Commission on the Future of College Athletics

(a) Commission on the Future of College Athletics (1) In general There is established within the legislative branch a commission, to be known as the Congressional Commission on the Future of College Athletics (referred to in this section as the Commission), for the purpose of providing recommendations on the future of college athletics. (2) Purpose The purpose of the commission is to provide recommendations for the future of college athletics. (b) Membership (1) Composition Subject to paragraph (2), the Commission shall be composed of 20 24 members, of whom— (A) 4 members shall be appointed by the chair of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, Transportation of the Senate, in consultation with 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; (B) 4 members shall be appointed by the ranking member of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, in consultation with 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; (C) 4 members shall be appointed by the chair of the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives, in consultation with 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; (D) 4 members shall be appointed by the ranking member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives, in consultation with 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; (E) 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; (F) 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; (G) 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; and (H) 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; (I) 1 member shall be a representative of a historically Black college or university, appointed by the majority leader of the Senate; (J) 1 member shall be a representative of a historically Black college or university, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; (K) 1 member shall be a representative of a mid-sized conference, appointed by the majority leader of the Senate; and (L) 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, 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; 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. 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 consideration of the positive and negative implications associated with a collective bargaining structure and employment status for student athletes; (B) protecting and preserving athletic opportunities for student athletes, particularly in non-revenue generating, women’s, and Olympic sports intercollegiate athletic programs; (C) whether any intercollegiate sport should be subject to spending or cost limitations; (D) whether to eliminate, extend, or change the Pool Benefits Limit set forth revenue share cap and retention fund described in section 114(a)(2), including consideration of the Injunctive Relief Settlement Agreement as approved or amended by calculation of the court revenue share cap and additional categories of revenue that should be included in In Re College Athlete NIL Legislation, No. 20–cv–03919 (N.D. Cal. June 6, 2025); such calculation; (E) compliance with endorsement contract reporting requirements established by an athletic association or a conference; (F) adequacy of health health, wellness, and safety standards established pursuant to this title and compliance with those standards by institutions; institutions, including a review of violations of this title, student athlete injuries, student athlete deaths, the adequacy of the independent reporting structure of the athletic health and safety officers, and the independence of medical personnel decisions, and consideration of options for additional health, wellness, and safety standards and increased oversight (including by a third-party oversight organization) to improve compliance and enforcement of health, wellness, and safety standards; (G) the adequacy of the athlete agent provisions of this title; (H) the extent to which student athletes experience abuse or mistreatment and measures that could protect student athletes from such abuse or mistreatment, including consideration of options for greater oversight (including by a third-party oversight organization) to reduce instances of abuse and mistreatment; (I) the benefits of the intercollegiate athletic system, including consideration of how the balance of education and athletics impacts the life skills, educational opportunities, leadership skills, character development, and personal growth of the student athlete; (J) within the Student Athlete Retention Council established under subsection (e), whether the retention fund exception under section 114(a)(2)(A) should be adjusted after the date of the enactment of this Act, and (J) if so, the amount of annual compensation that should be subject to the retention fund exception; (K) the opportunities and drawbacks with providing student athletes a method to derive long term financial stability through financial interest in the value of a collegiate athletic program; and (L) any other recommendations regarding intercollegiate athletics. (2) To draft a joint resolution of approval under subsection (i) (j) that provides for implementation of the Commission’s recommendation of the Commission on whether to eliminate, raise, or lower the Pool Benefits Limit in section 114(a). (3) Not later than 30 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, to submit a preliminary report on the Commission’s findings related to matters under paragraph (1) to— (A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate; (B) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives; and (C) the President. (4) Not later than 5 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, to submit a report on the activities of the Commission, including recommendations for such legislative action as the Commission considers appropriate appropriate, to— (A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate; (B) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives; and (C) the President. (e) Student Athlete Retention Council (1) In general There is established within the Commission a council, to be known as the Student Athlete Retention Council, for the purposes of providing recommendations pursuant to subsection (d)(1)(J) on the future of the retention fund exception under section 114(a)(2)(A). (2) Membership The Student Athlete Retention Council shall be composed of 16 members, of whom— (A) 8 shall be representatives of Division I institutions, with not more than one institution coming from the same conference; and (B) 8 shall be student athletes elected by all Division I student athletes. (3) Authority The Student Athlete Retention Council may sit and act at such times and places as necessary for the purpose of providing recommendations specified in subsection (d)(1)(J). (f) Quorum Ten Twelve members of the Commission, of which 3 5 members shall be current or former student athletes, shall constitute a quorum. (f) (g) Initial meeting The Commission shall hold an initial meeting not later than 30 days after the date on which a sufficient number of members have been appointed under subsection (b) to constitute a quorum pursuant to subsection (e). (g) (f). (h) Public hearings The Commission shall hold 1 or more public hearings. (h) (i) Status The Commission is not an agency (as defined in section 551 of title 5, United States Code). (i) (j) Joint resolution Any Member of Congress may introduce a joint resolution for consideration to adopt any of the recommendations of the Commission, in whole or in part, including any recommendations from the Commission on whether to eliminate, raise, or lower the Pool Benefits Limit. (j) (k) Termination The Commission shall terminate 90 days after the date on which the Commission submits the report required by this section. (k) (l) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to the Commission such sums as may be necessary in any fiscal year, half of which shall be derived from the applicable account of the House of Representatives and half of which shall be derived from the contingent fund of the Senate.