testimony of such witnesses and the production of such books, records, correspondence, memoranda, papers, and documents as the Commission considers relevant to the purpose of the Commission, provided that the Commission shall take such action as may be necessary and appropriate to preserve the confidentiality of trade secrets or other confidential information of conferences, intercollegiate athletic associations, institutions, or other entities the Commission deems appropriate. (d) Duties.--The duties of the Commission are as follows: (1) To study and develop recommendations regarding-- (A) an alternative structure for providing compensation for student athletes, including-- (i) consideration of the positive and negative implications associated with a collective bargaining structure and employment status for student athletes; and (ii) consideration of the opportunities, legal barriers, and regulatory barriers of institutions providing student athletes non-cash compensation, such as equity in an athletic program or team for which the student athlete competes, through the revenue share cap and retention fund amount described in section 114, including by considering how such non-cash compensation may promote the long-term financial stability of student athletes and the sustainability of athletic programs; ______