Five years into their fruitless lobbying effort for congressional legislation, a college athletics bill is now one step away from a vote from a full chamber of the United States Congress.
Members of the House Committee on Education and the Work Force voted Thursday along party lines, 23-16, to advance a Republican-backed bill dubbed “Protecting Student Athletes' Economic Freedom Act.” The narrowly focused, four-page bill exempts college athletes from being deemed employees — one of the most essential requests from NCAA and conference leaders who wish to avoid an athlete employment model.