Black Caucus Tanks College Name, Image, Likeness Bill

In bad news for a bipartisan college sports reform effort, the Congressional Black Caucus—a powerful faction in the Democratic Party—has turned on the SCORE Act, criticizing key stakeholders for “silence” on pro-Republican redistricting in the South.

“The Congressional Black Caucus cannot support legislation benefitting major athletic institutions that remain silent while Black voting rights and Black political power are being systematically dismantled throughout the South,” reads the caucus’ Tuesday morning statement.

The caucus is made up entirely of black Democrats in the House.

The SCORE Act is an attempt to establish a new system for student athletes to be compensated for their name, image, and likeness. 

The bill would prevent the athletes from being considered employees and require colleges to “provide comprehensive academic support and career counseling services” to their athletes.

On Tuesday morning, the House Rules Committee—a Republican leadership-controlled panel that prepares bills for consideration on the floor—announced it was delaying its markup of the bill. Republican leadership also pulled the bill from its weekly schedule.

After the Louisiana v. Callais Supreme Court ruling, which has removed the legal requirement for Republican state governments in the South to maintain majority-black congressional districts, the caucus says it’s turning on the bill due to “silence” on the court decision.

The letter includes zero demands of lawmakers, nor does it request changes to the bill itself, instead directing its ire at leadership in the world of college athletics.

“Too many leaders across college athletics have chosen silence,” reads the caucus’ announcement.

So far, Tennessee has redistricted so as to disadvantage its sole Democrat representative, the Louisiana Legislature has advanced pro-Republican redistricting, and South Carolina will likely redraw its only Democrat district pending action from its governor and Legislature.

These efforts threaten not only Democrat numbers in the House, but the power of the Congressional Black Caucus within the Democratic Party.

The caucus adds that it has sent letters to the heads of the Southeastern Conference, the Atlantic Coast Conference, and the National Collegiate Athletic Association, “demanding immediate engagement and a public response regarding the ongoing assault on Black political representation.”

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