Original Broadcaster Captioning (Enhanced). Treat it as a searchable index of what was broadcast, not a quotation record.
00:00:01FIGHT FOR THEM. AND SO THAT'S HOW I GOT HERE. >> WHO DO YOU WORK WITH.
00:00:04>> AT HUMAN FIRST? >> I WORK WITH A NUMBER OF
00:00:07CONSERVATIVES. UM, AND WE ARE
00:00:11ALL IN ON THIS FIGHT. THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT I'VE WORKED WITH IN
00:00:13THE TEA PARTY MOVEMENT, AND I'M
00:00:15EXCITED TO BE HERE WITH THEM.
00:00:18>> OUTSIDE OF, UM, YOU KNOW,
00:00:21KIND OF THE PUTTING TWO TOGETHER BETWEEN THE DATA CENTERS AND THE
00:00:24AI. I MEAN, WHAT ARE YOUR, WHAT
00:00:27DO YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL CONCERNS ABOUT THE ROLE OF AI,
00:00:30PARTICULARLY AFTER WE'VE HEARD IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS, TECH
00:00:34COMPANIES, OWN OWNERS CALLING FOR MORE REGULATION, TALKING
00:00:37ABOUT THE END OF HUMANITY. >> SO THIS IS NOTHING NEW TO, TO
00:00:41ME, I THINK THE STORY IS THAT IT'S ACTUALLY OUT.
00:00:44>> THE SENATE HAS BEEN IN RECESS, BUT IS NOW GAVELING BACK
00:00:47INTO SESSION. WE TAKE YOU THERE,
00:00:49LIVE HERE ON C-SPAN, TWO.
00:00:52>> COLLEAGUES, EFFORTS TO JAM THROUGH THE CLARITY ACT. I
00:00:56BELIEVE WE CAN GET CRYPTO
00:00:58LEGISLATION THAT BOTH REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS CAN
00:01:01AGREE ON, BUT NOT THIS BILL.
00:01:03THIS BILL POSES A MASSIVE RISK
00:01:07TO FAMILIES, TO OUR ECONOMY, AND
00:01:10TO OUR NATIONAL SECURITY. WE
00:01:14NEED CRYPTO LEGISLATION THAT STOPS POLITICAL SELF-DEALING.
00:01:17AND I KNOW THAT MANY IN THE
00:01:18CRYPTO INDUSTRY AGREE WITH THAT.
00:01:22BUT THIS BILL WOULD TURBOCHARGE
00:01:24DONALD TRUMP'S UNPRECEDENTED CORRUPTION. DONALD TRUMP'S
00:01:28PRIMARY CAMPAIGN PROMISE WAS
00:01:30THAT HE WOULD LOWER PRICES BEGINNING ON DAY ONE. HIS
00:01:34PROMISE, HIS WORDS, INSTEAD,
00:01:39TRUMP'S TARIFFS, TRUMP'S FOREVER WAR, HALFWAY AROUND THE WORLD,
00:01:43TRUMP'S HEALTH CARE CUTS, TRUMP'S CLOSING, CHEAPER CLEAN
00:01:46ENERGY, TRUMP POLICIES ARE
00:01:48BOOSTING THE COSTS OF EVERYTHING
00:01:51FROM GROCERIES TO GAS, TO HEALTH
00:01:54CARE TO UTILITIES. THEY ARE ALL
00:01:56GOING UP, UP, UP. AND WHILE
00:02:00DONALD TRUMP IS RAISING COSTS
00:02:01FOR WORKING PEOPLE, TRUMP IS
00:02:05ALSO USING THE PRESIDENCY TO
00:02:07MAKE HIMSELF RICHER. AND HE'S
00:02:09ADDED CRYPTO TO HIS WAYS TO CASH
00:02:12IN INSTEAD OF DOUBLING DOWN ON
00:02:17EFFORTS TO PROSECUTE CRYPTO SCAMS AND TO BLOCK TERRORISTS
00:02:20AND DRUG TRAFFICKERS FROM USING
00:02:23CRYPTO, DONALD TRUMP HAS USED
00:02:26HIS OFFICE TO PROMOTE CRYPTO.
00:02:28HE'S TALKED UP CRYPTO. HE'S
00:02:30HELD A CRYPTO CONTEST, WITH THE PRIZE BEING DINNER WITH THE
00:02:34PRESIDENT. AND HE IS APPOINTED
00:02:36CRYPTO FRIENDLY REGULATORS. AND
00:02:39THE MONEY HAS JUST ROLLED IN FOR
00:02:42HIM. SHORTLY BEFORE HE WAS SWORN
00:02:44IN AS PRESIDENT, THE SECOND TIME
00:02:47TRUMP OPENED HIS OWN CRYPTO
00:02:50BUSINESS. AND BOY, WHAT A LAUNCH
00:02:52THAT MAN HAD AS HE TALKED UP
00:02:56CRYPTO. THE MONEY JUST KEPT
00:02:58ROLLING IN. IN 2025 ALONE, TRUMP
00:03:03AND HIS FAMILY RAKED IN $1.4
00:03:05BILLION FROM THEIR CRYPTO
00:03:08VENTURES. IN FACT, DONALD TRUMP
00:03:10MADE MORE FROM CRYPTO LAST YEAR
00:03:15THAN ANY PUBLICLY TRADED CRYPTO
00:03:18COMPANY IN AMERICA. THERE IS NO
00:03:21ONE WHO HAS MORE TO GAIN
00:03:23PERSONALLY FROM THIS BILL THAN
00:03:25THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
00:03:28STATES. OKAY, SO TRUMP WON BIG
00:03:30TIME ON CRYPTO, WHO LOST THE
00:03:35WORKING PEOPLE, WHO FOLLOWED
00:03:37THEIR LEADER, PEOPLE WHO BOUGHT
00:03:39INTO TRUMP'S CRYPTO VENTURES HAVE LOST BILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
00:03:43FOR EXAMPLE, THE FANS WHO BOUGHT
00:03:47TRUMP'S MEME COINS HAVE LOST
00:03:50NEARLY $4 BILLION. AND TRUMP
00:03:52JUST KEEPS PUMPING. THE CRYPTO
00:03:54INDUSTRY. HE HAS DISBANDED THE
00:03:57DOJ'S CRYPTO ENFORCEMENT TEAM.
00:03:59HE HAS DROPPED CRYPTO
00:04:02ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS AGAINST COMPANIES THAT DONATED MILLIONS
00:04:05OF DOLLARS TO HIS CAMPAIGN. AND
00:04:07HE HAS GIVEN MULTIPLE
00:04:10PRESIDENTIAL PARDONS FOR CRYPTO
00:04:13EXECUTIVES CONVICTED OF SERIOUS
00:04:16CRIMES. TRUMP'S CORRUPTION IS SO
00:04:19EXTENSIVE THAT HE HAS INFECTED
00:04:24CRYPTO'S ENTIRE FINANCIAL,
00:04:27REGULATORY FRAMEWORK. NOW,
00:04:28REPUBLICANS ARE NOT ONLY TURNING A BLIND EYE TO TRUMP'S
00:04:32CORRUPTION, NOW, THEY WANT TO
00:04:33VOTE TODAY TO BOOST THAT
00:04:36CORRUPTION LATE ON SUNDAY NIGHT,
00:04:42THE REPUBLICANS RELEASED A NEW ETHICS PROVISION THAT THE
00:04:45REPUBLICANS NEGOTIATED WITH THE
00:04:46WHITE HOUSE. THEY READ EXACTLY
00:04:49LIKE WHAT THE MOST CORRUPT
00:04:51PRESIDENT IN OUR HISTORY WOULD
00:04:54BLESS. A TINY LITTLE FIG LEAF
00:04:58THAT CLAIMS THEY'RE DOING SOMETHING ABOUT CORRUPTION. BUT
00:05:00THAT IS CAREFULLY WRITTEN TO
00:05:03MAKE SURE THAT IT WILL NOT PREVENT DONALD TRUMP FROM MAKING
00:05:07HIS NEXT $1.4 BILLION IN CRYPTO
00:05:12PROFITS. FIRST, THE NEW TEXT
00:05:15GUARANTEES THAT DONALD TRUMP WILL NEVER, EVER BE HELD
00:05:19ACCOUNTABLE UNDER THE LAW. WHY?
00:05:21BECAUSE TRUMP'S LAPDOGS WOULD
00:05:24HAVE THE POWER TO SHUT DOWN ANY
00:05:27ENFORCEMENT OF THE ETHICS
00:05:29PROVISIONS AGAINST DONALD TRUMP,
00:05:31THE TEXT SAYS. THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, YOU KNOW, THAT IS THE
00:05:35GUY WHO, AT HIS CONFIRMATION
00:05:37HEARING, SAID, QUOTE, I AM
00:05:40TRUMP'S LAWYER, NOT AMERICA'S
00:05:43LAWYER. TRUMP'S LAWYER. THIS IS THE GUY WHO WOULD DECIDE WHETHER
00:05:46TO BRING AN ENFORCEMENT ACTION
00:05:49AGAINST THE PRESIDENT. THE BILL WOULD NOT ALLOW STATE ATTORNEYS
00:05:53GENERAL TO BRING ANY ENFORCEMENT
00:05:56ACTIONS AGAINST THE PRESIDENT. ALL THEY COULD DO IS TRY TO SUE
00:06:00TRUMP'S FORMER PERSONAL LAWYER, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, TO DO
00:06:04SOMETHING ABOUT IT. AND HERE'S
00:06:08THE KICKER. NOBODY THINKS THAT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL IS GOING TO
00:06:12BRING AN ACTION AGAINST DONALD
00:06:14TRUMP. BUT THIS BILL HAS BELT
00:06:17AND SUSPENDERS BUILT RIGHT IN TO
00:06:19ENSURE THAT DONALD TRUMP'S MONEY MAKING SCHEMES. JUST KEEP RIGHT
00:06:23ON ROLLING. THE BILL SAYS THAT
00:06:28TRUMP'S HAND-PICKED CRONIES AT
00:06:30HIS OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT ETHICS
00:06:32CAN WAVE A MAGIC WAND BY ISSUING
00:06:36A LEGAL OPINION. AND THEN, AS IF
00:06:37BY MAGIC, DONALD TRUMP WOULD
00:06:41SUDDENLY BE PROTECTED FROM ANY
00:06:44ENFORCEMENT AT ALL AGAINST HIS
00:06:47NEXT ROUND OF CRYPTO CORRUPTION,
00:06:49AN ETHICS RESTRICTION THAT THE
00:06:53PRESIDENT HIMSELF CAN HAVE
00:06:58COMPLETELY WAIVED IS NOT AN ETHICS RESTRICTION. NOW, SECOND,
00:07:02EVEN IF THESE PROVISIONS WERE
00:07:04ENFORCEABLE, THERE ARE MASSIVE LOOPHOLES IN THEM THAT WOULD
00:07:08ALLOW TRUMP TO CONTINUE JUICING
00:07:10HIS CRYPTO EMPIRE. UNDER THE NEW
00:07:14TEXT, TRUMP WOULD BE ALLOWED TO
00:07:16CONTINUE MAKING HUNDREDS OF
00:07:19MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FROM HIS CRYPTO VENTURES, INCLUDING WORLD
00:07:23LIBERTY FINANCIAL AND HIS MEME
00:07:25COIN. NOT ONLY WOULD TRUMP
00:07:28EASILY BE ABLE TO KEEP OR
00:07:30RESTRUCTURE HIS EXISTING CRYPTO
00:07:32VENTURES, HE WOULD ALSO BE ABLE
00:07:37TO CREATE NEW ONES. EXTRA CORRUPTION, FOR EXAMPLE, THIS
00:07:41NEW TEXT DOES NOTHING TO STOP
00:07:43DONALD TRUMP FROM BECOMING THE
00:07:45FIRST PRESIDENT IN AMERICAN
00:07:48HISTORY TO OWN AND REGULATE HIS
00:07:50OWN BANK. AND LASTLY, TRUMP
00:07:53COULD JUST PUT HIS HOLDINGS IN A
00:07:55BLIND TRUST, IN NAME ONLY, WHILE
00:07:58STILL KNOWING EXACTLY WHAT ASSETS ARE THERE AND STILL IN
00:08:02CHARGE OF THE REGULATORS WHO CAN
00:08:05JUICE THE VALUE OF DONALD
00:08:07TRUMP'S CRYPTO INVESTMENTS.
00:08:10TRUMP HAS ALREADY MADE $1.4
00:08:12BILLION IN 2025 ALONE. AS A
00:08:16CRYPTO WHEELER DEALER, AND THE BILL THAT THE REPUBLICANS WANT
00:08:20TO VOTE ON TODAY WOULD MAKE SURE
00:08:22THAT HE CAN JUST KEEP RAKING IN
00:08:26THE DOUGH IT'S NOT JUST THE
00:08:29ETHICS PROVISIONS THAT ARE TERRIBLE. THIS BILL WOULD MAKE
00:08:33IT EASIER FOR TERRORIST
00:08:35ORGANIZATIONS, FOR DRUG CARTELS,
00:08:38AND FOR ROGUE STATES TO BUY AND SELL WEAPONS AND PAY OFF
00:08:42GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, ALL USING
00:08:45CRYPTO. EASIER FOR TERRORISTS TO
00:08:47FINANCE THEIR OPERATIONS, AND
00:08:50HARDER FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT TO
00:08:52CATCH THEM, EASIER FOR SCAMMERS
00:08:55TO CHEAT AMERICANS, AND HARDER
00:08:57FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT TO CATCH
00:09:00THEM. EASIER FOR IRAN AND NORTH
00:09:03KOREA TO EVADE SANCTIONS, AND
00:09:05HARDER FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT TO
00:09:08CATCH THEM. THIS BILL WOULD PUT
00:09:12US ALL AT RISK OF A CRYPTO
00:09:15FUELED ECONOMIC CRASH. THE
00:09:18CRYPTO BILL HAS BECOME A
00:09:21CHRISTMAS TREE WITH GIFTS FOR OTHER HIGH RISK SCAMMERS. THE
00:09:25BILL, FOR EXAMPLE, WOULD BLOW A
00:09:28MASSIVE HOLE IN OUR NEARLY
00:09:31CENTURY OLD SECURITIES LAWS BY ALLOWING AND ENCOURAGING COMPANIES THAT HAVE NOTHING TO
00:09:35DO WITH CRYPTO TO THROW THEIR
00:09:38ASSETS ON A BLOCKCHAIN TO ESCAPE
00:09:43THE INVESTOR PROTECTIONS THAT APPLY TO TRADITIONAL SECURITIES
00:09:46LIKE STOCKS. THE STOCK MARKET
00:09:48NOW THAT COULD DRAIN BILLIONS OF DOLLARS OUT OF OUR STOCK MARKET
00:09:52THAT FAMILIES DEPEND ON TO FUND
00:09:56THEIR RETIREMENT SAVINGS. AND IT COULD DECIMATE THE GUARDRAILS
00:09:59THAT WERE PUT IN PLACE AFTER THE
00:10:01GREAT DEPRESSION. IN FACT,
00:10:05UNIONS ARE OPPOSED TO THIS BILL, SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE THEY SEE IT
00:10:09AS PUTTING WORKERS HARD EARNED
00:10:12PENSIONS AT RISK. AND REALLY, YOU SHOULD JUST ASK YOURSELF,
00:10:16WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH
00:10:20CRYPTO? WHY ARE WE PUTTING
00:10:23PROVISIONS IN PLACE TO BLOW UP
00:10:25PROTECTIONS ON THE STOCK MARKET?
00:10:27BECAUSE A HANDFUL OF CRYPTO BROS
00:10:32WANTED THIS BILL WOULD GIVE
00:10:34BANKS A GREEN LIGHT TO USE.
00:10:36AMERICANS BANKING DEPOSITS TO
00:10:39ENGAGE IN A BRAND NEW LIST OF
00:10:42RISKY CRYPTO ACTIVITIES, LENDING
00:10:44AGAINST CRYPTO AS COLLATERAL,
00:10:47BUYING CRYPTO DIRECTLY TRADING
00:10:50CRYPTO DERIVATIVES, OPERATING
00:10:53BLOCKCHAIN NODES, SELLING CRYPTO
00:10:55SOFTWARE, THE LIST GOES ON AND ON. THINK ABOUT HOW THE PRICE OF
00:10:59CRYPTO SHOT UP AND DOWN AND UP
00:11:03AND DOWN IN JUST THE LAST COUPLE
00:11:04OF YEARS ALONE. AND THEN IMAGINE
00:11:08WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE BIGGEST
00:11:10BANKS IN AMERICA USE THE MONEY
00:11:13IN YOUR SAVINGS ACCOUNT TO LOAD
00:11:15UP ON THAT KIND OF CRYPTO. THE
00:11:21BILL ALSO BLOCKS STATES AND TRIBAL NATIONS FROM ENFORCING
00:11:23THEIR OWN LAWS ON THE BOOKS TO
00:11:25PROTECT THEIR CITIZENS FROM GETTING SCAMMED. THE PRESIDENT
00:11:29OF THE INDIAN GAMING ASSOCIATION
00:11:32CALLS THIS BILL, QUOTE, THE
00:11:40GREATEST THREAT TO TRIBAL SOVEREIGNTY IN A GENERATION. THIS IS NOT WHAT THE AMERICAN
00:11:43PEOPLE WANT. THEY WANT CONGRESS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE
00:11:46AFFORDABILITY CRISIS. THEY WANT
00:11:48AN END TO TRUMP'S WAR IN IRAN.
00:11:51THEY WANT THEIR ELECTED LEADERS
00:11:53TO STEP UP AND REGULATE AI.
00:11:56ACCORDING TO A SURVEY BY CRYPTO
00:11:59NEWS OUTLET COINDESK. JUST 1% OF
00:12:04RESPONDENTS RANKED CRYPTO AS THEIR TOP CONCERN, ANOTHER POLL
00:12:08FOUND THAT IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT VOTERS WANT TO DO ON
00:12:11CRYPTO, IT'S TO PUT IN PLACE
00:12:14MEANINGFUL ANTI-FRAUD AND
00:12:17ANTI-CORRUPTION MEASURES. THAT'S THE KIND OF THING THIS
00:12:21BILL GLARINGLY FAILS TO DO. SO
00:12:24YOU'VE GOT TO ASK YOURSELVES,
00:12:26WHY ARE WE HERE? WE NEED CRYPTO
00:12:29REGULATION. YES, WE DO, BUT WE
00:12:32DO NOT NEED A CRYPTO BILL
00:12:34WRITTEN BY THE CRYPTO INDUSTRY
00:12:36TO BENEFIT ONLY THE MOST EXTREME
00:12:39VOICES IN THE CRYPTO INDUSTRY.
00:12:42AND AT THE EXPENSE OF OUR
00:12:44NATIONAL SECURITY, OUR ECONOMIC
00:12:47STABILITY, AND TO HELP THE MOST
00:12:51CORRUPT PRESIDENT IN THE HISTORY
00:12:53OF THE UNITED STATES, MAKE
00:12:59HIMSELF EVEN RICHER. I URGE MY REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES TO COME TO
00:13:01THE TABLE, NEGOTIATE A REAL
00:13:04BIPARTISAN CRYPTO BILL. BUT
00:13:06UNTIL THEN, I URGE MY COLLEAGUES
00:13:08TO VOTE NO. MR. PRESIDENT, I
00:13:13YIELD THE FLOOR.
00:14:30>> SO LET ME COMMENT ON AI AND
00:14:33TRUMP'S COMMENTS ON THAT. SO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE KEEP CALLING
00:14:36ON THEIR GOVERNMENT TO ACT ON
00:14:38AI, WHICH EVEN ITS CREATORS ARE
00:14:42SAYING IS INCREASINGLY DANGEROUS. BUT DONALD TRUMP
00:14:44COULDN'T CARE LESS. TRUMP SAYS
00:14:47THAT HE HAS THIS ISSUE COVERED.
00:14:50THAT, QUOTE, THE ONLY CONTROL OR GUARDRAILS THAT AI NEEDS IS A
00:14:53STRONG AND SMART, HIGH IQ
00:14:56PRESIDENT. WELL, WE DON'T HAVE
00:14:58ONE, SO LET'S DO SOMETHING.
00:15:01SENATORS, WE KNOW TRUMP IS NOT GOING TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE
00:15:05HERE. HE PUTS HIS HEAD IN THE SAND. HE SAYS THERE'S NO
00:15:08PROBLEM. WHEN EVERY EXPERT SAYS THERE'S A DRAMATIC AND
00:15:11DANGEROUS PROBLEM THAT WE SHOULD
00:15:13DEAL WITH A HIGH IQ PRESIDENT
00:15:16WOULDN'T CALL AMERICANS
00:15:19WELL-FOUNDED. AI CONCERNS A HOAX
00:15:21OR A SICK CONSPIRACY. THOSE
00:15:25AREN'T THE WORDS OF SOMEONE WITH
00:15:26A HIGH IQ. DONALD TRUMP, THE
00:15:29ONLY THING THAT IS SICK IS
00:15:32TRUMP'S INDIFFERENCE TO THE
00:15:34CONCERNS. LEGITIMATE, VALID, STRONG CONCERNS OF THE AMERICAN
00:15:38PEOPLE. AND THIS IS WHAT TRUMP ALWAYS DOES. AMERICANS VOICE
00:15:42THEIR CONCERNS ABOUT A PRESSING ISSUE. TRUMP DISMISSES THEM OUT
00:15:45OF HAND. AMERICA'S AMERICANS
00:15:48EXPRESS THEIR OUTRAGE ABOUT SKYROCKETING COSTS FROM TRUMP'S
00:15:51FAILED AGENDA. TRUMP CALLS
00:15:53AFFORDABILITY, QUOTE, A MADE UP
00:15:55WORD. FAMILIES SAY THEY'RE GETTING CRUSHED AT THE GAS PUMP
00:15:59BECAUSE OF TRUMP'S WAR IN IRAN. THE PRESIDENT CALLS SOARING FUEL
00:16:03PRICES FAKE. EVEN THERE. THEY'RE
00:16:05ABOVE $4.30 A GALLON. AGAIN.
00:16:08WHERE'S YOUR IQ, MR. PRESIDENT? WHERE'S YOUR PERCEPTION OF THE
00:16:11WORLD I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S
00:16:15DELUSION OR DECEPTION, BUT IT DOESN'T MATTER. TRUMP IS
00:16:18COMPLETELY OUT OF TOUCH WITH THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. AND TRUMP IS
00:16:21DEAD WRONG ABOUT AI. WE DON'T
00:16:23EVEN KNOW HOW THE ADMINISTRATION
00:16:26IS TESTING THE SAFETY OF THESE POWERFUL MODELS BEFORE THEY ARE
00:16:30RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC. IS TRUMP FAVORING ONE COMPANY OVER
00:16:34ANOTHER BECAUSE OF FINANCIAL
00:16:36INTERESTS BECAUSE OF HIS MOOD OF THE DAY? HE'S DONE THAT TIME
00:16:40AND TIME AGAIN. HE'S FAVORED ONE COMPANY, ONE INTEREST OVER
00:16:43ANOTHER, BECAUSE THEY SUCK UP TO
00:16:45HIM. THEY GIVE HIM CONTRIBUTIONS. WHO KNOWS WHAT,
00:16:49BUT IT'S USUALLY NOT ON THE MERITS, AND IT'S OFTEN CORRUPT.
00:16:53WHAT KIND OF RIGOR IS REALLY
00:16:57BEING EMPLOYED TO PROTECT THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF THE
00:16:59AMERICAN PEOPLE. WHAT ARE THEY DOING? HOW ARE THEY DOING IT?
00:17:02WHO ARE THEY FAVORING? THESE ARE
00:17:05ALL LEGITIMATE, IMPORTANT QUESTIONS THAT MUST BE ANSWERED.
00:17:09AND THAT'S WHY I CALLED ON THE
00:17:11TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TO HOLD A CLASSIFIED BRIEFING WITH THE
00:17:14ENTIRE SENATE IMMEDIATELY ABOUT
00:17:18THE POTENTIAL SEVERE RISKS THAT
00:17:21UNCHECKED AI DEVELOPMENT POSES TO OUR COUNTRY. WE ALL KNOW
00:17:24ABOUT THEM. WE NEED TRANSPARENCY
00:17:27INTO HOW THE ADMINISTRATION IS TESTING POWERFUL FRONTIER AI
00:17:29MODELS, SOMETHING THEY'VE BEEN CONCEALING FROM THE PUBLIC SINCE
00:17:33ANNOUNCING A FRAMEWORK MONTHS AGO. AI IS SOMETHING WE CAN COME
00:17:36TOGETHER ON IN THE SENATE. I SAY
00:17:41THAT TO MY COLLEAGUES. DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS CAN COME
00:17:44TOGETHER. WE DESERVE TO KNOW HOW
00:17:47THIS ADMINISTRATION IS HANDLING THIS CONSEQUENTIAL ISSUE FACING
00:17:51THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. IF THERE'S
00:17:54EVER A TIME FOR REPUBLICANS TO
00:17:55BREAK FROM THEIR BLINDED
00:17:59ALLEGIANCE TO TRUMP, IT IS NOW. THE WORLD IS IN DANGER, AND
00:18:02REPUBLICANS ARE ON THE SIDELINES
00:18:05SUCKING THEIR THUMBS. IT'S TIME TO GET OFF THE BENCH. AND IT'S
00:18:09WORTH REMEMBERING THAT
00:18:12BIPARTISAN HAS HAPPENED ON AI BEFORE. IF YOU CAN BELIEVE IT. IT'S BEEN THREE YEARS, ALMOST
00:18:16TO THE DAY SINCE I CONVENED THE
00:18:20BIPARTISAN AI INSIGHT FORUMS WE BROUGHT TOGETHER NOT JUST
00:18:23INDUSTRY TITANS, BUT LEADERS
00:18:24FROM ACROSS SECTORS, ACADEMIA,
00:18:27CIVIL SOCIETY, LABOR TO STEER THE SENATE TO MUCH NEEDED
00:18:31ACTION. WE CONVENED THESE FORUMS TO GET AHEAD OF THE VERY CRISIS
00:18:34WE'RE FINDING OURSELVES IN TODAY. TO PREVENT AI FROM
00:18:38GETTING IN ON AN UNSUSTAINABLE
00:18:41PATH THAT ENDANGERS OUR SECURITY, UNDERMINES THE
00:18:44PUBLIC'S TRUST, JEOPARDIZES
00:18:46AMERICAN LEADERSHIP, AND OUT OF
00:18:49THESE FORUMS CAME A BIPARTISAN,
00:18:52COMPREHENSIVE ROADMAP. IT WAS
00:18:54STRONG. IT WAS BIPARTISAN, AND THE ROADMAP WAS TURNED INTO A
00:18:58BIPARTISAN PACKAGE OF BILLS THAT WE CAME CLOSE TO PASSING INTO
00:19:01LAW. AT THE END OF THE LAST
00:19:03CONGRESS UNTIL REPUBLICAN
00:19:07LEADERSHIP, DONALD TRUMP, ELON
00:19:09MUSK, AND AN INCOMING TRUMP ADMINISTRATION BLOCKED IT. WE
00:19:13HAD A CHANCE TO DO THIS. WE NEARLY HAD IT. WE HAD GOOD
00:19:16BIPARTISAN SUPPORT, AND TRUMP COMES IN, MUSK COMES IN AND
00:19:19SAYS, DON'T DO IT. AND NOW LOOK
00:19:22WHERE WE ARE. ULTIMATELY,
00:19:25REPUBLICANS BLOCKED OUR EFFORTS
00:19:28TO ACT AT THE END OF LAST CONGRESS. BUT MY COLLEAGUES, MY
00:19:32REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES, WE CAN
00:19:32COME TOGETHER AGAIN TO TAKE
00:19:37ACTION. THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE DEMANDING IT. WE CANNOT LET PARTIZANSHIP STAND IN THE WAY OF
00:19:41THIS. ONE OF THE MOST SERIOUS PROBLEMS OUR COUNTRY AND THE
00:19:44WORLD HAS EVER FACED.
00:19:47>> MR. PRESIDENT, TOMORROW THE
00:19:49SENATE WILL VOTE ON A CRYPTO BILL THAT POSES MASSIVE RISKS TO
00:19:53OUR FAMILIES, TO OUR NATIONAL SECURITY, AND TO OUR ECONOMY.
00:19:57AND IF THAT'S NOT BAD ENOUGH,
00:19:59WHILE AMERICANS ACROSS THIS COUNTRY SUFFER FROM AN
00:20:03AFFORDABILITY CRISIS, THIS BILL
00:20:06WILL TURBO CHARGE PRESIDENT
00:20:09DONALD TRUMP'S ABILITY TO RAKE
00:20:11IN BILLIONS AND BILLIONS OF DOLLARS FROM CRYPTO. SO, LATE
00:20:15LAST NIGHT, WE GOT THE DETAILS OF PRESIDENT TRUMP AND THE
00:20:19REPUBLICANS, QUOTE, FINAL OFFER
00:20:21ON ETHICS ON THIS BILL. AND IT
00:20:24READS EXACTLY LIKE YOU WOULD EXPECT.
00:20:27>> UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO SPEAK
00:20:29FOR UP TO 15 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE SCHEDULED ROLL CALL VOTE.
00:20:33>> WITHOUT OBJECTION
00:20:42>> MR. PRESIDENT, I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT KEVIN
00:20:45WEBB, A DETAILEE FROM THE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE,
00:20:48NUTRITION AND FORESTRY FROM THE COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING
00:20:51COMMISSION, BE GRANTED FLOOR
00:20:54PRIVILEGES THROUGH OCTOBER 2nd, 2026.
00:20:57>> WITHOUT OBJECTION.
00:21:00>> MR. PRESIDENT, IN A FEW MINUTES, THE SENATE WILL VOTE ON
00:21:02ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT, CONSEQUENTIAL BIPARTISAN
00:21:07FINANCIAL SERVICES BILL IN A
00:21:09GENERATION. THE DIGITAL ASSET
00:21:12MARKET CLARITY ACT. BEFORE WE DO, MY COLLEAGUES NEED TO
00:21:16UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT'S AT
00:21:19STAKE. I HAVE SPENT EVERY SINGLE
00:21:22DAY OF THE PAST YEAR FIGHTING TO GET THE CLARITY ACT READY FOR
00:21:25PRIME TIME, BECAUSE WYOMING DID
00:21:27NOT SEND ME TO WASHINGTON TO
00:21:30WATCH AMERICA FALL BEHIND, MY
00:21:32STATE SENT ME HERE TO MAKE SURE
00:21:35WE LEAD. TODAY, THIS BODY DECIDES WHETHER WE KEEP THAT
00:21:38PROMISE OR SIDELINE AMERICAN
00:21:42LEADERSHIP. WYOMING WROTE. THE
00:21:44BLUEPRINT FOR REGULATING DIGITAL ASSETS IN THE UNITED STATES. AND
00:21:48IN MANY WAYS, THE WORLD. IN
00:21:512017, THE WYOMING LEGISLATURE EMBARKED ON A MISSION TO CREATE
00:21:55A FIRST OF ITS KIND REGULATORY
00:21:58FRAMEWORK FOR DIGITAL ASSETS
00:22:00THAT PROTECTS CONSUMERS AND
00:22:03PROMOTES RESPONSIBLE INNOVATION. THE WYOMING LEGISLATURE WAS THE
00:22:06FIRST LEGISLATIVE BODY IN THE
00:22:08UNITED STATES TO DRAW THE LINE BETWEEN A SECURITY AND A
00:22:12COMMODITY. WAS THE FIRST TO
00:22:15SAFELY INTEGRATE DIGITAL ASSETS INTO OUR NATION'S BANKING SYSTEM
00:22:18IN A SAFE AND SOUND WAY, THROUGH
00:22:22SPECIAL PURPOSE DEPOSITORY INSTITUTIONS AND WYOMING WAS THE
00:22:26FIRST JURISDICTION IN THE NATION
00:22:27TO CREATE A NEW LEGAL ENTITY FOR
00:22:31DECENTRALIZED, UNINCORPORATED,
00:22:33NONPROFIT ASSOCIATIONS. A WYOMING SPECIAL PURPOSE
00:22:37DEPOSITORY INSTITUTION WAS ALSO THE FIRST DEPOSITORY INSTITUTION
00:22:39IN THE HISTORY OF OUR BANKING
00:22:42SYSTEM TO EARN A MASTER ACCOUNT
00:22:45FROM THE FEDERAL RESERVE. THE
00:22:48SUCCESSFUL WYOMING BLUEPRINT IS THE FOUNDATION OF THE DIGITAL
00:22:52ASSET MARKET CLARITY ACT. TODAY.
00:22:55THIS IS NOT A PARTIZAN BILL, NOT
00:23:00EVEN CLOSE. DEMOCRATS SECURED
00:23:03126 SEPARATE CONCESSIONS IN THIS TEXT, AND THEY WROTE MORE THAN
00:23:06HALF OF THE 630 PAGES IN FRONT
00:23:09OF YOU. THIS BILL STARTED AT 300
00:23:12PAGES. IT STANDS AT 635, BECAUSE
00:23:14I SAT ACROSS THE TABLE FROM MY
00:23:17COLLEAGUES FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR
00:23:19AND TOOK EVERY OBJECTION
00:23:22SERIOUSLY, AND BUILT THOSE CHANGES INTO THE BILL OURSELVES.
00:23:25THAT'S NOT CAPITULATION. THAT'S WHAT LEGISLATING IN GOOD
00:23:29FAITH LOOKS LIKE, SOMETHING THIS
00:23:31BODY FAR TOO OFTEN FORGETS HOW
00:23:34TO DO. NOWHERE, ABSOLUTELY
00:23:37NOWHERE HAVE WE GIVEN MORE ON
00:23:40ETHICS MORE THAN ON ETHICS. IN
00:23:47THIS BILL, IN JULY, PRESIDENT TRUMP VOLUNTARILY PUT HIMSELF
00:23:51THE VICE PRESIDENT. EVERY JUDGE,
00:23:54FEDERALLY ELECTED OFFICIAL, AND
00:23:55THEIR SPOUSES UNDER THE
00:24:00STRICTEST ETHICS RESTRICTIONS
00:24:02THIS COUNTRY HAS EVER SEEN.
00:24:05ALMOST NO ONE IN WASHINGTON WOULD HAVE OFFERED THAT ON THEIR
00:24:10OWN. BUT DEMOCRATS STILL WANTED
00:24:11MORE. THEY WANTED INDEPENDENT
00:24:15OUTSIDE ENFORCEMENT. SO PRESIDENT TRUMP WENT BACK TO THE
00:24:17TABLE, AND HE GAVE MORE. THIS
00:24:23FINAL TEXT REFLECTS SUBSTANTIALLY ALL OF THE TOLUSE
00:24:26GALLEGO FRAMEWORK, BUILT ON TOP
00:24:29OF WHAT WAS ALREADY A STOLARIK
00:24:32STATE ATTORNEYS GENERAL NOW HAVE
00:24:34DIRECT AUTHORITY TO ENFORCE
00:24:37THESE ETHICS RULES AGAINST FEDERAL OFFICIALS THEMSELVES.
00:24:41THEY CAN GO AFTER EXCHANGES AND
00:24:46ISSUERS UNDER CONSUMER PROTECTION LAW, SO BAD ACTORS
00:24:50GET HIT. COMING AND GOING. NO PRESIDENT HAS EVER GONE THIS
00:24:53FAR, AND THIS PRESIDENT DID IT
00:24:57TWICE. LET'S BE HONEST ABOUT
00:24:59WHAT A NO VOTE ACTUALLY IS
00:25:02TODAY. IT'S NOT A PRINCIPLED
00:25:04STAND AGAINST THE PRESIDENT.
00:25:07IT'S NOT A VOTE AGAINST A BILL
00:25:11THAT HAS HAD A PARTIZAN FLARE.
00:25:14IT'S A VOTE TO PROTECT
00:25:17POLITICIANS PERSONAL CRYPTO
00:25:19HOLDINGS FROM THE VERY LIMITS
00:25:22DEMOCRATS DEMANDED AND GOT.
00:25:27IT'S A VOTE AGAINST THE CONSUMER PROTECTIONS. AMERICAN
00:25:30FAMILIES ARE COUNTING ON, AND
00:25:32IT'S A VOTE TO HAND THE FUTURE OF FINANCIAL INNOVATION TO A
00:25:37FOREIGN COMPETITOR WHO WILL NOT BE FOOLISH ENOUGH TO WASTE THIS
00:25:40CHANCE TO LEAD OUR GLOBAL
00:25:43DIGITAL ECONOMY. AND ON SHORE,
00:25:44THIS INDUSTRY, AND THE GOOD
00:25:47PAYING JOBS IT CREATES, THIS
00:25:50COUNTRY, PUT THE FIRST MAN ON
00:25:53THE MOON. WE BUILT FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS, AND WE BUILT THE
00:25:56INTERNET. WE DO NOT WATCH
00:26:00HISTORY HAPPEN TO US. WE MAKE
00:26:03HISTORY. WE SHOULD NOT STOP THAT
00:26:11TRADITION. TODAY. 635 PAGES. A
00:26:13FULL YEAR OF DAILY NEGOTIATIONS,
00:26:18DAILY, EVEN ON WEEKENDS, 126
00:26:21DEMOCRAT WINS WRITTEN INTO LAW.
00:26:23THE STRONGEST ETHICS
00:26:26RESTRICTIONS ANY PRESIDENT HAS
00:26:29EVER ACCEPTED IN WRITING RIGHT
00:26:34HERE. THIS IS WHAT GOOD FAITH
00:26:37LOOKS LIKE. THIS IS WHAT
00:26:43COMPROMISE LOOKS LIKE. AND IN A FEW MINUTES, MY COLLEAGUES WILL
00:26:47DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT IT MEANT
00:26:49ANYTHING AT ALL. I HAVE GIVEN
00:26:54THIS FIGHT EVERYTHING I HAVE. FROM THE MOMENT I WAS SWORN IN
00:26:56AS A U.S. SENATOR, AND ESPECIALLY OVER THE LAST YEAR,
00:27:00FOR SO LONG, THIS FIGHT
00:27:10HAS BEEN MINE AND THAT OF MY INCREDIBLE PARTNER AND DEAR
00:27:14FRIEND, SENATOR KIRSTEN GILLIBRAND'S. AND CHAIRMAN SCOTT'S, AND CHAIRMAN, BOZEMAN.
00:27:18SENATOR TILLIS, SENATOR MORENO, AND MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES WHO
00:27:21HAVE WALKED ALONGSIDE ME IN THIS FIGHT FOR THIS INDUSTRY TO BRING
00:27:24US TO THIS MOMENT TODAY. THIS
00:27:28FIGHT BELONGS TO THE WHOLE BODY. PRESIDENT TRUMP GAVE MORE THAN
00:27:32ANYONE IN THIS TOWN EXPECTED
00:27:34TWICE. IT'S TIME FOR THIS BODY
00:27:37TO TAKE YES FOR AN ANSWER. TAKE
00:27:42THE WIN. STAND WITH AMERICAN
00:27:46INNOVATION. STAND WITH AMERICAN CONSUMERS. STAND WITH AMERICAN
00:27:50LEADERSHIP. DO NOT LET THIS DAY
00:27:55BE THE DAY WE HANDED OUR FUTURE
00:27:56TO SOMEONE ELSE. BECAUSE WE WERE
00:27:59TOO AFRAID TO FINISH WHAT WE
00:28:01STARTED. LET'S VOTE YES. LET'S
00:28:07NOT ONLY JOIN THE 21st CENTURY
00:28:10ECONOMY, LET'S NOT ONLY JOIN
00:28:12THE DIGITAL AGE, LET'S LEAD IT.
00:28:16LET'S DEFINE IT. LET'S MAKE IT
00:28:18WORK FOR AMERICA AND THE WORLD.
00:28:20LET'S VOTE YES. LET'S GET THIS
00:28:23DONE. MADAM PRESIDENT, I YIELD
00:28:25BACK AND I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT
00:28:28TO WAIVE THE MANDATORY QUORUM
00:28:30CALL WITH RESPECT TO THE CLOTURE
00:28:34MOTION FOR H.R. 3633.
00:28:38>> WITHOUT OBJECTION.
00:28:41>> MADAM PRESIDENT, I HAVE THREE
00:28:45REQUESTS FOR COMMITTEES TO MEET TODAY. DURING THE SESSION OF THE SENATE. THEY HAVE THE APPROVAL
00:28:49OF THE MAJORITY AND MINORITY LEADERS.
00:28:52>> DULY NOTED THE CLERK WILL
00:29:00REPORT THE MOTION TO INVOKE CLOTURE.
00:29:01>> CLOTURE, MOTION MOTION. WE, THE UNDERSIGNED SENATORS, IN
00:29:05ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF RULE 22 OF THE STANDING RULES
00:29:08OF THE SENATE, DO HEREBY MOVE TO BRING TO A CLOSE DEBATE ON THE
00:29:11MOTION TO PROCEED TO CALENDAR
00:29:12NUMBER 423. H.R. 3633. AN ACT TO
00:29:16PROVIDE FOR A SYSTEM OF REGULATION OF THE OFFER AND SALE OF DIGITAL COMMODITIES, AND SO
00:29:20FORTH, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES, SIGNED BY 17 SENATORS.
00:29:23>> UNDER THE PREVIOUS ORDER, THE
00:29:25MANDATORY QUORUM CALL UNDER RULE 22 HAS BEEN WAIVED. THE QUESTION
00:29:30IS, IS IT THE SENSE OF THE SENATE THAT THE DEBATE ON THE
00:29:32MOTION TO PROCEED TO H.R. 3633,
00:29:36AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR A SYSTEM OF REGULATION OF THE OFFER AND
00:29:39SALE OF DIGITAL COMMODITIES BY
00:29:42THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
00:29:44COMMISSION AND THE COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION TO
00:29:47AMEND THE FEDERAL RESERVE ACT TO PROHIBIT THE FEDERAL RESERVE
00:29:51BANKS FROM OFFERING CERTAIN
00:29:53PRODUCTS OR SERVICES DIRECTLY TO AN INDIVIDUAL TO PROHIBIT THE
00:29:56USE OF CENTRAL BANK DIGITAL
00:29:58CURRENCY FOR MONETARY POLICY AND
00:30:00FOR OTHER PURPOSES, SHALL BE BROUGHT TO A CLOSE. THE YEAS AND
00:30:04NAYS ARE MANDATORY UNDER THE RULE. THE CLERK WILL CALL THE
00:30:07ROLL.
00:30:12>> MISS ALSOBROOKS MR. ARMSTRONG. >> SENATORS ARE NOW VOTING ON WHETHER TO ADVANCE
00:30:16CRYPTOCURRENCY LEGISLATION TO REGULATE DIGITAL ASSETS. THE
00:30:20SENATE'S KEY VOTE OF THE DAY. THE BILL, KNOWN AS THE CLARITY
00:30:24ACT, NOW INCLUDES ETHICAL PROVISIONS APPROVED BY THE TRUMP
00:30:27WHITE HOUSE THAT WERE ADDED OVER THE WEEKEND BY REPUBLICAN
00:30:31LEADERS TO ATTRACT MORE SUPPORT FROM DEMOCRATS. 60 VOTES ARE
00:30:34NEEDED TO ADVANCE THE BILL AND
00:30:35MOVE TOWARDS FORMALLY BEGINNING
00:30:38DEBATE. LIVE COVERAGE OF THE
00:30:40SENATE HERE ON C-SPAN. TWO.
00:30:45>> NUMEROUS AND I MEAN, NUMEROUS, CONVERSATIONS ON THE ETHICS PIECE AND SENATOR TILLIS
00:30:49HAS BEEN INVOLVED. SENATOR MORENO HAS BEEN INVOLVED. SENATOR LUMMIS HAS BEEN
00:30:53INVOLVED. AND AS RECENTLY AS THIS WEEKEND, MADE SOME
00:30:56ADDITIONAL ACCOMMODATIONS, AS I POINTED OUT, TO THE POINT WHERE I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY MORE
00:31:00THEY COULD GIVE, HONESTLY. SO I THINK THIS WAS THIS WAS A LAST
00:31:03AND FINAL OFFER PUT FORWARD OVER THE WEEKEND. WE'RE GOING TO
00:31:06FIND OUT TODAY, AGAIN, WHETHER OR NOT THE DEMOCRATS ARE WILLING TO TAKE YES FOR AN ISSUE OR YES
00:31:10FOR AN ANSWER. >> CBO IS OUT WITH NEW NUMBERS
00:31:14TODAY ABOUT THE IRAN WAR SAYING THE INFLATION IS GOING TO
00:31:17INCREASE NEXT YEAR, AND THAT IT'S COST $38 BILLION UP UNTIL
00:31:21AUGUST 1st. I'M WONDERING, GIVEN THAT THIS WAS SOLD TO THE PUBLIC BY THE ADMINISTRATION AS
00:31:25BEING A SHORT LIVED WAR AND MAY NOT HAVE MUCH OF AN ECONOMIC
00:31:28COST, AND VOTERS ARE STILL PAYING SO MUCH AT THE GAS PUMP. ARE YOU CONCERNED THAT THIS
00:31:32COULD BE AN ALBATROSS FOR REPUBLICANS HEADING INTO
00:31:36NOVEMBER? >> WELL, I MEAN, I THINK ANY
00:31:38TIME, UM, GAS PRICES ARE ALWAYS AN ISSUE FOR VOTERS. AND, YOU
00:31:42KNOW, OBVIOUSLY, WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ IS HAVING SOME IMPACT
00:31:46THERE. BUT I ALSO THINK THAT THE MAJORITY OF AMERICANS UNDERSTAND
00:31:50WHAT'S AT STAKE AND THE IMPORTANCE OF ENSURING THAT IRAN NEVER HAS A NUCLEAR WEAPON, AND
00:31:54THAT THEY ARE UNABLE TO THREATEN
00:31:56NOT ONLY THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT THE ENTIRE WORLD WITH THE
00:31:59MILITARY CAPABILITIES THAT THEY'VE DEMONSTRATED IN THE PAST. THEY'RE PERFECTLY WILLING TO USE.
00:32:02>> SO IS IT WORTH THE COST? IS IT WORTH THAT COST? >> WELL, LOOK, I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S A THAT'S A, YOU KNOW,
00:32:06EVERYBODY'S GOING TO COME TO A DIFFERENT CONCLUSION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE COST OUGHT TO BE
00:32:09FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. BUT I THINK IN ORDER TO KEEP THE COUNTRY AND THE WORLD SAFE. YES.
00:32:13AND I THINK MOST OF OUR MEMBERS WOULD AGREE WITH THAT. NOW, IS
00:32:15THERE A PATH TO TRY AND GET SHIPPING LANES OPEN IN THE
00:32:19STRAIT SO WE CAN GET SOME OF THIS PRESSURE OFF OF FUEL PRICES IN THIS COUNTRY? YES. AND THE
00:32:23ADMINISTRATION, I THINK, IS WORKING THAT DILIGENTLY, AND I HOPE THAT THE PRESIDENT AND HIS
00:32:28TEAM WILL HAVE SOME SUCCESS IN
00:32:29DOING THAT. BUT IN THE OVER, IF
00:32:33YOU LOOK AT THE OVERARCHING SORT OF THE ARC OF HISTORY ON THIS AND WHERE WE'VE BEEN FOR THE
00:32:37LAST FIVE DECADES WITH RESPECT TO IRAN, I THINK THE THE
00:32:40MILITARY OBJECTIVES THAT WERE LAID OUT HAVE BEEN LARGELY
00:32:43ACHIEVED. UM, WE GOT THIS ECONOMIC ISSUE THAT'S GOT TO BE
00:32:47DEALT WITH. AND THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT THE ADMINISTRATION IS RIGHTLY FOCUSED ON.
00:32:51>> NOW. ERBIL. IF ASSUMING THAT
00:32:53THE AG COMMITTEE REPORTS OUT
00:32:55FARM BILL TOMORROW WITH SENATOR MCCONNELL'S VOTE, HOW SOON DO
00:32:59YOU INTEND TO BRING UP THIS ARTICLE FORWARD? WOULD IT BE
00:33:03BEFORE THE ELECTION, AFTER THE
00:33:05ELECTION? AND WHAT ABOUT, UH, THE DEMOCRATIC COOPERATION ON
00:33:08THAT? THERE WERE NO VOTES, SO FAR, AS YOU KNOW, IN THE
00:33:11COMMITTEE. AND FINALLY, THE
00:33:13CURRENT EXTENSION EXPIRES ON
00:33:18SEPTEMBER 30th. IN THE EXPIRING EXTENSION OF THE THIRD TIME THE
00:33:21FARM BILL WAS EXTENDED. >> WELL, FIRST, A LOT OF THE FARM BILL GOT WRITTEN LAST
00:33:25SUMMER. I MEAN, THE KEY TITLES, AND I'M A MEMBER OF THIS. THIS
00:33:28IS MY FIFTH FARM BILL, THE COMMODITY TITLE, CONSERVATION
00:33:31TITLE. ALL THE DISASTER
00:33:32PROVISIONS WERE WERE DEALT WITH LAST SUMMER IN THE
00:33:36>> THE WORKING FAMILIES TAX CUTS LEGISLATION. BUT THERE ARE PIECES THAT DIDN'T GET DONE, AND FARMERS NEED CERTAINTY. THEY
00:33:40NEED PREDICTABILITY. AND THERE ARE SOME IMPORTANT COMPONENTS IN THIS BILL THAT WAS BLOCKED BY
00:33:44THE DEMOCRATS IN THE COMMITTEE. WHEN WE VOTED ON IT BEFORE WE
00:33:47LEFT IN AUGUST. AND I HAVE NEVER SEEN A TIME IN MY TIME IN PUBLIC
00:33:50LIFE. AND CERTAINLY, AS IT RELATES TO DEALING WITH FARM
00:33:54BILLS, WHERE YOU'VE HAD THIS KIND OF A PARTISAN, AND,
00:33:58FRANKLY, ON A BILL, ON A BILL THAT THE DEMOCRATS WERE INVOLVED
00:34:02IN NEGOTIATING. IF YOU TALK TO SENATOR BOOZMAN, WHO'S THE
00:34:05CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE, THERE WERE 100 DEMOCRAT AMENDMENTS IN
00:34:08THE FARM BILL THAT THEY BLOCKED, VOTED AGAINST. THAT IS INEXCUSABLE IN FARM COUNTRY. AND
00:34:12SO I THINK I'M HOPING, AT LEAST WITH SENATOR MCCONNELL'S
00:34:16PRESENCE HERE ON WEDNESDAY, WE'LL BE ABLE TO REPORT IT OUT OF THE COMMITTEE. AND WITH
00:34:19RESPECT TO TIMING, I WOULD SAY I WOULD LIKE TO GET THIS INTO
00:34:22CONFERENCE WITH THE HOUSE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. YOU KNOW,
00:34:26FLOOR TIME IS GOING TO BE CHALLENGING, OBVIOUSLY, FOR THE REASONS I MENTIONED,
00:34:29PARTICULARLY IF WE GET ON EITHER OR BOTH OF THE BILLS THAT WE'RE
00:34:32GOING TO BE VOTING ON TODAY. BUT IN FARM COUNTRY, THEY'RE LOOKING
00:34:36FOR PREDICTABILITY. THEY'RE LOOKING FOR CERTAINTY. AND THIS
00:34:40BILL GIVES THEM THAT. AND THE DEMOCRATS BLOCK VOTED AGAINST
00:34:43IT, JUST LIKE THEY BLOCK VOTED
00:34:45AGAINST GETTING ON THE DEFENSE
00:34:49AUTHORIZATION BILL. THE WAY THEY BLOCKED VOTED AGAINST FISA AND SOME OF THESE OTHER ISSUES. I MEAN, THESE ARE ISSUES THAT ARE
00:34:53BIPARTISAN, AND THEY'RE IMPORTANT. THEY'RE IMPORTANT. NATIONAL SECURITY ITEMS AND FARM
00:34:56BILLS ARE, YOU KNOW, FOOD SECURITY IS NATIONAL SECURITY.
00:35:00AND SO I'M JUST, I HOPE THAT
00:35:03THE DEMOCRATS WILL, AT LEAST
00:35:06WHEN IT COMES TO THESE MATTERS OF NATIONAL IMPORTANCE, WORK
00:35:09TOGETHER WITH REPUBLICANS, RATHER THAN CONVERTING EVERYTHING INTO AN ELECTION YEAR
00:35:13POLITICAL ISSUE
00:35:16>> RON WYDEN ALL CONCERNED. >> DO YOU AGREE WITH PRESIDENT
00:35:19TRUMP THAT IT'S A HOAX, THAT THE IDEA THAT AI COULD HAVE EFFECTS THAT COULD KILL ALL
00:35:23HUMAN BEINGS? AND DO YOU HAVE
00:35:24ANY INTENTION TO ACTUALLY DO
00:35:27ANYTHING ON THAT, IN THIS IN THIS NEXT THREE WEEKS OR AFTER THE MIDTERMS?
00:35:31>> WELL, I THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS
00:35:33AROUND THAT. THAT SUBJECT. AND I
00:35:37WOULD SAY, I MEAN, THE FIRST, THE PREMISE OF YOUR FIRST
00:35:40QUESTION, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY REALLY KNOWS THE ANSWER TO THAT.
00:35:42I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF HYPERBOLE AROUND, AROUND THIS ISSUE, BUT I DON'T THINK FOR A
00:35:46MINUTE THAT WE OUGHT TO CEDE
00:35:50THE, FUTURE WHEN IT COMES TO AI, TO CHINA, OR ANY OTHER
00:35:54ADVERSARY. I THINK WE NEED TO TO LEAD IN THAT, IN THAT REALM AND
00:35:58MAKE SURE THAT AMERICANS ARE BENEFITING FROM WHAT I THINK ARE
00:36:00GOING TO BE SOME PRETTY IMPORTANT BENEFITS FROM AI. BUT
00:36:04I ALSO THINK THAT YOU HAVE TO MITIGATE AGAINST THE, I WOULD
00:36:08SAY, THE SORT OF ADVANCED RISK
00:36:13SYSTEMS WHEN IT. WITH RESPECT TO AI, WHAT YOU WANT TO CALL THE FRONTIER MODELS. AND SO THIS IS
00:36:16SOMETHING I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH FOR A LONG TIME. WE HAD A BILL THAT PASSED IN THE COMMERCE
00:36:20COMMITTEE IN THE LAST SESSION OF
00:36:20CONGRESS IN 2024. ON AI. WHAT I
00:36:25CHARACTERIZE AS A LIGHT TOUCH APPROACH, BUT IT DEALS WITH THIS
00:36:29VERY ISSUE. AND SO AT SOME POINT, MAYBE WE GET THAT TEED UP. RIGHT NOW, THAT'S BEING
00:36:32BLOCKED BY DEMOCRATS, INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH. BUT I DO THINK IT'S AN ISSUE THAT'S
00:36:35GOING TO BE A LOT OF DISCUSSION AROUND. AND I THINK THERE SHOULD
00:36:38BE. I THINK IT'S OBVIOUSLY GOING TO BE INCREDIBLY
00:36:41IMPACTFUL, NOT ONLY TO OUR COUNTRY'S FUTURE, BUT, FRANKLY,
00:36:45FOR THE WORLD >> ON SPENDING. THERE'S BEEN A
00:36:48BREAKDOWN IN THE APPROPRIATIONS
00:36:51PROCESS THIS YEAR. WHAT IS YOUR PREFERENCE AFTER THE ELECTION?
00:36:55THE DEFENSE FUNDING, THE SUPPLEMENTAL, MOVED BY REGULAR ORDER, OR ARE YOU GOING TO HAVE TO DO A RECONCILIATION PACKAGE TO GET THAT DONE?
00:36:58>> WELL, PREFERABLY ALWAYS TO DO IT THROUGH REGULAR ORDER. I
00:37:02MEAN, I'M, I'M A, I'M AN ADVOCATE, YOU KNOW, DEFENSE
00:37:05AUTHORIZATION BILL AT SOME POINT NEEDS TO BE A BIPARTISAN BILL.
00:37:08IT JUST DOES. AND I WOULD ARGUE
00:37:11THE SAME THING WITH RESPECT TO APPROPRIATIONS WHEN IT COMES TO
00:37:14NATIONAL SECURITY. THE BEST WAY TO DO IT IS UNDER REGULAR ORDER,
00:37:17THROUGH THE NORMAL APPROPRIATIONS PROCESS, OR
00:37:20PERHAPS A SUPPLEMENTAL THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO GET BIPARTISAN
00:37:23SUPPORT. UH, ABSENT ANY KIND OF
00:37:25BIPARTISAN SUPPORT, THEN YES, RECONCILIATION IS ALWAYS AN
00:37:28OPTION THAT'S AVAILABLE. UM,
00:37:30BUT WE'LL SEE WHAT THE NEXT FEW
00:37:33WEEKS BRING. AND THEN OBVIOUSLY, THE ELECTION WILL PROBABLY HAVE
00:37:37SOME BEARING ON WHAT THE
00:37:40WILLINGNESS IS ON THE PART OF THE DEMOCRATS TO, TO DO WHAT THEY'VE HISTORICALLY DONE. WHEN IT COMES TO NATIONAL SECURITY
00:37:44MATTERS. AND THAT IS PUT SOME OF THEIR PARTISANSHIP ASIDE AND
00:37:48WORK IN THE COUNTRY'S INTEREST. BUT I DON'T THINK WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO KNOW THE ANSWER TO SOME
00:37:52OF THOSE QUESTIONS UNTIL WE GET THROUGH THE NEXT FEW WEEKS. THANK YOU ALL.
00:37:56>> GOING TO SANDERS AI BRIEFING >> [APPLAUSE]
00:37:58>> TOMORROW
00:38:19>> [APPLAUSE]
00:38:36>> SENATORS ARE NOW VOTING ON WHETHER TO ADVANCE
00:38:39CRYPTOCURRENCY LEGISLATION TO REGULATE DIGITAL ASSETS. THE
00:38:43SENATE'S KEY VOTE OF THE DAY. THE BILL, KNOWN AS THE CLARITY
00:38:46ACT, NOW INCLUDES ETHICAL PROVISIONS APPROVED BY THE TRUMP
00:38:50WHITE HOUSE THAT WERE ADDED
00:38:53OVER.
00:39:09SENATORS ARE NOW VOTING ON WHETHER TO ADVANCE
00:39:13CRYPTOCURRENCY LEGISLATION TO REGULATE DIGITAL ASSETS. THE
00:39:17SENATE'S KEY VOTE OF THE DAY. THE BILL, KNOWN AS THE CLARITY
00:39:19ACT, NOW INCLUDES ETHICAL PROVISIONS APPROVED BY THE TRUMP
00:39:23WHITE HOUSE THAT WERE ADDED OVER THE WEEKEND BY REPUBLICAN
00:39:26LEADERS TO ATTRACT MORE SUPPORT FROM DEMOCRATS. 60 VOTES ARE
00:39:30NEEDED TO ADVANCE THE BILL AND
00:39:32MOVE TOWARDS FORMALLY BEGINNING DEBATE. LIVE COVERAGE OF THE
00:39:36SENATE HERE ON C-SPAN. TWO.
00:39:49>> WE'RE GOING TO START. GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE, AND THANK YOU
00:39:52FOR BEING HERE. MY NAME IS LAURA OSBORNE. CLOSE TO 19 MONTHS AGO,
00:39:56FOUR MEMBERS OF MY FAMILY BOARDED A PLANE IN KANSAS. PETER, DONNA, EVERLY, AND
00:40:00OLIVIA, ALONG WITH 63 OTHER
00:40:02SOULS, NEVER MADE IT HOME. THAT
00:40:05NIGHT, ON JANUARY 29th, 2025, 67
00:40:08LIVES WERE LOST WHEN A U.S. ARMY BLACKHAWK HELICOPTER COLLIDED
00:40:12WITH AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHT 5342. WE CANNOT CHANGE WHAT
00:40:16HAPPENED THAT NIGHT, BUT WE CAN,
00:40:18AND WE MUST CHANGE WHAT HAPPENS
00:40:20NEXT. I STAND HERE TODAY, ALONGSIDE OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS
00:40:24OF FLIGHT 53, 42 FAMILIES BROUGHT TOGETHER BY A TRAGEDY.
00:40:28NONE OF US CHOSE, BUT UNITED IN OUR DETERMINATION THAT OUR LOSS
00:40:31LEAD TO MEANINGFUL CHANGE. WE
00:40:33WANT TO RECOGNIZE AND THANK THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY
00:40:36BOARD, THE AIRLINE PILOTS ASSOCIATION, THE MEMBERS OF
00:40:40CONGRESS. JOINING US TODAY, DC FIRE AND EMS FIRST RESPONDERS,
00:40:43OUR AVIATION AND SAFETY PARTNERS, MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE
00:40:47FAMILIES STANDING HERE WITH US. WE ARE GRATEFUL TO THOSE WHO
00:40:51HAVE SHOWN UP, LISTEN TO OUR FAMILIES, AND WORKED WITH US.
00:40:55AVIATION SAFETY IS NOT A LEFT ISSUE OR A RIGHT ISSUE. IT IS
00:40:58NOT A NEVER SHOULD BE POLITICAL, PUBLIC SAFETY CONCERNS. EVERY
00:41:01ONE OF US, EVERY PERSON WHO BOARDS AN AIRPLANE, EVERY FAMILY
00:41:05MEMBER WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO
00:41:07COME HOME, THAT RESPONSIBILITY BELONGS ESPECIALLY TO THOSE
00:41:11ENTRUSTED WITH THE AUTHORITY TO ACT. SO, WHETHER YOU ARE
00:41:14STANDING WITH WITH US HERE TODAY OR NOT, WE HOPE THIS MESSAGE
00:41:17MESSAGE IS HEARD. ACTION IS PAST
00:41:20DUE. WE CANNOT WAIT FOR ANOTHER TRAGEDY TO PROVE THE NEED FOR
00:41:24SAFETY MEASURES WE ALREADY KNOW
00:41:25CAN SAVE LIVES. THAT IS WHY WE
00:41:28ARE HERE TODAY, NOT FOR
00:41:29POLITICS, NOT FOR PARTISANSHIP. WE'RE HERE FOR PUBLIC SAFETY,
00:41:33FOR ACCOUNTABILITY, AND FOR ACTION. THE VOICES OF OUR FAMILIES HAVE BEEN AT THE HEART
00:41:37OF THIS EFFORT FROM THE
00:41:39BEGINNING. PLEASE WELCOME FAMILY
00:41:425342 MEMBERS, DOUG LANE AND
00:41:47RACHEL FERRIS.
00:41:47>> [APPLAUSE] [APPLAUSE]
00:41:55>> HI. SO IT WAS EXACTLY 24, 25
00:41:58YEARS AGO TODAY THAT I DECIDED
00:42:00TO PROPOSE TO MY WIFE, CHRISTINE. AND THE REASON I
00:42:04REMEMBER THAT IS THAT IT WAS THE
00:42:05EVENTS OF SEPTEMBER 11th, 2001,
00:42:10THAT MADE ME REALIZE THAT I WANTED TO SPEND THE REST OF MY
00:42:13LIFE WITH HER. SHE WAS WORKING
00:42:15IN THE TALLEST SKYSCRAPER IN BOSTON WHEN TWO PLANES FLEW BY ON THEIR WAY FROM BOSTON TO THE
00:42:19WORLD TRADE CENTER. I COULDN'T
00:42:22REACH HER AS HER BUILDING WAS BEING EVACUATED, AND I WAS LATER
00:42:26REUNITED WITH HER. BUT THAT FEAR AND UNCERTAINTY THAT I FELT MADE
00:42:29ME REALIZE THAT I WANTED TO SPEND THE REST OF MY LIFE WITH
00:42:33HER, AND AT THE SAME TIME, I ALSO FELT THE HEARTBREAKING
00:42:37STORIES OF OTHERS WHO WERE SUFFERING LOSS THROUGH THAT
00:42:41TRAGEDY. AND IT REALLY GAVE ME CLARITY ABOUT WHAT WAS IMPORTANT, AND IT SET ME ON A
00:42:45PATH TO BUILDING A FAMILY OF
00:42:46FOUR. WITH CHRISTINE. 23 YEARS
00:42:49LATER, ON JANUARY 29th, 2025,
00:42:53THAT FAMILY OF FOUR BECAME A FAMILY OF TWO. CHRISTINA,
00:42:57CHRISTINE, AND MY SON SPENCER
00:42:58WERE GONE AND LIKE ON NINE OVER
00:43:0611, I WAS HIT BY A WAVE OF HEARTBREAKING STORIES FROM OTHER
00:43:09FAMILIES THAT WERE ALSO TORN
00:43:11APART OR WIPED OUT ALTOGETHER.
00:43:15>> ON SEPTEMBER 11th, 2001, I
00:43:18WAS ALSO IN BOSTON. I WAS 18 YEARS OLD AND DOING A YEAR OF
00:43:21NATIONAL SERVICE THROUGH AMERICORPS. I REMEMBER
00:43:25EVACUATING DOWNTOWN, JUST BLOCKS AWAY FROM CHRISTINE, AROUND TEN
00:43:28THAT MORNING, AND I WENT HOME TO WATCH THE HORRIFIC FOOTAGE ON
00:43:32TELEVISION. THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE I COULD DO. SO I JUST
00:43:36WATCHED, LIKE SO MANY OF US, I
00:43:37FELT SCARED. I FELT OVERWHELMED
00:43:41AND POWERLESS. AFTER A FEW DAYS, I STARTED DREAMING ABOUT PLANES
00:43:44CRASHING. I WAS SEEING THEM AWAKE AND ASLEEP. BUT BY THE END
00:43:47OF THE WEEK, AMERICORPS WAS BACK
00:43:49TO WORK AND I HAD SOMETHING I
00:43:52COULD DO. I REMEMBER PUTTING ON MY UNIFORM JACKET WITH THE
00:43:55AMERICAN FLAG ON THE SLEEVE AND FEELING SO PURPOSEFUL. I WAS
00:43:59SERVING MY COUNTRY. THERE WAS WORK IN FRONT OF ME THAT I KNEW
00:44:02HOW TO DO. I HAD A WAY TO HELP.
00:44:05THERE ARE TERRIBLE THINGS YOU CANNOT CHANGE. AND THEN THERE IS
00:44:08THE WORK IN FRONT OF YOU. THAT WAS THE LESSON THAT 9/11 TAUGHT
00:44:12ME, AND I HAVE CARRIED IT MY
00:44:12ENTIRE ADULT LIFE. I ALSO
00:44:16TRUSTED THAT OTHER PEOPLE WOULD
00:44:18DO THEIR WORK TOO. I WAS 18, I
00:44:21DIDN'T THINK ABOUT AGENCIES OR LEGISLATION OR RULEMAKING. I
00:44:25SIMPLY BELIEVED THAT THE PEOPLE WHOSE JOB IT WAS TO UNDERSTAND
00:44:27WHAT IT FAILED TO LEARN FROM IT AND TO MAKE US SAFER WOULD DO
00:44:31EXACTLY THAT 23 YEARS LATER, ON
00:44:36JANUARY 29th, I SAW THE FIRST HEADLINE ABOUT ANOTHER AVIATION
00:44:39TRAGEDY. AS I WAS GETTING READY
00:44:41FOR BED, I SAID A PRAYER FOR THE PEOPLE ON BOARD AND PUT DOWN MY
00:44:44PHONE. I KNEW THAT IF I KEPT READING, I WOULD NOT SLEEP. I
00:44:48WOULD SEE PLANES CRASHING. WHEN
00:44:49I CLOSED MY EYES. BUT THE NEXT
00:44:53MORNING, MY PHONE WAS FULL OF MESSAGES FROM MY FAMILY. CALL US
00:44:56NOW. WE LOVE YOU. MY HEART FROZE
00:44:59IN. MY HAND SHOOK AS I CALLED HOME. MY DAD ANSWERED AND SAID,
00:45:03I HAVE TERRIBLE NEWS. PETER.
00:45:06DONNA, EVERLY, AND OLIVIA WERE ALL ON THE PLANE IN DC. THEY ARE
00:45:10GONE. THEY ARE ALL GONE. MY
00:45:15HUSBAND TELLS ME HE FELL TO THE FLOOR. I DON'T REMEMBER THAT. I
00:45:18REMEMBER MY DAUGHTER STANDING THERE, FROZEN WHILE I SOBBED,
00:45:21BECAUSE MY COUSIN AND HIS ENTIRE FAMILY HAD BEEN WIPED OUT IN A
00:45:24MOMENT, AND I COULD NOT CHANGE WHAT HAPPENED. I COULD NOT GET
00:45:28THEM BACK, SO I DID THE ONLY THING I COULD DO, THE WORK IN
00:45:31FRONT OF ME. I WENT TO
00:45:33WASHINGTON TO HELP MY FAMILY. A
00:45:36FEW DAYS LATER, AT THE NTSB FAMILY ASSISTANCE CENTER, MY
00:45:39AUNT HAD ONE THING SHE WANTED TO KNOW. HAD THEY FOUND BROWN TEDDY
00:45:43THE BEAR HER GRANDDAUGHTER
00:45:44OLIVIA, BROUGHT ON EVERY TRIP?
00:45:47WE ASKED. A DAY OR TWO LATER, SOMEONE CAME BACK AND SAID, WE
00:45:50FOUND BROWN TEDDY. THEY CLEANED
00:45:53HIM AND THEY SENT HIM HOME. THIS
00:45:56IS BROWN. TEDDY, BROWN. TEDDY
00:45:59CAME HOME, BUT OLIVIA DID NOT.
00:46:05>> THE REST OF US WERE SURROUNDED BY PIECES OF WHAT WE
00:46:07LOST AS WELL. THE US FIGURE
00:46:11SKATING JACKET THAT MY SON, SPENCER TRAINED FOR HOURS EVERY
00:46:14DAY TO EARN, CAME HOME. SPENCER
00:46:16DID NOT. THE LAPTOP THAT
00:46:19CHRISTINE USED TO SHARE HER CREATIVITY WITH THE WORLD CAME
00:46:22HOME IN PIECES. CHRISTINE DID
00:46:25NOT. NONE OF OUR FAMILY MEMBERS CHOSE WHAT HAPPENED THAT NIGHT,
00:46:28AND NONE OF US LEFT BEHIND CHOSE IT EITHER. BUT WE DID HAVE A
00:46:32CHOICE ABOUT WHAT CAME NEXT. OUR
00:46:35FAMILIES HELD ON TO ONE ANOTHER,
00:46:36AND THEN WE GOT TO WORK. WE WERE HERE ON CAPITOL HILL BY THE END
00:46:40OF FEBRUARY, AND WE HAVE KEPT SHOWING UP EVER SINCE. WE CAN
00:46:43TELL THEIR STORIES, WE CAN ASK
00:46:46QUESTIONS. WE CAN PUSH FOR ANSWERS. WE CAN DEMAND ACTION.
00:46:50THAT'S THE WORK THAT BELONGS TO US. BUT WE CANNOT DO EVERYBODY
00:46:54ELSE'S WORK FOR THEM. WE NEED
00:46:59THE PEOPLE. WE NEED THE PEOPLE WITH THE POWER TO TURN THIS TRAGEDY INTO CHANGE, TO DO
00:47:03THEIRS, AND TO FINISH IT. AFTER
00:47:06SEPTEMBER 11th, WE SAID, NEVER FORGET, AND WE MEANT IT. WE
00:47:09CHANGED LAWS. WE CHANGED SECURITY, WE REINFORCED COCKPIT
00:47:13DOORS BECAUSE SOMETHING HAD FAILED AND PEOPLE HAD DIED. BUT
00:47:16THAT'S THE THING ABOUT MASS LOSS AT FIRST. EVERYBODY IS
00:47:19PAYING ATTENTION. EVERYBODY SAYS, THIS CAN NEVER HAPPEN
00:47:23AGAIN. THEN TIME PASSES. THE
00:47:24FUNERALS END, THE CAMERAS LEAVE,
00:47:27OTHER THINGS BECOME URGENT, AND WORK GETS HARDER TO FINISH.
00:47:31SECONDARY FLIGHT DECK BARRIERS ARE A PERFECT EXAMPLE. THEY'RE A SIMPLE GATE THAT PROTECTS THE
00:47:35COCKPIT. WHEN REINFORCED, DOOR HAS TO OPEN. PILOTS LIKE THE
00:47:38ONES BEHIND ME HAVE BEEN ASKING
00:47:40FOR IT FOR 20 YEARS. INDUSTRY
00:47:43STANDARDS TOOK A DECADE, AND CONGRESS FINALLY MANDATED THEM
00:47:47IN 2018. BUT THAT REQUIREMENT ONLY BECAME ENFORCEABLE LAST MONTH, AND ONLY FOR NEW
00:47:50AIRCRAFT. 25 YEARS AFTER
00:47:53SEPTEMBER 11th, PILOTS AND 9/11 FAMILIES ARE STILL FIGHTING TO
00:47:56GET THIS COMMON SENSE SAFETY FEATURE INTO THOUSANDS OF
00:48:00AIRCRAFTS STILL FLYING EVERY DAY. THAT IS WHAT FADING URGENCY
00:48:03LOOKS LIKE. SOMEONE, SOMETHING EVERYONE AGREES WILL MAKE PEOPLE
00:48:06SAFER, GETS CAUGHT IN PROCESS,
00:48:09OBJECTIONS, EXCEPTIONS, AND DELAY UNTIL YOU LOOK UP IN AN
00:48:12ENTIRE GENERATION HAS PASSED.
00:48:15FLIGHT 5342 CANNOT FOLLOW THAT
00:48:17PATH >> TO OUR MANY LEGISLATIVE
00:48:21ALLIES WHO HAVE FOUGHT WITH US
00:48:24TO MOVE AVIATION SAFETY REFORM FORWARD, WE SEE THE WORK WE ARE
00:48:27DOING, AND WE ARE SO GRATEFUL.
00:48:31KEEP GOING. THIS CONGRESS IS COMING TO AN END. YOU HAVE
00:48:34BROUGHT US TOO FAR TO LET THIS
00:48:36BILL DIE IN THE LAST MILE. WE
00:48:39CANNOT COME BACK NEXT YEAR AND BEGIN AGAIN. REINTRODUCING
00:48:42BILLS, REBUILDING MOMENTUM, SITTING THROUGH THE SAME
00:48:45MEETINGS, AND TELLING THESE STORIES AGAIN.
00:48:49>> AND THERE ARE STILL PEOPLE IN ORGANIZATIONS WORKING TO MAKE THIS HARDER THAN IT NEEDS TO BE.
00:48:53WE SEE YOU. WE NEED YOU TO STOP.
00:48:56STOP FINDING REASONS TO DELAY.
00:49:00STOP CREATING CONFUSION. STOP
00:49:05LOBBYING FOR LOOPHOLES AND CARVE OUTS THAT WEAKEN WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH. IF YOU DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THE NTSB'S RECOMMENDATIONS WILL MAKE US ALL
00:49:08SAFER, SAY SO. SAY IT TO OUR
00:49:10FACES. SAY IT TO CHAIRWOMAN KHAMENEI AND THE INVESTIGATORS
00:49:14WHO WORKED FOR A YEAR TO DEVELOP
00:49:16THEM. IF YOU THINK THE COST IS TOO HIGH, SHOW US THE MATH. TELL
00:49:20US WHAT A HUMAN LIFE IS WORTH TO
00:49:24YOU. BUT IF YOU CANNOT MAKE THAT
00:49:26CASE, STOP STANDING IN THE WAY.
00:49:2967 PEOPLE ARE DEAD. THE NTSB
00:49:33TOLD US WHAT FAILED AND WHAT NEEDS TO CHANGE. THE FAMILIES
00:49:36HAVE DONE OUR PART. MEMBERS OF BOTH PARTIES HAVE COME TOGETHER
00:49:40AROUND MEANINGFUL LEGISLATION.
00:49:42IT'S TIME TO FINISH IT. AND WE
00:49:44DON'T NEED TO WAIT FOR CONGRESS TO GET STARTED. FAA, WHERE YOU
00:49:47HAVE AUTHORITY, USE IT. ARMY AND
00:49:50DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. YOU TOLD THESE FAMILIES THAT YOUR
00:49:53INVESTIGATIONS WERE COMPLETE AND THAT WE WOULD HAVE ANSWERS. GIVE
00:49:55US THE INVESTIGATIONS. TELL US
00:49:57WHAT YOU LEARNED. TELL US WHAT
00:50:00YOU WERE CHANGING IN HONOR OF OUR LOVED ONES. THERE ARE
00:50:03TERRIBLE THINGS YOU CANNOT CHANGE. AND THEN THERE IS THE WORK IN FRONT OF YOU. THIS IS
00:50:06THE WORK IN FRONT OF YOU. FINISH
00:50:08THE WORK NOW, BEFORE ANOTHER
00:50:11FAMILY PAYS FOR THE TIME YOU
00:50:14CHOSE TO TAKE.
00:50:17>> WE WANT TO SAY SOMETHING SPECIFIC TO THE AIRLINES AND
00:50:21MANUFACTURERS. WE PUT OUR TRUST IN YOU, AND YOU HAVE NOT LIVED
00:50:24UP TO THAT TRUST. WHEN WE PUT OURSELVES OR OUR CHILDREN ON
00:50:28YOUR AIRPLANES, WE TRUST THAT YOU HAVE DONE EVERYTHING
00:50:31REASONABLY POSSIBLE TO MAKE THEM SAFE. YOUR PILOTS AND FLIGHT
00:50:35ATTENDANTS PLACE THAT SAME TRUST IN YOU EVERY TIME THEY SHOW UP
00:50:38TO WORK. THE REALITY IS THAT TOO MUCH OF THIS INDUSTRY HAS
00:50:41TREATED COMPLIANCE AS THE LIMIT
00:50:43OF ITS RESPONSIBILITY. IF THE GOVERNMENT HAS NOT REQUIRED A
00:50:47SAFETY IMPROVEMENT, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO PROVIDE IT. SECONDARY
00:50:50FLIGHT DECK BARRIERS ARE ONE
00:50:53PROOF. POINT COLLISION AVOIDANCE
00:50:55TECHNOLOGY IS ANOTHER. THE
00:50:58SAFETY CASE FOR ADS-B HAS BEEN
00:50:59PUBLIC SINCE 2008, BUT FLIGHT
00:51:025342 DID NOT HAVE IT. THE NTSB FOUND THAT IT COULD HAVE GIVEN
00:51:06THE CREW WARNING OF THE
00:51:08HELICOPTER. ROUGHLY 4059 SECONDS BEFORE IMPACT. ABOUT 40 MORE
00:51:12SECONDS THAN THEY HAD. I CANNOT TELL YOU IF THOSE 40s WOULD HAVE
00:51:16SAVED THEM, BUT I CAN TELL YOU
00:51:18THEY DID NOT GET THEM. IT IS NOW
00:51:22STANDARD FOR CARS TO ALERT US WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE IS IN OUR
00:51:25BLIND SPOT, TO WARN US WHEN WE ARE CLOSING TOO QUICKLY, AND
00:51:28INCREASINGLY TO BRAKE ON THEIR OWN TO AVOID A COLLISION. AND
00:51:32YET, SOMEHOW, IN 2026, WE ARE
00:51:34STILL ARGUING ABOUT WHETHER
00:51:36PILOTS CARRYING HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE THROUGH CROWDED AIRSPACE
00:51:39SHOULD HAVE THE BEST AVAILABLE TECHNOLOGY TO HELP THEM DO THE
00:51:43SAME THING FOR AIRLINE CREW MEMBERS. WENT TO WORK THAT NIGHT
00:51:46AND NEVER CAME HOME. YOUR
00:51:49EMPLOYEES, I BELIEVE YOU GRIEVED
00:51:51THEM. BUT GRIEF AFTER THE FACT
00:51:54IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR ACTION
00:51:56BEFORE IT. WHAT YOU BUY IS
00:51:59ACTION. WHAT YOU INSTALL IS ACTION. WHAT YOU RETROFIT IS
00:52:03ACTION. WHAT YOU DEMAND FROM MANUFACTURERS IS ACTION, AND
00:52:06WHAT YOU LOBBY FOR AND WHAT YOU
00:52:09PUSH FOR. IN RULEMAKING
00:52:12COMMITTEES. THAT IS ACTION TO
00:52:14AIRLINES ARE NOT POWERLESS
00:52:16CONSUMERS. YOU BUY AIRPLANES,
00:52:19YOU CHOOSE THE EQUIPMENT, YOU NEGOTIATE WITH MANUFACTURERS.
00:52:21YOU CREATE DEMAND. AND WE KNOW HOW QUICKLY THIS INDUSTRY CAN
00:52:25CREATE URGENCY WHEN ITS
00:52:27ECONOMICS ARE ON THE LINE, WHEN
00:52:30FUEL COSTS RISE, REGULATION THREATENS REVENUE, OR MARGINS
00:52:34TIGHTEN. THERE IS NO SHORTAGE OF LOBBYING EFFORT, AND THEY FIND
00:52:36THEIR VOICES IN EVERY RULEMAKING ROOM. WHERE HAS THAT URGENCY
00:52:40BEEN FOR SAFETY? WHERE WAS THE
00:52:43INDUSTRY WIDE DEMAND FOR SECONDARY BARRIERS WHEN YOUR OWN
00:52:46PILOTS WERE ASKING FOR THEM? WHERE WAS THE PUSH TO DEVELOP
00:52:50AND CERTIFY ADS-B IN? AFTER THE SAFETY CASE WAS CLEAR? AND THIS
00:52:54IS NOT WHETHER YOU CARE ABOUT WHETHER YOU CAN AFFORD TO ACT.
00:52:58U.S. PASSENGER AIRLINES MADE
00:53:0011.4 BILLION IN OPERATING PROFIT
00:53:03IN 2025. YOU HAVE THE MONEY. YOU
00:53:06HAVE THE LEVERAGE. YOU HAVE THE VOICE. THE QUESTION IS WHY
00:53:10SAFETY SO RARELY GETS THE SAME
00:53:12URGENCY AS THE NEXT QUARTERLY EARNINGS REPORT. YOU SHOULD BE
00:53:16MAKING THIS EASIER, PUSHING MANUFACTURERS, SOLVING
00:53:20CERTIFICATION PROBLEMS, DEMANDING SAFETY TECHNOLOGY
00:53:24BEFORE CONGRESS HAS TO FORCE THE ISSUE. REGULATION IS THE FLOOR,
00:53:26AND YOU SHOULD BE HELPING TO
00:53:28RAISE IT. DO THE THING YOU WOULD DEMAND IF YOUR WIFE AND SON WERE
00:53:32ON THAT AIRPLANE. DO WHAT YOU WOULD DO IF YOUR GRANDDAUGHTER
00:53:36WAS TRAVELING HOME WITH HER
00:53:38TEDDY BEAR. YOU KNOW HOW TO MOVE FAST. WHEN MONEY IS ON THE LINE,
00:53:41MOVE FAST. WHEN LIVES ARE YOUR
00:53:45PUBLIC ABSENCE FROM THIS FIGHT
00:53:47HAS NOT GONE UNNOTICED. GET OFF
00:53:49THE SIDELINES AND GET IN THE GAME. BRING THE SAME URGENCY TO
00:53:53PROTECTING YOUR PILOTS, YOUR FLIGHT ATTENDANTS, AND YOUR
00:53:56PASSENGERS THAT YOU BRING TO
00:54:00PROTECTING YOUR BOTTOM LINE. AND
00:54:03IF YOU CAN FIND BILLIONS FOR SHAREHOLDERS, BUT NOT URGENCY
00:54:06FOR SAFETY, DO NOT TELL US THAT SAFETY IS YOUR HIGHEST PRIORITY.
00:54:10THE PROOF OF YOUR PRIORITIES IS IN THE TECHNOLOGY YOU INSTALL,
00:54:14THE AIRPLANES YOU BUY, AND THE POLICIES YOU ADVANCE BEFORE
00:54:17PEOPLE DIE. NOT IN THE CONDOLENCES OR PRESS RELEASES.
00:54:20YOU ISSUE ISSUE AFTER THEY ARE
00:54:25GONE. >> 25 YEARS AFTER SEPTEMBER 11th, WE KNOW THAT REMEMBRANCE
00:54:28CAN LAST MUCH LONGER THAN
00:54:30URGENCY. THAT CANNOT BE THE
00:54:33LEGACY OF FLIGHT 5342. WE DID
00:54:37NOT BRING THESE ITEMS HERE TODAY AS SYMBOLS. WE BROUGHT THEM
00:54:41BECAUSE THEY ARE WHAT WE HAVE
00:54:41LEFT. BROWN. TEDDY CAME HOME.
00:54:45SPENCER'S JACKET CAME HOME.
00:54:50CHRISTINE'S LAPTOP CAME HOME. ALICIA. CHRISTINE, SPENCER AND
00:54:5364 OTHERS DID NOT. FOR THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF, OUR FAMILIES
00:54:57HAVE CARRIED THAT LOSS INTO HEARING ROOMS, CONGRESSIONAL
00:55:00OFFICES, MEETINGS AND BRIEFINGS. EVERY PLACE WE THOUGHT WE MIGHT
00:55:03BE ABLE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. WE WILL KEEP CARRYING OUR PART OF
00:55:06THAT, BUT WE CANNOT CARRY YOURS. DO THE RIGHT THING. DO THE WORK
00:55:10IN FRONT OF YOU. DO THE WORK
00:55:11THAT IS YOURS, AND FINISH IT
00:55:14BEFORE ANOTHER FAMILY IS LEFT HOLDING THE THINGS THAT CAME
00:55:17HOME, INSTEAD OF THE PERSON WHO
00:55:18SHOULD HAVE. THANK YOU
00:55:23>> ALL RIGHT. >> CAPTAIN AMBROSI FROM ALPA IS
00:55:26GOING TO SPEAK NEXT.
00:55:31>> WELL, THANK YOU BOTH FOR THOSE THOSE POWERFUL REMARKS.
00:55:34THANK YOU. I'M CAPTAIN JASON AMBROSI, PRESIDENT OF THE
00:55:37AIRLINE PILOTS ASSOCIATION
00:55:39INTERNATIONAL, WHICH REPRESENTS MORE THAN 80,000 PILOTS IN THE
00:55:42UNITED STATES AND CANADA, AND A
00:55:44CAPTAIN ON THE BOEING 767 FOR
00:55:47DELTA AIRLINES ON JANUARY 29th,
00:55:502025. THOSE ABOARD FLIGHT 5342 STARTED THEIR DAY LIKE ANY
00:55:54OTHER. EVERYONE EXPECTED TO COME
00:55:58HOME. INSTEAD, OUR INDUSTRY LOST
00:56:0067 LIVES. PILOTS, FLIGHT
00:56:03ATTENDANTS, MOTHERS, FATHERS,
00:56:05KIDS, COACHES, TEAMMATES AND
00:56:09FRIENDS. THEY ALL TRUSTED THEY
00:56:12WOULD COME HOME SAFELY AS AIRLINE PILOTS, WE CARRY THAT
00:56:15TRUST, AND WE CARRY THAT LOSS
00:56:20EVERY SINGLE DAY. THE FAMILIES
00:56:22HERE OF FLIGHT 5342 STAND WITH
00:56:25US AND HAVE SHOWN EXTRAORDINARY
00:56:28RESOLVE. TURNING UNIMAGINABLE
00:56:31GRIEF INTO ACTION. EVERYONE AT ALPA CONTINUES TO STAND WITH
00:56:34THEM, AND WE WILL NOT STOP
00:56:36PUSHING UNTIL THEIR LOVED ONE'S
00:56:39LEGACY IS WRITTEN INTO LAW. THE
00:56:44NTSB REPORT LISTED 50 RECOMMENDATIONS THAT, WHEN
00:56:48ENACTED, WILL MAKE FLYING SAFER.
00:56:51ONE ESSENTIAL RECOMMENDATION IS IN THE SENATE'S ROTOR ACT,
00:56:53ENSURING THAT AIRLINE PILOTS HAVE INTEGRATED ADS-B IN
00:56:57TECHNOLOGY ON THE FLIGHT DECK,
00:57:00GIVING CREWS REAL TIME AUDIO AND VISUAL AWARENESS OF NEARBY
00:57:03AIRCRAFT. THIS IS NOT
00:57:07DEVELOPMENTAL TECHNOLOGY. IT
00:57:12EXISTS TODAY AND COULD HAVE MADE THE DIFFERENCE FOR THE 67 LIVES LOST OVER THE POTOMAC LAST YEAR.
00:57:16WE'VE WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE FAMILIES OF THOSE LOST IN THE
00:57:19ACCIDENT AND WITH LAWMAKERS
00:57:21ACROSS THE AISLE TO UPDATE RULES
00:57:25AND PROCEDURES TO INCLUDE A NEW MANDATE FOR ADS-B IN TO THE
00:57:29FLYING PUBLIC LISTENING. TODAY, WHILE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SOME
00:57:33VERY TECHNICAL ASPECTS HERE, WHAT YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND IS
00:57:36THIS. IT ALL GOES TO THE HEART OF THE TRUST THAT YOU PLACE IN
00:57:40YOUR PILOTS EVERY TIME YOU FLY.
00:57:45THAT TRUST ISN'T BLIND. IT'S
00:57:48EARNED. WE ARE TRAINED. WE ARE
00:57:50RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR SAFETY, AND WE TAKE THAT VERY SERIOUSLY.
00:57:54EVERY TIME WE PUSH BACK FROM THE GATE, WE EXPECT THE SAME FROM
00:57:58EVERYONE WHO SHARES THAT AIRSPACE, INCLUDING OUR MILITARY
00:58:02PARTNERS AND THOSE AT THE PENTAGON. WE MUST BE ABLE TO SEE
00:58:04EACH OTHER IN SHARED AIRSPACE,
00:58:09PERIOD. TO BE CLEAR, FOR AIRLINE
00:58:11PILOTS, THIS IS NOT A MATTER OF
00:58:13ROTOR VERSUS ALERT OR HOUSE
00:58:16VERSUS SENATE. WE SUPPORT INCORPORATING THE STRONGEST COMPONENTS OF BOTH PIECES OF
00:58:20LEGISLATION. ANY AVIATION SAFETY
00:58:24LEGISLATION MUST INCLUDE INTEGRATED ADS-B IN MANDATE, AS
00:58:27INCLUDED IN THE SENATE'S ROTOR
00:58:30ACT, SITUATIONAL AWARENESS
00:58:33TECHNOLOGY FOR PILOTS IS CRITICAL AND SHOULDN'T BE UP
00:58:36FOR DEBATE. THAT NUANCE IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE, WITHOUT
00:58:39SPELLING IT OUT, SHORTCUTS ARE
00:58:42SURE TO BE TAKEN. WE ABSOLUTELY
00:58:45CANNOT SETTLE FOR THE DESIRES OF
00:58:47SOME SPECIAL INTEREST THAT WOULD
00:58:49HAVE ESSENTIAL TRAFFIC DATA
00:58:52DISPLAYED ON AN IPAD OVER HERE,
00:58:54WHEN I SHOULD BE LOOKING
00:58:59STRAIGHT AHEAD. WE ALSO NEED TO CLOSE THE GAP THAT LETS MILITARY
00:59:03AND OTHER GOVERNMENTAL AIRCRAFT FLY THROUGH OUR BUSIEST AIRSPACE WITHOUT REPORTING THEIR
00:59:07POSITION. OTHER THAN MATTERS OF NATIONAL SECURITY, LIKE
00:59:11PRESIDENTIAL MOVEMENT, MILITARY AIRCRAFT OPERATING IN CROWDED
00:59:14AIRSPACE, SUCH AS DCA, MUST
00:59:16REPORT THEIR POSITION TO PREVENT
00:59:19ANOTHER TRAGEDY. IF THEY MUST OPERATE WITH TRANSPONDERS OFF.
00:59:22LET'S NOT REPEAT HISTORY. THERE
00:59:24IS A BETTER SOLUTION THAT EXISTS
00:59:27TODAY, AND WE WILL SAVE LIVES.
00:59:30I'D LIKE TO THANK CHAIR CRUZ AND RANKING MEMBER CANTWELL FOR
00:59:33THEIR LEADERSHIP, AS WELL AS THE OTHER MEMBERS OF CONGRESS WHO HAVE COME TOGETHER TO SUPPORT
00:59:37THIS COMMON SENSE LEGISLATION.
00:59:39WE OWE IT TO THE 67 PEOPLE LOST, AND TO THE MILLIONS WHO TRUST
00:59:43THEIR LIVES WITH US EVERY DAY TO
00:59:46FINISH THIS JOB. THANK YOU. I'D
00:59:48LIKE TO NOW INTRODUCE NTSB
00:59:52CHAIRWOMAN.
01:00:06>> TO IMMEDIATELY HOLD A
01:00:07CLASSIFIED ALL SENATE BRIEFING
01:00:13ABOUT RISKS THAT UNCHECKED AI
01:00:17POSES FOR OUR COUNTRY. TURN
01:00:18THOSE LIGHTS BACK ON.
01:00:24>> WE IN THE DARK ON AI? >> YES. THE ADMINISTRATION NEEDS
01:00:27TO FOLLOW THROUGH ON THIS DEMAND, BECAUSE WE NEED TO DO
01:00:30SOMETHING ON IT. WE DON'T KNOW
01:00:34WHAT THE ADMINISTRATION'S DOING. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE DIFFERENT AGENCIES ARE DOING.
01:00:37AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE ALL
01:00:40FEAR, TRUMP MAY BE SHOWING FAVORITISM. SOME COMPANY HE
01:00:43LIKES DOESN'T HAVE ANY, ANY RESTRICTIONS. ANOTHER COMPANY
01:00:46DOESN'T LIKE. HE PUTS ON
01:00:50RESTRICTIONS. WE NEED TO MAKE
01:00:51THIS ALL APPARENT TO THE SENATE,
01:00:56BECAUSE THE ONLY WAY WE'RE GOING TO GET THINGS DONE ON THE ISSUE
01:00:59OF AI IS BIPARTISANSHIP, AND
01:01:01IT'S WORTH REMEMBERING THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE. I'M
01:01:04NOT JUST SPECULATING. THREE
01:01:06YEARS AGO, I CONVENED THE
01:01:09BIPARTISAN INSIGHT FORUMS TO MAP
01:01:11THE PATH FORWARD ON AI,
01:01:15DEVELOPING A BIPARTISAN ROADMAP,
01:01:16AND THEN SEVEN BILLS. WE HAD
01:01:19BIPARTISAN SUPPORT ON THOSE
01:01:22BILLS. EVEN JOHNSON SAID HE
01:01:24MIGHT SUPPORT THEM. BUT THEN
01:01:27TRUMP, MUSK, AND SOME OF THE
01:01:31REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP JUST KILLED THEM. AND HERE WE ARE.
01:01:33NOW. WE COULD HAVE HAD SOME
01:01:36PROTECTIONS. IF TRUMP REFUSES TO
01:01:38ACT, CONGRESS MUST THE EMAIL,
01:01:42ELECTION EMAIL IN. FOR THE PAST
01:01:45TWO YEARS, TRUMP HAS BEEN
01:01:48WORKING SYSTEMATICALLY TO SOW
01:01:51DOUBT ON THE ELECTION AND RIG THE RULES FOR THE MIDTERMS.
01:01:54WE'VE BEEN FIGHTING EVEN HARDER TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY ELIGIBLE
01:01:57AMERICAN CAN HAVE THEIR VOICE
01:02:00HEARD. WELL, THE SUPREME COURT,
01:02:02IN A CANDIDLY SURPRISING BUT
01:02:07POSITIVE, A RARE POSITIVE FROM THEM, THE SUPREME COURT JUST
01:02:11DEALT TRUMP ANOTHER BLOW. HE TRIED TO TAKE OVER MAIL-IN
01:02:14VOTING. WE SUED. WE SAID, NSW,
01:02:18TRUMP, YOU'RE NOT TAKING OVER
01:02:21PUBLIC MAIL-IN VOTING. I WAS PROUDLY A PLAINTIFF IN THE CASE
01:02:24THAT THE COURT RULED ON LAST NIGHT. AND THE COURT SAW THE
01:02:28SCHEME FOR WHAT IT WAS. AND THAT
01:02:33IS AN UNCONSTITUTIONAL PLOY TO AVOID ACCOUNTABILITY IN THE
01:02:36POLLS. TRUMP KNOWS THE AMERICAN
01:02:38PEOPLE ARE ANGRY AT HIM. HE'S
01:02:40SCARED TO FACE THEM. THEY KNOW.
01:02:43HE KNOWS THAT THE AMERICAN
01:02:45PEOPLE KNOW THAT HE SENT COSTS SKYROCKETING. HIS CHAOS AND WARS
01:02:49HAVE MADE AMERICA LESS SAFE. HIS
01:02:54CORRUPTION MEANS BILLIONAIRES GET AHEAD OF THE EXPENSE OF THE
01:02:56AMERICAN FAMILY. ATTACKING MAIL
01:02:59IN VOTING IS NOT THE ONLY
01:03:02REVENUE THAT TRUMP IS SUING TO TRY AND CHEAT IN. TRUMP IS USING
01:03:05TO TRY AND GET US AHEAD. SO
01:03:08YESTERDAY, SENATOR PADILLA, WHO YOU'LL HEAR FROM IN A MINUTE,
01:03:11AND I RELEASED A BOMBSHELL WHISTLEBLOWER COMPLAINT FROM A
01:03:15DHS EMPLOYEE. THE WHISTLEBLOWER
01:03:19EXPOSED HOW TRUMP IS DIRECTING AGENTS TO BREAK STATE LAWS.
01:03:22HE'S ASKING THEM TO LIE TO
01:03:27OBTAIN SENATE SENSITIVE VOTER INFORMATION IN PRODUCE A BASELESS CLAIMS OF VOTER FRAUD.
01:03:31THE WHISTLEBLOWER REPORTS THAT INNOCENT AMERICAN CITIZENS HAVE
01:03:34BEEN CAUGHT UP IN HIS ILLEGAL EFFORTS TO PROMOTE HIS ELECTION
01:03:38LIES. AND THAT'S HOW DESPERATE TRUMP IS. WE'RE NOT GOING TO
01:03:41STAND FOR THAT, EITHER. IN
01:03:44AMERICA, VOTERS PICK THE PRESIDENT. THE PRESIDENT
01:03:47DOESN'T PICK THE VOTERS. AND IN NOVEMBER, TRUMP WILL LEARN JUST
01:03:51THAT. SENATOR PADILLA.
01:03:59>> THANK YOU, MR. LEADER. UH, THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE
01:04:03TODAY. LOOK, WE'VE KNOWN FOR A LONG TIME THE LENGTHS TO WHICH
01:04:06DONALD TRUMP WILL GO TO TRY TO
01:04:10INTERFERE WITH ELECTIONS, WHEN
01:04:12HE KNOWS HE'S GOING TO LOSE OR FACE ACCOUNTABILITY. AND NOW,
01:04:16THANKS TO A WHISTLEBLOWER'S
01:04:20INTEGRITY AND COURAGE, WE HAVE
01:04:22FURTHER INSIGHT INTO JUST EXACTLY WHAT THE TRUMP
01:04:26ADMINISTRATION IS DOING, AMONG
01:04:27OTHER TACTICS. THEY'RE ORDERING
01:04:32FEDERAL OFFICERS TO BREAK PRIVACY LAWS THOUSANDS AND
01:04:36THOUSANDS OF TIMES TO TRY TO OBTAIN THE SENSITIVE PERSONAL
01:04:39VOTER INFORMATION THAT HE'S BEEN TRYING TO GET HIS HANDS ON FOR A
01:04:42DECADE NOW. BUT WHEN HE FAILS BE
01:04:48ABLE TO GET IN THE FRONT DOOR, HE TRIES TO FIND A BACK DOOR
01:04:52ENTRANCE. I'LL REMIND EVERYBODY HE TRIED THIS IN HIS FIRST TERM,
01:04:56SETTING UP A SHAM COMMISSION TO
01:04:59EXPOSE THE MASSIVE VOTER FRAUD THAT HE'S BEEN TALKING ABOUT
01:05:01FOR TEN YEARS. AND THEY FAILED.
01:05:04NO EVIDENCE, NO PROOF. THIS
01:05:08TIME. HE'S GONE ABOUT IT BY WEAPONIZING THE FEDERAL
01:05:11GOVERNMENT. WE'VE SEEN WHAT HE'S DONE WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE HERE. WE'RE TALKING
01:05:15ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND
01:05:17SECURITY THE DEPARTMENT IS USING
01:05:24WHAT THEY CALL SUPPLEMENTAL MAGIC. THIS DATA THAT WHEN
01:05:28AGENTS QUESTION WHETHER THIS CAME FROM. AND DO THEY HAVE THE
01:05:30AUTHORITY TO USE IT IN THIS WAY?
01:05:33THEY'RE TOLD TO NOT WORRY. THEY
01:05:37ARE CREATING FILES AND LISTS OF
01:05:40SO-CALLED UNLAWFUL VOTERS. BASED
01:05:43ON THIS DATA THAT, AGAIN, THE DEPARTMENT ITSELF HAS
01:05:46ACKNOWLEDGED IS UNRELIABLE. AND
01:05:51CONTAINS MANY UNITED STATES
01:05:52CITIZENS. AGENTS ARE TOLD TO
01:05:57CONDUCT 12 MINUTES INVESTIGATIONS TO MAKE THESE DETERMINATIONS OF WHETHER A
01:06:00VOTER IS LAWFUL OR NOT. NOT NEARLY ENOUGH TO CONDUCT A
01:06:03THOROUGH, RESPONSIBLE
01:06:07INVESTIGATION. LOOK, FOLKS, THIS INITIATIVE HAS NOTHING TO DO
01:06:10WITH PROTECTING OUR ELECTIONS.
01:06:13YOU CAN'T BREAK THE LAW WHEN YOU
01:06:17SAY YOU'RE TRYING TO ENFORCE THE LAW. WHAT IT IS, THIS
01:06:20PROGRAM, THIS INITIATIVE, IS
01:06:21TRYING TO MANUFACTURE EVIDENCE,
01:06:26ERRONEOUS EVIDENCE TO SATISFY THE PRESIDENT'S EGO AND TRY TO
01:06:28JUSTIFY HIS CLAIMS OF MASSIVE
01:06:30VOTER FRAUD. SO WHAT IS THIS
01:06:36PROGRAM? DONALD TRUMP'S ATTEMPTS TO ELIMINATE VOTE BY MAIL IS AN OPTION FOR VOTERS, OR TO
01:06:39MANIPULATE VOTE BY MAIL TO THE USPS, WHICH THE SUPREME COURT
01:06:43EVEN HAS SHUT DOWN. WE KNOW THAT DONALD TRUMP'S NOT GOING TO
01:06:46STOP. HE WILL CONTINUE TO DO EVERYTHING HE CAN TO TRY TO
01:06:50INTERFERE WITH THE NOVEMBER ELECTIONS, OR TO UNDERMINE THE
01:06:53ELECTION RESULTS WHEN THEY DO
01:06:55NOT GO IN HIS FAVOR. AND
01:07:00DEMOCRATS AREN'T GOING TO STAND FOR IT. WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE VIGILANT, AND WE'LL
01:07:03CONTINUE TO FIGHT BACK ON THIS AND EVERY OTHER INITIATIVE TO
01:07:07DEFEND OUR FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT TO
01:07:09VOTE, TO DEFEND OUR FREE AND
01:07:11FAIR AND SAFE AND SECURE ELECTIONS. AND JUST ONE FINAL
01:07:15COMMENT ON THE SUPREME COURT RULING AS WELCOME NEWS AS IT IS,
01:07:19BECAUSE YOU JUST NEVER KNOW WHAT
01:07:20THE SUPREME COURT BECAUSE IT WAS
01:07:24A 7 TO 2 VOTE. IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN UNANIMOUS. THE CONSTITUTION
01:07:28IS CLEAR, STATES ADMINISTER ELECTIONS. IF THE FEDERAL
01:07:32GOVERNMENT HAS A ROLE TO PLAY IN THE TIME, PLACE OR MANNER IN
01:07:35WHICH ELECTIONS ARE CONDUCTED,
01:07:37THAT FALLS TO CONGRESS, NOT THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH, NO MATTER HOW
01:07:41MANY TIMES HE SAYS IT, TRUMP DOES NOT HAVE THE POWER TO
01:07:44INTERFERE, AND WE'RE NOT GOING
01:07:47TO LET HIM. LET ME INTRODUCE MY
01:07:49COLLEAGUE, SENATOR SCHATZ.
01:07:54>> COMMENTS WILL BE ONLY ABOUT
01:07:57AI. WHEN THE LEADERS OF THE TOP AI COMPANIES ARE SOUNDING THE
01:08:01ALARM ABOUT THE POTENTIAL FOR IMMINENT THREATS, WE NEED TO
01:08:05TAKE THEM SERIOUSLY. THIS IS AN
01:08:10EMERGENCY, AND WE NEED TO TREAT IT LIKE AN EMERGENCY. IF THE
01:08:14RISK OF AI IS ANYWHERE NEAR THE LEVEL THAT IT HAS BEEN
01:08:18CHARACTERIZED TO BE, THEN WE
01:08:19HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO ACT ON A
01:08:24BIPARTISAN BASIS. IMMEDIATELY. WE CAN FIGHT ABOUT EVERYTHING
01:08:28ELSE, BUT WE CANNOT GET IN A
01:08:31FIGHT ABOUT THIS. WE HAVE TO ACT
01:08:34NOW. THERE ARE GOOD PROPOSALS
01:08:37OUT THERE FROM DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS, AND THERE ARE
01:08:40CONSTRUCTIVE CONVERSATIONS
01:08:43HAPPENING AMONG DEMOCRATS AND
01:08:46REPUBLICANS. WE CANNOT LEAVE
01:08:48TOWN, HOUSE OR SENATE LEAVING
01:08:51THIS
01:09:00>> OH, WAIT. BEFORE, UM, JUST
01:09:02ONE MORE THING ON CRYPTO. AS YOU
01:09:06MAY HAVE HEARD, THERE WAS A
01:09:09BIPARTISAN DEAL ON THE TABLE AS
01:09:10RECENTLY AS THIS AFTERNOON TO
01:09:15RESOLVE ALL THE, ALL OUTSTANDING
01:09:17ITEMS, INCLUDING ETHICS, REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP WALKED
01:09:20INTO THE ROOM, BROKE UP THE BIPARTISAN DISCUSSION, AND SAID,
01:09:23NO, WE'RE DONE, AND KILLED IT.
01:09:25YEARS OF WORK TO PROVIDE CLARITY
01:09:31TO THE INDUSTRY DOWN THE DRAIN. THANKS TO THE REPUBLICAN
01:09:33LEADERSHIP
01:09:37>> BERNIE SANDERS HAS HIS AI BRIEFING TOMORROW. WILL YOU OR
01:09:40YOU, SENATOR SCHATZ, WILL EITHER OF YOU ATTEND? AND IF NOT, WHY?
01:09:43>> WELL, I HOPE TO ATTEND. I WANT TO LEARN ALL DIFFERENT
01:09:47POINTS OF VIEW ON AI. IT'S VERY
01:09:49IMPORTANT TO MEET WITH ALL KINDS OF VIEWPOINTS. >> PETER SLEN GENTLEMEN, WHAT
01:09:52ARE YOU OKAY WITH? JOHN FETTERMAN SPEAKING AT THE
01:09:55REPUBLICAN CONVENTION AND TALKING ABOUT CRITICIZING
01:09:59DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS AND GIVING
01:10:02LENDING SOME KIND WORDS TO PRESIDENT TRUMP? LET ME SAY ABOUT THAT.
01:10:04>> LET ME SAY THAT JOHN
01:10:07FETTERMAN IS A DEMOCRAT. HE'S A STRONG DEMOCRAT. I'VE DISCUSSED THIS WITH HIM OVER AND OVER
01:10:11AGAIN, VOTES WITH US SOMETHING
01:10:13LIKE 93% OF THE TIME. AND I'M
01:10:16GLAD HE'S A MEMBER OF OUR CAUCUS. WE HAVE A DIVERSE CAUCUS. YES.
01:10:20>> THERE'S >> FETTERMAN.
01:10:23>> THERE'S AS A SENATOR, WASHINGTON JOURNAL STARTED THIS
01:10:25MONTH THAT CONCERNING AT ALL TO YOU?
01:10:29>> LET ME SAY. >> SENATOR, FROM NORTH CAROLINA. >> HOW WAS I RECORDED.
01:10:32>> IN THE AFFIRMATIVE? >> MR. PRESIDENT, I WISH TO
01:10:36CHANGE MY VOTE TO NO. >> MR. TILLIS.
01:10:40>> THE SENATOR HAS THAT RIGHT. >> MR..
01:10:41>> MR.. TILLIS, MR.. TILLIS, NO
01:11:01>> ON THIS VOTE, THE YEAS ARE 49
01:11:03AND THE NAYS ARE 53/5 OF THE SENATORS DULY CHOSEN AND SWORN,
01:11:07NOT HAVING VOTED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. THE MOTION IS NOT
01:11:11AGREED TO. >> PRESIDENT. >> THE SENATOR FROM NORTH CAROLINA.
01:11:15>> MR. PRESIDENT, I ENTER A MOTION TO RECONSIDER THE VOTE.
01:11:17>> THE MOTION IS ENTERED.
01:11:20>> THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. MR.
01:11:29PRESIDENT. >> SENATOR, FROM NORTH CAROLINA. >> I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO
01:11:33WAIVE THE MANDATORY QUORUM CALL WITH RESPECT TO THE CLOTURE MOTION. ON THE MOTION TO PROCEED
01:11:37TO S 4668. >> THAT OBJECTION.
01:11:40>> MR. PRESIDENT, I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT THERE BE ONE HOUR OF DEBATE EQUALLY
01:11:44DIVIDED BETWEEN THE PROPONENTS AND OPPONENTS OF THE BILL. >> WITHOUT OBJECTION.
01:11:48>> MR. PRESIDENT, I ASK THE
01:11:50CHAIR TO EXECUTE THE ORDER OF AUGUST 8th IN RELATION TO. S
01:11:534668, FOLLOWING THE USE OR YIELDING BACK OF THE DEBATE
01:11:57TIME? >> WITHOUT OBJECTION.
01:11:58>> THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
01:13:59>> I WANT TO START. GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE, AND THANK YOU
01:14:02FOR BEING HERE. MY NAME IS LAURA HOGAN. CLOSE TO 19 MONTHS AGO,
01:14:05FOUR MEMBERS OF MY FAMILY BOARDED A PLANE IN KANSAS.
01:14:09PETER, DONNA, EVERLY, AND OLIVIA, ALONG WITH 63 OTHER
01:14:11SOULS, NEVER MADE IT HOME. THAT
01:14:14NIGHT, ON JANUARY 29th, 2025, 67
01:14:18LIVES WERE LOST WHEN A U.S. ARMY BLACKHAWK HELICOPTER COLLIDED
01:14:21WITH AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHT
01:14:235342. WE CANNOT CHANGE WHAT HAPPENED THAT NIGHT, BUT WE CAN,
01:14:27AND WE MUST CHANGE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT. I STAND HERE TODAY,
01:14:31ALONGSIDE OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS
01:14:33OF FLIGHT 53. 42 FAMILIES BROUGHT TOGETHER BY A TRAGEDY.
01:14:37NONE OF US CHOSE, BUT UNITED IN OUR DETERMINATION THAT OUR LOSS
01:14:41LEAD TO MEANINGFUL CHANGE. WE WANT TO RECOGNIZE AND THANK THE
01:14:43NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD, THE AIRLINE PILOTS
01:14:47ASSOCIATION, THE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS. JOINING US TODAY, DC
01:14:51FIRE AND EMS FIRST RESPONDERS, OUR AVIATION AND SAFETY
01:14:54PARTNERS, MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE
01:14:57FAMILIES STANDING HERE WITH US. WE ARE GRATEFUL TO THOSE WHO
01:15:00HAVE SHOWN UP, LISTEN TO OUR
01:15:01FAMILIES, AND WORKED WITH US. AVIATION SAFETY IS NOT A LEFT
01:15:05ISSUE OR A RIGHT ISSUE. IT IS
01:15:08NOT AND NEVER SHOULD BE POLITICAL, PUBLIC SAFETY
01:15:11CONCERNS. EVERY ONE OF US, EVERY
01:15:13PERSON WHO BOARDS AN AIRPLANE, EVERY FAMILY MEMBER WAITING FOR
01:15:16SOMEONE TO COME HOME, THAT
01:15:18RESPONSIBILITY BELONGS ESPECIALLY TO THOSE ENTRUSTED
01:15:21WITH THE AUTHORITY TO ACT. SO, WHETHER YOU ARE STANDING WITH
01:15:24WITH US HERE TODAY OR NOT, WE
01:15:26HOPE THIS MESSAGE IS HEARD.
01:15:29ACTION IS PAST DUE. WE CANNOT WAIT FOR ANOTHER TRAGEDY TO
01:15:33PROVE THE NEED FOR SAFETY MEASURES WE ALREADY KNOW CAN SAVE LIVES. THAT IS WHY WE ARE
01:15:36HERE TODAY, NOT FOR POLITICS,
01:15:40NOT FOR PARTISANSHIP. WE'RE HERE FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, FOR
01:15:43ACCOUNTABILITY, AND FOR ACTION. THE VOICES OF OUR FAMILIES HAVE BEEN AT THE HEART OF THIS EFFORT
01:15:47FROM THE BEGINNING. PLEASE
01:15:50WELCOME FAMILY 5342 MEMBERS,
01:15:53DOUG LANE AND RACHEL >> [APPLAUSE] >> FERRIS.
01:15:57>> [APPLAUSE]
01:16:02>> HI. SO IT WAS EXACTLY 24 OR
01:16:0725 YEARS AGO TODAY THAT I
01:16:10DECIDED TO PROPOSE TO MY WIFE, CHRISTINE, AND THE REASON I
01:16:14REMEMBER THAT IS THAT IT WAS THE
01:16:16EVENTS OF SEPTEMBER 11th, 2001,
01:16:20THAT MADE ME REALIZE THAT I WANTED TO SPEND THE REST OF MY
01:16:22LIFE WITH HER. SHE WAS WORKING
01:16:27IN THE TALLEST SKYSCRAPER IN BOSTON WHEN TWO PLANES FLEW BY ON THEIR WAY FROM BOSTON TO THE
01:16:29WORLD TRADE CENTER. I COULDN'T REACH HER AS HER BUILDING WAS
01:16:33BEING EVACUATED, AND I WAS LATER
01:16:36REUNITED WITH HER. BUT THAT FEAR AND UNCERTAINTY THAT I FELT MADE
01:16:40ME REALIZE THAT I WANTED TO SPEND THE REST OF MY LIFE WITH
01:16:42HER, AND AT THE SAME TIME, I
01:16:46ALSO FELT THE HEARTBREAKING STORIES OF OTHERS WHO WERE
01:16:49SUFFERING LOSS THROUGH THAT TRAGEDY. AND IT REALLY GAVE ME CLARITY ABOUT WHAT WAS
01:16:53IMPORTANT, AND IT SET ME ON A PATH TO BUILDING A FAMILY OF
01:16:56FOUR WITH CHRISTINE. 23 YEARS
01:17:00LATER, ON JANUARY 29th, 2025, THAT FAMILY OF FOUR BECAME A
01:17:04FAMILY OF TWO. CHRISTINA, CHRISTINE, AND MY SON SPENCER
01:17:07WERE GONE
01:17:15AND LIKE ON 9/11, I WAS HIT BY A WAVE OF HEARTBREAKING STORIES
01:17:19FROM OTHER FAMILIES THAT WERE
01:17:21ALSO TORN APART OR WIPED OUT ALTOGETHER.
01:17:25>> ON SEPTEMBER 11th, 2001, I
01:17:28WAS ALSO IN BOSTON. I WAS 18 YEARS OLD AND DOING A YEAR OF
01:17:31NATIONAL SERVICE THROUGH
01:17:33AMERICORPS. I REMEMBER EVACUATING DOWNTOWN, JUST BLOCKS
01:17:37AWAY FROM CHRISTINE, AROUND TEN THAT MORNING, AND I WENT HOME TO
01:17:40WATCH THE HORRIFIC FOOTAGE ON TELEVISION. THERE WAS NOTHING
01:17:43ELSE I COULD DO. SO I JUST WATCHED, LIKE SO MANY OF US, I
01:17:47FELT SCARED. I FELT OVERWHELMED
01:17:49AND POWERLESS. AFTER A FEW DAYS,
01:17:52I STARTED DREAMING ABOUT PLANES CRASHING. I WAS SEEING THEM AWAKE AND ASLEEP. BUT BY THE END
01:17:56OF THE WEEK, AMERICORPS WAS BACK TO WORK AND I HAD SOMETHING I
01:18:00COULD DO. I REMEMBER PUTTING ON MY UNIFORM JACKET WITH THE
01:18:04AMERICAN FLAG ON THE SLEEVE AND
01:18:09FEELING SO PURPOSEFUL. I WAS SERVING MY COUNTRY. THERE WAS WORK IN FRONT OF ME THAT I KNEW
01:18:12HOW TO DO. I HAD A WAY TO HELP
01:18:15THERE ARE TERRIBLE THINGS YOU CANNOT CHANGE. AND THEN THERE IS
01:18:17THE WORK IN FRONT OF YOU. THAT WAS THE LESSON THAT 9/11 TAUGHT
01:18:21ME, AND I HAVE CARRIED IT MY
01:18:22ENTIRE ADULT LIFE. I ALSO
01:18:26TRUSTED THAT OTHER PEOPLE WOULD DO THEIR WORK TOO. I WAS 18, I
01:18:29DIDN'T THINK ABOUT AGENCIES OR
01:18:31LEGISLATION OR RULEMAKING. I SIMPLY BELIEVED THAT THE PEOPLE
01:18:35WHOSE JOB IT WAS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT FAILED TO LEARN FROM IT
01:18:39AND TO MAKE US SAFER, WOULD DO
01:18:42EXACTLY THAT. 23 YEARS LATER, ON
01:18:45JANUARY 29th, I SAW THE FIRST HEADLINE ABOUT ANOTHER AVIATION
01:18:49TRAGEDY. AS I WAS GETTING READY FOR BED, I SAID A PRAYER FOR THE
01:18:52PEOPLE ON BOARD AND PUT DOWN MY PHONE. I KNEW THAT IF I KEPT
01:18:56READING, I WOULD NOT SLEEP. I WOULD SEE PLANES CRASHING. WHEN
01:18:59I CLOSED MY EYES. BUT THE NEXT
01:19:02MORNING, MY PHONE WAS FULL OF MESSAGES FROM MY FAMILY. CALL US
01:19:06NOW. WE LOVE YOU. MY HEART FROZE
01:19:08IN. MY HAND SHOOK AS I CALLED
01:19:12HOME. MY DAD ANSWERED AND SAID,
01:19:12I HAVE TERRIBLE NEWS. PETER,
01:19:16DONNA, EVERLY, AND OLIVIA WERE ALL ON THE PLANE IN DC. THEY ARE
01:19:20GONE. THEY ARE ALL GONE. MY
01:19:23HUSBAND TELLS ME HE FELL TO THE FLOOR. I DON'T REMEMBER THAT. I
01:19:26REMEMBER MY DAUGHTER STANDING
01:19:29THERE, FROZEN WHILE I SOBBED, BECAUSE MY COUSIN AND HIS ENTIRE
01:19:32FAMILY HAD BEEN WIPED OUT IN A MOMENT, AND I COULD NOT CHANGE
01:19:35WHAT HAPPENED. I COULD NOT GET THEM BACK. SO I DID THE ONLY
01:19:39THING I COULD DO, THE WORK IN FRONT OF ME. I WENT TO
01:19:42WASHINGTON TO HELP MY FAMILY. A
01:19:45FEW DAYS LATER, AT THE NTSB FAMILY ASSISTANCE CENTER, MY
01:19:49AUNT HAD ONE THING SHE WANTED TO
01:19:50KNOW. HAD THEY FOUND BROWN TEDDY THE BEAR HER GRANDDAUGHTER
01:19:53OLIVIA, BROUGHT ON EVERY TRIP WE
01:19:57ASKED. A DAY OR TWO LATER, SOMEONE CAME BACK AND SAID, WE
01:20:00FOUND BROWN. TEDDY. THEY CLEANED
01:20:03HIM AND THEY SENT HIM HOME. THIS
01:20:06IS BROWN. TEDDY, BROWN. TEDDY
01:20:08CAME HOME, BUT OLIVIA DID NOT.
01:20:14>> THE REST OF US WERE SURROUNDED BY PIECES OF WHAT WE
01:20:16LOST AS WELL. THE U.S. FIGURE
01:20:20SKATING JACKET THAT MY SON, SPENCER, TRAINED FOR HOURS EVERY
01:20:23DAY TO EARN, CAME HOME. SPENCER
01:20:27DID NOT. THE LAPTOP THAT CHRISTINE USED TO SHARE HER
01:20:31CREATIVITY WITH THE WORLD CAME HOME IN PIECES. CHRISTINE DID
01:20:35NOT. NONE OF OUR FAMILY MEMBERS CHOSE WHAT HAPPENED THAT NIGHT,
01:20:37AND NONE OF US LEFT BEHIND CHOSE
01:20:40IT EITHER. BUT WE DID HAVE A CHOICE ABOUT WHAT CAME NEXT. OUR
01:20:44FAMILIES HELD ON TO ONE ANOTHER, AND THEN WE GOT TO WORK. WE WERE
01:20:47HERE ON CAPITOL HILL BY THE END OF FEBRUARY, AND WE HAVE KEPT
01:20:51SHOWING UP EVER SINCE. WE CAN TELL THEIR STORIES, WE CAN ASK
01:20:55QUESTIONS. WE CAN PUSH FOR
01:20:57ANSWERS. WE CAN DEMAND ACTION.
01:21:00THAT'S THE WORK THAT BELONGS TO US. BUT WE CANNOT DO EVERYBODY
01:21:03ELSE'S WORK FOR THEM. WE NEED
01:21:08THE PEOPLE. WE NEED THE PEOPLE WITH THE POWER TO TURN THIS
01:21:11TRAGEDY INTO CHANGE, TO DO
01:21:12THEIRS, AND TO FINISH IT. AFTER
01:21:17SEPTEMBER 11th, WE SAID, NEVER FORGET, AND WE MEANT IT. WE
01:21:18CHANGED LAWS. WE CHANGED
01:21:21SECURITY, WE REINFORCED COCKPIT DOORS BECAUSE SOMETHING HAD FAILED AND PEOPLE HAD DIED. BUT
01:21:25THAT'S THE THING ABOUT MASS
01:21:27LOSS AT FIRST. EVERYBODY IS PAYING ATTENTION. EVERYBODY
01:21:30SAYS, THIS CAN NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN. THEN TIME PASSES. THE
01:21:34FUNERALS END, THE CAMERAS LEAVE, OTHER THINGS BECOME URGENT, AND
01:21:38THE WORK GETS HARDER TO FINISH.
01:21:41SECONDARY FLIGHT DECK BARRIERS ARE A PERFECT EXAMPLE. THERE ARE SIMPLE GATE THAT PROTECTS THE
01:21:45COCKPIT. WHEN REINFORCED, DOOR HAS TO OPEN. PILOTS LIKE THE
01:21:48ONES BEHIND ME HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR IT FOR 20 YEARS. INDUSTRY
01:21:52STANDARDS TOOK A DECADE, AND CONGRESS FINALLY MANDATED THEM
01:21:55IN 2018. BUT THAT REQUIREMENT ONLY BECAME ENFORCEABLE LAST
01:21:58MONTH, AND ONLY FOR NEW
01:22:00AIRCRAFT. 25 YEARS AFTER
01:22:03SEPTEMBER 11th, PILOTS AND 9/11 FAMILIES ARE STILL FIGHTING TO
01:22:06GET THIS COMMON SENSE SAFETY
01:22:08FEATURE INTO THOUSANDS OF AIRCRAFTS STILL FLYING EVERY
01:22:11DAY. THAT IS WHAT FADING URGENCY
01:22:13LOOKS LIKE. SOMEONE, SOMETHING EVERYONE AGREES WILL MAKE PEOPLE
01:22:16SAFER, GETS CAUGHT IN PROCESS,
01:22:18OBJECTIONS, EXCEPTIONS, AND
01:22:21DELAY UNTIL YOU LOOK UP AN
01:22:22ENTIRE GENERATION HAS PASSED
01:22:26FLIGHT 5342 CANNOT FOLLOW THAT PATH.
01:22:28>> TO OUR MANY LEGISLATIVE ALLIES WHO HAVE FOUGHT WITH US
01:22:31TO MOVE AVIATION SAFETY REFORM
01:22:34FORWARD, WE SEE THE WORK YOU ARE
01:22:37DOING, AND WE ARE SO GRATEFUL.
01:22:38KEEP GOING. THIS CONGRESS IS
01:22:41COMING TO AN END. YOU HAVE BROUGHT US TOO FAR TO LET THIS
01:22:45BILL DIE IN THE LAST MILE. WE
01:22:48CANNOT COME BACK NEXT YEAR AND BEGIN AGAIN. REINTRODUCING
01:22:51BILLS, REBUILDING MOMENTUM, SITTING THROUGH THE SAME
01:22:54MEETINGS, AND TELLING THESE
01:22:58STORIES AGAIN. >> AND THERE ARE STILL PEOPLE IN ORGANIZATIONS WORKING TO MAKE
01:23:01THIS HARDER THAN IT NEEDS TO BE.
01:23:02WE SEE YOU. WE NEED YOU TO STOP.
01:23:06STOP FINDING REASONS TO DELAY.
01:23:07STOP CREATING CONFUSION. STOP LOBBYING FOR LOOPHOLES AND CARVE
01:23:11OUTS THAT WEAKEN WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH. IF YOU DO
01:23:14NOT BELIEVE THAT THE NTSB'S RECOMMENDATIONS WILL MAKE US ALL
01:23:18SAFER, SAY SO. SAY IT TO OUR FACES. SAY IT TO CHAIRWOMAN
01:23:22HOMENDY AND THE INVESTIGATORS
01:23:23WHO WORKED FOR A YEAR TO DEVELOP
01:23:27THEM. IF YOU THINK THE COST IS TOO HIGH, SHOW US THE MATH. TELL US WHAT A HUMAN LIFE IS WORTH TO
01:23:31YOU BUT IF YOU CANNOT MAKE THAT
01:23:36CASE, STOP STANDING IN THE WAY.
01:23:3867 PEOPLE ARE DEAD. THE NTSB
01:23:42TOLD US WHAT FAILED AND WHAT NEEDS TO CHANGE. THE FAMILIES
01:23:45HAVE DONE OUR PART. MEMBERS OF BOTH PARTIES HAVE COME TOGETHER
01:23:48AROUND MEANINGFUL LEGISLATION.
01:23:51IT'S TIME TO FINISH IT. AND WE DON'T NEED TO WAIT FOR CONGRESS
01:23:55TO GET STARTED. FAA, WHERE YOU
01:23:57HAVE AUTHORITY, USE IT. ARMY AND
01:24:00DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. YOU TOLD THESE FAMILIES THAT YOUR INVESTIGATIONS WERE COMPLETE AND
01:24:04THAT WE WOULD HAVE ANSWERS. GIVE US THE INVESTIGATIONS. TELL US
01:24:07WHAT YOU LEARNED. TELL US WHAT YOU WERE CHANGING IN HONOR OF
01:24:11OUR LOVED ONES. THERE ARE TERRIBLE THINGS YOU CANNOT CHANGE. AND THEN THERE IS THE
01:24:15WORK IN FRONT OF YOU. THIS IS THE WORK IN FRONT OF YOU. FINISH
01:24:18THE WORK NOW, BEFORE ANOTHER
01:24:20FAMILY PAYS FOR THE TIME YOU
01:24:23CHOSE TO TAKE. >> WE WANT TO SAY SOMETHING
01:24:27SPECIFIC TO THE AIRLINES AND
01:24:30MANUFACTURERS. WE PUT OUR TRUST IN YOU, AND YOU HAVE NOT LIVED
01:24:34UP TO THAT TRUST. WHEN WE PUT OURSELVES OR OUR CHILDREN ON
01:24:37YOUR AIRPLANES, WE TRUST THAT YOU HAVE DONE EVERYTHING
01:24:41REASONABLY POSSIBLE TO MAKE THEM SAFE. YOUR PILOTS AND FLIGHT
01:24:45ATTENDANTS PLACE THAT SAME TRUST IN YOU EVERY TIME THEY SHOW UP
01:24:47TO WORK. THE REALITY IS THAT TOO
01:24:49MUCH OF THIS INDUSTRY HAS TREATED COMPLIANCE AS THE LIMIT
01:24:53OF ITS RESPONSIBILITY. IF THE GOVERNMENT HAS NOT REQUIRED A
01:24:57SAFETY IMPROVEMENT, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO PROVIDE IT. SECONDARY
01:25:00FLIGHT DECK BARRIERS ARE ONE PROOF. POINT COLLISION AVOIDANCE
01:25:04TECHNOLOGY IS ANOTHER. THE
01:25:07SAFETY CASE FOR ADS-B IN HAS BEEN PUBLIC SINCE 2008, BUT
01:25:11FLIGHT 5342 DID NOT HAVE IT. THE NTSB FOUND THAT IT COULD HAVE
01:25:14GIVEN THE CREW WARNING OF THE
01:25:17HELICOPTER. ROUGHLY 4059 SECONDS BEFORE IMPACT. ABOUT 40 MORE
01:25:21SECONDS THAN THEY HAD. I CANNOT
01:25:24TELL YOU IF THOSE 40s WOULD HAVE SAVED THEM, BUT I CAN TELL YOU
01:25:27THEY DID NOT GET THEM. IT IS NOW
01:25:31STANDARD FOR CARS TO ALERT US WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE IS IN OUR
01:25:35BLIND SPOT, TO WARN US WHEN WE ARE CLOSING TOO QUICKLY, AND
01:25:38INCREASINGLY TO BRAKE ON THEIR
01:25:39OWN TO AVOID A COLLISION. AND
01:25:43YET, SOMEHOW, IN 2026, WE ARE STILL ARGUING ABOUT WHETHER
01:25:46PILOTS CARRYING HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE THROUGH CROWDED AIRSPACE
01:25:49SHOULD HAVE THE BEST AVAILABLE TECHNOLOGY TO HELP THEM DO THE
01:25:51SAME THING FOR AIRLINE CREW MEMBERS. WENT TO WORK THAT NIGHT
01:25:55AND NEVER CAME HOME. YOUR
01:25:59EMPLOYEES, I BELIEVE YOU GRIEVED THEM. BUT GRIEF AFTER THE FACT
01:26:03IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR ACTION
01:26:05BEFORE IT. WHAT YOU BUY IS
01:26:08ACTION. WHAT YOU INSTALL IS
01:26:10ACTION. WHAT YOU RETROFIT IS ACTION. WHAT YOU DEMAND FROM
01:26:14MANUFACTURERS IS ACTION, AND WHAT YOU LOBBY FOR AND WHAT YOU
01:26:18PUSH FOR. IN RULEMAKING
01:26:21COMMITTEES. THAT IS ACTION TO
01:26:23AIRLINES ARE NOT POWERLESS
01:26:25CONSUMERS. YOU BUY AIRPLANES,
01:26:28YOU CHOOSE THE EQUIPMENT, YOU NEGOTIATE WITH MANUFACTURERS.
01:26:30YOU CREATE DEMAND. AND WE KNOW
01:26:34HOW QUICKLY THIS INDUSTRY CAN CREATE URGENCY WHEN ITS
01:26:36ECONOMICS ARE ON THE LINE, WHEN FUEL COSTS RISE, REGULATION
01:26:40THREATENS REVENUE, OR MARGINS
01:26:42TIGHTEN. THERE IS NO SHORTAGE OF LOBBYING EFFORT, AND THEY FIND
01:26:45THEIR VOICES IN EVERY RULEMAKING
01:26:47ROOM. WHERE HAS THAT URGENCY
01:26:49BEEN FOR SAFETY? WHERE WAS THE
01:26:52INDUSTRY WIDE DEMAND FOR SECONDARY BARRIERS WHEN YOUR OWN
01:26:56PILOTS WERE ASKING FOR THEM? WHERE WAS THE PUSH TO DEVELOP
01:26:59AND CERTIFY ADS-B IN AFTER THE SAFETY CASE WAS CLEAR? AND THIS
01:27:03IS NOT WHETHER YOU CARE ABOUT
01:27:05WHETHER YOU CAN AFFORD TO ACT.
01:27:08U.S. PASSENGER AIRLINES MADE
01:27:1011.4 BILLION IN OPERATING PROFIT
01:27:13IN 2025. YOU HAVE THE MONEY. YOU
01:27:15HAVE THE LEVERAGE. YOU HAVE THE
01:27:18VOICE. THE QUESTION IS WHY SAFETY SO RARELY GETS THE SAME
01:27:22URGENCY AS THE NEXT QUARTERLY
01:27:24EARNINGS REPORT. YOU SHOULD BE
01:27:26MAKING THIS EASIER. PUSHING MANUFACTURERS, SOLVING
01:27:29CERTIFICATION PROBLEMS, DEMANDING SAFETY TECHNOLOGY
01:27:33BEFORE CONGRESS HAS TO FORCE THE ISSUE. REGULATION IS THE FLOOR,
01:27:36AND YOU SHOULD BE HELPING TO
01:27:37RAISE IT. DO THE THING YOU WOULD
01:27:41DEMAND IF YOUR WIFE AND SON WERE ON THAT AIRPLANE. DO WHAT YOU
01:27:44WOULD DO IF YOUR GRANDDAUGHTER WAS TRAVELING HOME WITH HER
01:27:47TEDDY BEAR. YOU KNOW HOW TO MOVE
01:27:50FAST. WHEN MONEY IS ON THE LINE,
01:27:52MOVE FAST. WHEN LIVES ARE YOUR
01:27:54PUBLIC ABSENCE FROM THIS FIGHT
01:27:56HAS NOT GONE UNNOTICED. GET OFF THE SIDELINES AND GET IN THE
01:28:00GAME. BRING THE SAME URGENCY TO PROTECTING YOUR PILOTS, YOUR
01:28:03FLIGHT ATTENDANTS, AND YOUR PASSENGERS THAT YOU BRING TO
01:28:06PROTECTING YOUR BOTTOM LINE. AND
01:28:11IF YOU CAN FIND BILLIONS FOR
01:28:14SHAREHOLDERS, BUT NOT URGENCY FOR SAFETY. DO NOT TELL US THAT
01:28:18SAFETY IS YOUR HIGHEST PRIORITY. THE PROOF OF YOUR PRIORITIES IS
01:28:21IN THE TECHNOLOGY YOU INSTALL, THE AIRPLANES YOU BUY, AND THE
01:28:24POLICIES YOU ADVANCE. BEFORE PEOPLE DIE. NOT IN THE
01:28:27CONDOLENCES OR PRESS RELEASES.
01:28:28YOU ISSUE ISSUE AFTER THEY ARE
01:28:36>> 25 YEARS AFTER SEPTEMBER 11th, WE KNOW THAT REMEMBRANCE CAN LAST MUCH LONGER THAN
01:28:40URGENCY. THAT CANNOT BE THE
01:28:42LEGACY OF FLIGHT 5342. WE DID
01:28:46NOT BRING THESE ITEMS HERE TODAY AS SYMBOLS. WE BROUGHT THEM
01:28:50BECAUSE THEY ARE WHAT WE HAVE
01:28:50LEFT. BROWN. TEDDY CAME HOME.
01:28:54SPENCER'S JACKET CAME HOME.
01:28:57CHRISTINE'S LAPTOP CAME HOME.
01:29:00OLIVIA. CHRISTINE, SPENCER AND
01:29:0364 OTHERS DID NOT. FOR THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF, OUR FAMILIES
01:29:07HAVE CARRIED THAT LOSS INTO HEARING ROOMS, CONGRESSIONAL
01:29:10OFFICES, MEETINGS AND BRIEFINGS. EVERY PLACE WE THOUGHT WE MIGHT
01:29:12BE ABLE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. WE WILL KEEP CARRYING OUR PART OF
01:29:15THAT, BUT WE CANNOT CARRY YOURS.
01:29:18DO THE RIGHT THING. DO THE WORK IN FRONT OF YOU. DO THE WORK
01:29:21THAT IS YOURS, AND FINISH IT BEFORE ANOTHER FAMILY IS LEFT.
01:29:25HOLDING THE THINGS THAT CAME HOME. INSTEAD OF THE PERSON WHO
01:29:28SHOULD HAVE. THANK YOU
01:29:35>> CAPTAIN AMBROSI FROM ALPA IS
01:29:36GOING TO SPEAK NEXT
01:29:39>> [APPLAUSE]. >> WELL, THANK YOU BOTH FOR
01:29:41THOSE THOSE POWERFUL REMARKS.
01:29:44THANK YOU. I'M CAPTAIN JASON AMBROSI, PRESIDENT OF THE AIR
01:29:46LINE PILOTS ASSOCIATION
01:29:49INTERNATIONAL, WHICH REPRESENTS MORE THAN 80,000 PILOTS IN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA, AND A
01:29:53CAPTAIN ON THE BOEING 767 FOR
01:29:55DELTA AIR LINES. ON JANUARY
01:29:5829th, 2025, THOSE ABOARD FLIGHT
01:30:025342 STARTED THEIR DAY LIKE ANY OTHER. EVERYONE EXPECTED TO COME
01:30:05HOME. INSTEAD, OUR INDUSTRY LOST
01:30:1167 LIVES. PILOTS, FLIGHT
01:30:13ATTENDANTS, MOTHERS, FATHERS,
01:30:15KIDS, COACHES, TEAMMATES, AND FRIENDS. THEY ALL TRUSTED THEY
01:30:19WOULD COME HOME SAFELY. AS
01:30:23AIRLINE PILOTS, WE CARRY THAT
01:30:25TRUST AND WE CARRY THAT LOSS.
01:30:28EVERY SINGLE DAY. THE FAMILIES
01:30:31HERE OF FLIGHT 5342 STAND WITH
01:30:33US AND HAVE SHOWN EXTRAORDINARY
01:30:36RESOLVE. TURNING UNIMAGINABLE
01:30:40GRIEF INTO ACTION. EVERYONE AT ALPA CONTINUES TO STAND WITH
01:30:43THEM, AND WE WILL NOT STOP
01:30:45PUSHING UNTIL THEIR LOVED ONE'S
01:30:47LEGACY IS WRITTEN INTO LAW. THE
01:30:52NTSB REPORT LISTED 50
01:30:55RECOMMENDATIONS THAT, WHEN
01:30:56ENACTED, WILL MAKE FLYING SAFER.
01:31:01ONE ESSENTIAL RECOMMENDATION IS IN THE SENATE'S ROTOR ACT, ENSURING THAT AIRLINE PILOTS
01:31:04HAVE INTEGRATED ADS-B IN
01:31:06TECHNOLOGY ON THE FLIGHT DECK,
01:31:09GIVING CREWS REAL TIME AUDIO AND
01:31:12VISUAL AWARENESS OF NEARBY
01:31:15AIRCRAFT. THIS IS NOT DEVELOPMENTAL TECHNOLOGY. IT
01:31:18EXISTS TODAY AND COULD HAVE MADE
01:31:21THE DIFFERENCE FOR THE 67 LIVES LOST OVER THE POTOMAC LAST YEAR.
01:31:25WE'VE WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE FAMILIES OF THOSE LOST IN THE
01:31:27ACCIDENT AND WITH LAWMAKERS
01:31:30ACROSS THE AISLE TO UPDATE RULES
01:31:33AND PROCEDURES TO INCLUDE A NEW MANDATE FOR ADS-B IN TO THE
01:31:37FLYING PUBLIC LISTENING TODAY.
01:31:40WHILE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SOME VERY TECHNICAL ASPECTS HERE,
01:31:43WHAT YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND IS
01:31:46THIS. IT ALL GOES TO THE HEART
01:31:47OF THE TRUST THAT YOU PLACE IN
01:31:50YOUR PILOTS EVERY TIME YOU FLY.
01:31:52THAT TRUST ISN'T BLIND. IT'S
01:31:57EARNED. WE ARE TRAINED. WE ARE
01:31:59RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR SAFETY. AND WE TAKE THAT VERY SERIOUSLY
01:32:03EVERY TIME WE PUSH BACK FROM THE GATE. WE EXPECT THE SAME FROM
01:32:07EVERYONE WHO SHARES THAT AIRSPACE, INCLUDING OUR MILITARY
01:32:11PARTNERS AND THOSE AT THE PENTAGON. WE MUST BE ABLE TO SEE
01:32:15EACH OTHER IN SHARED AIRSPACE,
01:32:18PERIOD. TO BE CLEAR, FOR AIRLINE
01:32:21PILOTS, THIS IS NOT A MATTER OF
01:32:23ROTOR VERSUS ALERT OR HOUSE
01:32:25VERSUS SENATE. WE SUPPORT INCORPORATING THE STRONGEST
01:32:28COMPONENTS OF BOTH PIECES OF
01:32:30LEGISLATION. ANY AVIATION SAFETY
01:32:33LEGISLATION MUST INCLUDE INTEGRATED ADS-B IN MANDATE, AS
01:32:37INCLUDED IN THE SENATE'S ROTOR
01:32:39ACT. SITUATIONAL AWARENESS
01:32:41TECHNOLOGY FOR PILOTS IS
01:32:44CRITICAL AND SHOULDN'T BE UP FOR DEBATE. THAT NUANCE IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE, WITHOUT
01:32:48SPELLING IT OUT, SHORTCUTS ARE
01:32:51SURE TO BE TAKEN. WE ABSOLUTELY
01:32:54CANNOT SETTLE FOR THE DESIRES OF
01:32:56SOME SPECIAL INTEREST THAT WOULD
01:32:59HAVE ESSENTIAL TRAFFIC DATA
01:33:02DISPLAYED ON AN IPAD OVER HERE,
01:33:04WHEN I SHOULD BE LOOKING
01:33:09STRAIGHT AHEAD. ALSO NEED TO CLOSE THE GAP THAT LETS MILITARY
01:33:12AND OTHER GOVERNMENTAL AIRCRAFT FLY THROUGH OUR BUSIEST AIRSPACE
01:33:16WITHOUT REPORTING THEIR POSITION. OTHER THAN MATTERS OF NATIONAL SECURITY, LIKE
01:33:20PRESIDENTIAL MOVEMENT, MILITARY
01:33:22AIRCRAFT OPERATING IN CROWDED AIRSPACE, SUCH AS D.C., A MUST
01:33:25REPORT THEIR POSITION TO PREVENT
01:33:28ANOTHER TRAGEDY. IF THEY MUST OPERATE WITH TRANSPONDERS OFF.
01:33:32LET'S NOT REPEAT HISTORY. THERE
01:33:33IS A BETTER SOLUTION THAT EXISTS
01:33:36TODAY, AND WE WILL SAVE LIVES.
01:33:39I'D LIKE TO THANK CHAIR CRUZ AND RANKING MEMBER CANTWELL FOR
01:33:42THEIR LEADERSHIP, AS WELL AS THE OTHER MEMBERS OF CONGRESS WHO HAVE COME TOGETHER TO SUPPORT
01:33:46THIS COMMON SENSE LEGISLATION.
01:33:48WE OWE IT TO THE 67 PEOPLE LOST,
01:33:51AND TO THE MILLIONS WHO TRUST
01:33:52THEIR LIVES WITH US EVERY DAY TO
01:33:56FINISH THIS JOB. THANK YOU. I'D LIKE TO NOW INTRODUCE NTSB
01:33:59CHAIRWOMAN JENNIFER >> [APPLAUSE] >> HOMENDY
01:34:02>> [APPLAUSE] >> THANK YOU.
01:34:06>> THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME TO SPEAK TODAY. AND TO THE
01:34:10FAMILIES. THE NTSB. WE CONTINUE TO FIGHT ALONGSIDE YOU TO ENSURE
01:34:14OUR SAFETY RECOMMENDATIONS ARE IMPLEMENTED. ALL 50 OF OUR
01:34:18RECOMMENDATIONS. WE RECOGNIZE
01:34:21THAT NO INVESTIGATION CAN UNDO
01:34:25THE TREMENDOUS, TREMENDOUS PAIN
01:34:29YOU EXPERIENCE EVERY SINGLE DAY.
01:34:30BUT WE COLLECTIVELY CAN HONOR
01:34:33THOSE WHO WERE LOST BY MAKING
01:34:35MEANINGFUL IMPROVEMENTS TO
01:34:38SAFETY, BY ENSURING THE
01:34:40TRAGEDIES, WE INVESTIGATE TODAY
01:34:43BECOME LIVES SAVED TOMORROW. THE
01:34:47MID-AIR COLLISION AT RONALD REAGAN NATIONAL AIRPORT OCCURRED
01:34:50595 DAYS AGO. 595 DAYS AGO. IN
01:34:56JUST A FEW MONTHS, WE'LL BE
01:34:58GATHERING TO MOURN THE SECOND
01:35:03ANNIVERSARY. AFTER THE ACCIDENT. IN TESTIMONY BEFORE THE SENATE,
01:35:06I COMMITTED TO CHAIRMAN CRUZ AND
01:35:10RANKING MEMBER CANTWELL THAT WE WERE GOING TO COMPLETE OUR INVESTIGATION IN UNDER A YEAR.
01:35:13THAT WAS OUR COMMITMENT, BECAUSE
01:35:17WE NEEDED TO IMPROVE SAFETY, AND
01:35:19WE DID JUST THAT. ON JANUARY
01:35:2227th, 2026, 232 DAYS AGO WE
01:35:30CONCLUDED OUR INVESTIGATION AND
01:35:32ADOPTED OUR FINAL REPORT. WE
01:35:35ISSUED 74 FINDINGS AND 50 SAFETY
01:35:38RECOMMENDATIONS, FIVE TO THE DEPARTMENT OF WAR POLICY BOARD
01:35:41ON FEDERAL AVIATION, EIGHT TO
01:35:42THE U.S. ARMY, 33 TO THE FEDERAL
01:35:46AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, TWO TO THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, ONE TO THE
01:35:49DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL, AND
01:35:52ONE TO THE RADIO TECHNICAL COMMISSION FOR AERONAUTICS
01:35:56PROGRAM MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE. TWO OF THESE RECIPIENTS, THE
01:36:00ARMY AND THE FAA, PARTICIPATED
01:36:02IN OUR INVESTIGATION. WHEN YOU PARTICIPATE IN OUR
01:36:06INVESTIGATION, BECOME PARTIES TO
01:36:08OUR INVESTIGATION, YOU GET FACTUAL INFORMATION IN REAL TIME
01:36:11SO YOU CAN MAKE SAFETY CHANGE.
01:36:15WE DO THAT SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT TILL THE CONCLUSION OF OUR
01:36:19INVESTIGATION AND ISSUE A FINAL
01:36:21REPORT A SUCCESSFUL OUTCOME OF
01:36:25AN INVESTIGATION IS TO HAVE ALL
01:36:29OUR RECOMMENDATIONS IMPLEMENTED
01:36:30BEFORE WE'RE DONE, BEFORE WE'RE
01:36:34DONE. THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN
01:36:36BECAUSE TODAY, NEARLY TWO YEARS LATER, ALL 50 OF OUR SAFETY
01:36:39RECOMMENDATIONS REMAIN OPEN,
01:36:42MEANING THEY HAVE NOT BEEN FULLY
01:36:45IMPLEMENTED. YESTERDAY, THE
01:36:48BOARD, UPON RECOMMENDATION OF OUR SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS WHO
01:36:50DO A THOROUGH REVIEW OF THE
01:36:54RECIPIENTS OF OUR
01:36:56RECOMMENDATIONS, RESPONSE TO OUR
01:36:58RECOMMENDATIONS. WE UNANIMOUSLY
01:37:02DESIGNATED A THIRD OF THE
01:37:04RECOMMENDATIONS TO FAA AS UNACCEPTABLE ACTION,
01:37:07UNACCEPTABLE ACTION. THOSE
01:37:09INCLUDE, AMONG OTHER THINGS,
01:37:11MANDATING ADS-B, IN WHICH WAS
01:37:15WHICH. THE NTSB HAS BEEN
01:37:19RECOMMENDING FOR DECADES AS AN
01:37:23IMMEDIATE SAFETY IMPROVEMENT IN
01:37:24OUR AIRSPACE. LET ME BE CLEAR,
01:37:27ADS-B IN, AND I SAID THIS TO CHAIRMAN CRUZ WHEN HE ASKED ME
01:37:30THIS QUESTION. ADS-B IN WOULD
01:37:33HAVE PREVENTED THIS COLLISION.
01:37:36IT WOULD HAVE PREVENTED IT. WE
01:37:40WOULDN'T BE HERE TODAY. EACH OF OUR 50 RECOMMENDATIONS ARE
01:37:44CRITICAL FOR SAFETY, AND COMBINED WOULD ALSO HAVE
01:37:47PREVENTED THIS ACCIDENT. BUT EVERY SINGLE DAY THAT PASSES
01:37:51WITHOUT IMPLEMENTATION OF OUR RECOMMENDATIONS IS AN
01:37:54UNACCEPTABLE RISK TO AVIATION SAFETY. AN UNACCEPTABLE RISK FOR
01:37:57CREW MEMBERS, AN UNACCEPTABLE
01:38:00RISK TO THE FLYING PUBLIC, TO
01:38:04PASSENGERS. I WANT TO COMMEND CHAIRMAN CRUZ. I ASKED TO SPEAK
01:38:07BEFORE HIM BECAUSE I WANT TO
01:38:10THANK THEM BOTH, AND ALSO RANKING MEMBER CANTWELL. I ASKED
01:38:13TO SPEAK BEFORE THEM BOTH
01:38:16BECAUSE I WANT TO THANK THEM. THEY HAVE SPEARHEADED THIS
01:38:19EFFORT COMING OVER TO THE HOUSE
01:38:23SIDE DURING THE VOTE, COMING TO THE HOUSE FLOOR AND AFTERWARDS,
01:38:26NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THIS,
01:38:29BUT CHAIRMAN CRUZ FOUND THE FAMILY MEMBERS AND TOLD THEM NOT
01:38:32TO GIVE UP. RANKING MEMBER
01:38:35CANTWELL CALLED EVERYONE, DON'T
01:38:39GIVE UP. CERTAINLY APPRECIATE
01:38:42THE EFFORTS IN THE HOUSE TO ADDRESS OUR RECOMMENDATIONS, AND
01:38:45WE ARE SO CLOSE, SO CLOSE. BUT
01:38:50WE NEED A FINAL BILL. WE CANNOT
01:38:52STAND HERE ON THE SECOND
01:38:55ANNIVERSARY OF THIS TRAGEDY. SO
01:38:57MANY DAYS GONE BY, WITH NO
01:38:59IMPROVEMENTS TO SAFETY WITHOUT
01:39:03ADS-B IN, WITHOUT OUR
01:39:05RECOMMENDATIONS BEING
01:39:08IMPLEMENTED. 67 PEOPLE LOST
01:39:10THEIR LIVES ON JANUARY 29th,
01:39:132025, BEHIND EVERY NAME IS A
01:39:16PERSON WHO IS LOVED, A PARENT, A
01:39:22FATHER, A MOTHER, A SPOUSE, A
01:39:24CHILD, A FRIEND. THE LOSS
01:39:30CARRIED BY THESE FAMILIES IS
01:39:33PROFOUND, AND WE WILL CONTINUE.
01:39:36I WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH RELENTLESSLY FOR THE CHANGES
01:39:39NEEDED TO MAKE AVIATION SAFER.
01:39:41WE OWE THEM THAT, AND WE OWE THAT TO THE FLYING PUBLIC. THANK
01:39:45YOU
01:39:50>> [APPLAUSE] [APPLAUSE] >> IT IS AN HONOR TO INTRODUCE
01:39:53CHAIRMAN CRUZ.
01:39:56>> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND LET ME SAY TO THE FAMILIES WHO
01:40:00ARE HERE, THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR COMING. EVERY TIME YOU COME,
01:40:04EVERY TIME YOU STAND UP, EVERY TIME YOU HOLD THESE PHOTOGRAPHS,
01:40:08YOU RELIVE THE PAIN OF THAT DAY.
01:40:13YOU RELIVE THE MEMORIES OF THE
01:40:20LOVED ONES YOU LOST 595 DAYS AGO IN THE SKIES ABOVE WASHINGTON,
01:40:22D.C. 67 LIVES WERE TAKEN FROM
01:40:30US. THE GREATEST TRAGEDY OF THAT
01:40:34IS THAT IT WAS UTTERLY AND
01:40:36COMPLETELY PREVENTABLE THAT
01:40:40ACCIDENT OVER DCA DID NOT HAVE
01:40:41TO HAPPEN. IT COULD HAVE BEEN
01:40:45PREVENTED. AND WE KNOW HOW TO
01:40:49PREVENT IT. THE NTSB, FOR
01:40:52DECADES HAS BEEN RECOMMENDING SPECIFICALLY HOW TO PREVENT AN
01:40:56ACCIDENT LIKE THIS, AND THAT IS
01:40:59MANDATING THAT ADS-B IN
01:41:01TECHNOLOGY BE USED ON AIRCRAFT.
01:41:05THE NTSB RECREATED WHAT HAPPENED
01:41:12THAT NIGHT AND OVERLAID IT WITH
01:41:15THE VOICE RECORDINGS OF THE
01:41:16BLACK BOX IF ADS-B IN HAD BEEN
01:41:22INSTALLED AND USED ON THE
01:41:25AIRCRAFT THAT NIGHT, BOTH THE AMERICAN AIRLINES JET AND THE
01:41:29BLACK HAWK HELICOPTER WOULD HAVE
01:41:34SEEN EACH OTHER. LONG BEFORE
01:41:37THEY HIT EACH OTHER, IT WOULD
01:41:38HAVE BEEN SIMPLE TO AVOID THAT
01:41:43COLLISION. INSTEAD, WHEN YOU
01:41:46WATCH THE RECREATION. WHEN YOU
01:41:50LISTEN TO THE BLACK BOX, IT'S EVIDENT THE BLACK HAWK PILOTS
01:41:54NEVER SAW THE PLANE, NEVER SAW
01:41:57THE PLANE TILL THE INSTANT THEY
01:42:00DIED. AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THE AMERICAN PILOTS SAW THE
01:42:04HELICOPTER ABOUT ONE SECOND
01:42:07BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. THE VERY LAST ACTION WAS PULLING THE
01:42:11STICK BACK. AND THEN THEY WERE
01:42:19GONE WE KNOW HOW TO PREVENT
01:42:24THIS. AND, LOOK, THERE ARE A HOST OF AREAS IN WHICH
01:42:28WASHINGTON IS BROKEN, IN WHICH YOU HAVE PARTIZAN BICKERING AND
01:42:31FIGHTING BACK AND FORTH, BUT
01:42:33THIS ISN'T ONE OF THEM. SENATOR
01:42:38CANTWELL AND I TEAMED UP TOGETHER WITH BIPARTISAN LEGISLATION TO TAKE THE
01:42:41RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE NTSB TO
01:42:43PUT THAT MANDATE IN PLACE, AND
01:42:48THE ROTOR ACT PASSED THE SENATE
01:42:51100 TO NOTHING. EVERY REPUBLICAN
01:42:54VOTED YES. EVERY DEMOCRAT VOTED
01:42:57YES. IN THE HOUSE, WHEN THE
01:42:58HOUSE VOTED ON IT, WE GOT A
01:43:02BIPARTISAN VOTE OF TWO THIRDS OF
01:43:04THE HOUSE, MINUS ONE. WE FELL
01:43:07ONE VOTE SHORT. AND
01:43:10FRUSTRATINGLY, THE VOTE HAPPENED ON A DAY WHEN NEARLY 30 HOUSE
01:43:13MEMBERS WERE NOT PRESENT BECAUSE OF WEATHER IN THE NORTHEAST THAT
01:43:17PREVENTED THEM FROM GETTING BACK
01:43:18TO D.C.. MANY OF YOU ALL WERE
01:43:22THERE THAT DAY, AND I TOLD YOU
01:43:25THEN, WE WILL GET THIS DONE. AND
01:43:29YOUR LEADERSHIP IS CRITICAL TO
01:43:32GETTING THIS DONE. I WANT EVERYONE HERE. >> WE ARE.
01:43:36>> ABOUT READY TO TAKE UP A
01:43:36BILL, POTENTIALLY. UM, THAT
01:43:40DEALS WITH A SITUATION THAT I THINK SHOULD BE, AND IS NEAR AND DEAR TO THE HEARTS OF ALL OF OUR
01:43:44CONSTITUENTS. AND THIS IS NOT A
01:43:46PARTISAN ISSUE. THIS IS ABOUT A
01:43:49UNIQUELY AMERICAN INSTITUTION.
01:43:52COLLEGE, SPORTS, COLLEGE SPORTS ARE AT A TIPPING POINT IN A
01:43:56PLACE THAT THEY'VE NEVER BEEN BEFORE, BECAUSE OVER THE LAST
01:44:00DECADE OR SO, OVER THE COURSE OF
01:44:03LITIGATION, NO RULES CAN BE
01:44:07ENFORCED. NOW, I WOULD FREELY
01:44:10ADMIT THAT THE OLD SYSTEM HAD ITS CHALLENGES TO THE IDEA THAT
01:44:13ATHLETES COULDN'T BE COMPENSATED FOR THEIR NAME, IMAGE, AND
01:44:17LIKENESS. I THINK THAT WAS WRONG. THAT HAS BEEN RECTIFIED,
01:44:20BUT WHAT WE HAVE NOW IS A SYSTEM
01:44:24THAT IS UNSTABLE AND THREATENS, IN PARTICULAR, WOMEN'S SPORTS
01:44:27AND OLYMPIC SPORTS. IN THE LONG
01:44:29TERM, FOR A VERY, VERY LONG
01:44:32TIME, THE BUSINESS MODEL, EFFECTIVELY, OF COLLEGE ATHLETICS WAS WAS COLLEGE
01:44:35FOOTBALL SUBSIDIZED. ALL THE OTHER NON-REVENUE SPORTS. BASKETBALL IS ESSENTIALLY A
01:44:39BREAK EVEN PROPOSITION FOR THE MOST PART, MAYBE MAKES A LITTLE
01:44:42MONEY. BUT ALL THOSE OTHER
01:44:43SPORTS AND THE 500,000 STUDENT
01:44:48ATHLETES IN THIS COUNTRY THAT HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMPETE,
01:44:52TO LEARN WHAT IT'S LIKE TO HAVE THAT KIND OF COMMITMENT, THAT
01:44:55GRIT, SHOW UP ON TIME, PERSEVERE, BUILD RELATIONSHIPS
01:44:59WITH PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS. YOU KNOW, I HAD THE
01:45:03OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY IN COLLEGE AND, AND THROUGHOUT MY LIFE
01:45:06BEFORE THAT, UH, AND WHAT'S LEFT
01:45:09OF THAT IS THE CONGRESSIONAL BASEBALL TEAM, I GUESS. BUT WHEN
01:45:13YOU'RE ON A TEAM, YOU WANT TO
01:45:16WIN AND YOU WANT TO WIN WITH YOUR TEAMMATES. AND FOR ME, I
01:45:20DIDN'T CARE WHERE THEY CAME FROM, WHAT THE RACE WAS, WHAT THEIR RELIGION WAS. WE WERE A
01:45:23TEAM. AND I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT LEADERSHIP LESSONS THAT COME
01:45:27FROM THAT, AND THAT IS AT RISK. NOW, SOME MIGHT SAY THE STANDS
01:45:30ARE FULL. UM, YOU KNOW, REVENUES
01:45:34ARE ROBUST. ALL THOSE THINGS ARE
01:45:36TRUE. BUT THE REALITY IS WE'VE
01:45:38ENTERED INTO THIS NEW PHASE WITH
01:45:41SOMETHING MISSING, A GOVERNING
01:45:44BODY THAT CAN ESTABLISH AND ENFORCE RULES. AND THAT'S WHERE
01:45:47THIS, THAT'S AT THE HEART OF WHAT THE PROTECT COLLEGE SPORTS
01:45:49ACT IS ALL ABOUT, IS TO GRANT
01:45:54LIMITED ANTITRUST EXEMPTION
01:45:55STATUS FOR GOVERNING BODY, THE
01:45:58NCAA TO ENFORCE RULES, MEANING FIVE YEARS OF ELIGIBILITY. I
01:46:02THINK MOST PEOPLE THINK IT'S NUTS THAT YOU HAVE 27 YEAR OLDS
01:46:06RIGHT NOW COMPETING WITH 17 YEAR OLDS. I THINK MOST PEOPLE THINK
01:46:10IT'S NUTS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE SOMEBODY TRANSFER FOUR TIMES.
01:46:13WELL, GUESS WHAT? GRADUATION
01:46:15RATES ARE PLUMMETING. I PERSONALLY THINK THAT IF YOU'RE
01:46:19THE SECOND STRING QUARTERBACK AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS OR SOMEWHERE ELSE, YOU GET AN
01:46:23OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY, UM, AT LOUISVILLE OR WHEREVER THAT YOU
01:46:25SHOULD BE ABLE TO MOVE ONE TIME.
01:46:28BUT THE CHAOS, IF YOU TALK TO PEOPLE, ANY COACHES AND EVEN
01:46:31PLAYERS, BY THE WAY, WHO TESTIFIED, UH, THIS IS NOT A
01:46:35GOOD SITUATION. IT'S COMPLETELY
01:46:37UNSTABLE. UM, PEOPLE ARE MAKING DECISIONS BASED ON TWEETS AND
01:46:41INJUNCTIONS THAT MAY COME DOWN ON A FRIDAY AFTERNOON. YOU'VE
01:46:45SEEN OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF
01:46:46WEEKS, PEOPLE WHO WENT
01:46:49PROFESSIONAL, COMING BACK TO
01:46:54COMPETE ON A TEAM WHERE SOMEBODY
01:46:57HAD SPENT, YOU KNOW, OR 18 YEARS OLD, HAD SPENT THE, THE FALL
01:47:01CAMP GETTING READY FOR THE SEASON AND MAY BE DISPLACED.
01:47:04NONE OF THOSE PROBLEMS, NONE OF
01:47:06THOSE PROBLEMS ARE GOING TO GO AWAY. AND I THINK WE'RE IN A
01:47:10RARE MOMENT HERE IN THIS CHAMBER, WHERE WE'RE AT A TIME
01:47:13FOR CHOOSING NO MORE
01:47:16ROUNDTABLES. UH, NO MORE. NO
01:47:18MORE HYPOTHETICALS. THIS IS WHAT
01:47:21WE GET PAID TO DO TO TRY TO
01:47:23SOLVE HARD PROBLEMS. WHAT'S
01:47:27UNIQUE ABOUT THIS IS IT DOESN'T FALL INTO TRADITIONAL PARTIZAN CATEGORIES. THERE'S NO REAL RED
01:47:31JERSEY, BLUE JERSEY ON THIS
01:47:33THING. THIS IS IDENTIFYING WHAT
01:47:35THE PROBLEM IS, WORKING TOGETHER
01:47:38TO FIND A SOLUTION AND THERE'S A LOT OF COMPONENTS OF THIS BILL,
01:47:42AND I WANT TO GO THROUGH SOME OF THEM. THERE'S GOING TO BE A FEW
01:47:45OTHER SPEAKERS, BUT THIS WOULD PROVIDE ONE NATIONAL STANDARD
01:47:49FOR NIL. YOU HAVE KIND OF A PATCHWORK RIGHT NOW, STATE BY
01:47:53STATE. AND LET ME BE CLEAR, IN
01:47:57WHEN THIS BILL, OR HOPEFULLY
01:47:57THIS BILL PASSES AND A STUDENT
01:48:01ATHLETE WILL STILL BE ABLE TO GO
01:48:03GET AN NIL DEAL ARCH MANNING OR
01:48:08WHOEVER. AUSTIN SIMMONS, THE GREAT QUARTERBACK AT THE
01:48:11UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI, THEY CAN STILL GET THEIR DEAL FROM NIKE.
01:48:14NOTHING IN THIS BILL PROHIBITS THAT. AND WHILE WE'RE TALKING
01:48:18ABOUT IT, BECAUSE I'M SURE YOU'RE GOING TO HEARD SOME CRITICISMS FROM SOME PEOPLE WHO
01:48:21ARE GOING TO USE SOME PRETTY, UM, WELL, I'LL LET THEM SPEAK
01:48:25FOR THEMSELVES. THE LANGUAGE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO USE ABOUT
01:48:29THIS, THE REALITY IS, THROUGH THE COURSE OF LITIGATION,
01:48:32THERE'S SOMETHING CALLED THE HOUSE SETTLEMENT. THE HOUSE
01:48:35SETTLEMENT ESTABLISHED A REVENUE
01:48:38SHARING SYSTEM WITH A CAP OF
01:48:41WHAT'S ESSENTIALLY $21.5 MILLION RIGHT NOW. OKAY. THERE ARE SOME
01:48:45FOOTBALL TEAMS RIGHT NOW THAT
01:48:46SHALL REMAIN NAMELESS. UH, THAT
01:48:50HAVE A FOOTBALL ROSTER VALUED AT OVER 40 MILLION. HOW IS THIS
01:48:53HAPPENING? BECAUSE THAT CAP DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING. NOBODY
01:48:57CAN ENFORCE ANYTHING. THEY'RE WORKING AROUND THE CAP. SO WHAT
01:49:00THIS BILL WOULD DO IS SET IN
01:49:03STATUTE. THAT CAP PLUS A
01:49:06RETENTION POOL NUMBER OF 22.5
01:49:09MILLION, AND A $5 MILLION
01:49:11NUMBER. THAT DOESN'T COUNT AGAINST THE CAP. IF IT GOES TO
01:49:14WOMEN'S SPORTS. SO IF ANYBODY TELLS YOU WE'RE TAKING MONEY OUT
01:49:18OF THE SYSTEM, WE'RE NOT
01:49:21ACTUALLY, WE'RE ENSURING THAT THIS MARKETPLACE STILL EXISTS,
01:49:24BUT WITH GUARDRAILS, WITH SOME
01:49:27STABILITY, WITH SOME CERTAINTY. THE IDEA THAT SOMEBODY COULD,
01:49:31YOU KNOW, THIS IS A SEMESTER BY SEMESTER THING, ROSTER TURNOVER
01:49:35THAT WE'VE SEEN FOR FANS IS A
01:49:36CHALLENGING THING FOR PLAYERS.
01:49:39THEY SHOULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO
01:49:41MOVE, BUT NOT EVERY YEAR. IF YOU ASK SOMEBODY WHAT'S THEIR
01:49:45HONEST OPINION ABOUT THIS, THAT'S IT'S RIDICULOUS. AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, IF YOU'RE
01:49:49LOSING MONEY ON YOUR FOOTBALL PROGRAM, OR ALL OF YOUR MONEY IS GOING TO YOUR FOOTBALL PROGRAM,
01:49:53YOU'RE NOT GOING TO SUBSIDIZE
01:49:57WOMEN'S TENNIS ANYMORE, OR EVEN BASEBALL, MEN'S BASEBALL. MEN'S BASEBALL DOESN'T GENERATE REVENUE FOR 99% OF THE PROGRAMS
01:50:01THAT ARE OUT THERE. SO THE MENU WILL SHRINK THE OPPORTUNITIES
01:50:04FOR THOSE 500,000 STUDENT ATHLETES, WHATEVER THEIR COLOR
01:50:08IS, THAT WILL SHRINK. THAT
01:50:10NUMBER WILL SHRINK. IF WE DON'T
01:50:13DO SOMETHING. IF YOU HAD ASKED ME A FEW YEARS AGO ABOUT WHETHER
01:50:17CONGRESS SHOULD GET INVOLVED IN THIS, I WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY,
01:50:19VERY SKEPTICAL. I AM A FAN,
01:50:23FIRST AND FOREMOST, AS I COME TO
01:50:25THIS, AND I'VE TRIED TO TAKE LOOK AT THIS AS A LAWYER. LOOK
01:50:29AT THIS AS A LAWMAKER. LOOK AT
01:50:31THIS AS A FAN. WHAT ARE THE SOLUTIONS THAT ARE NECESSARY?
01:50:34AND WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IS
01:50:38SOMETHING THAT THIS BODY, THIS CONGRESS, IS THE ONLY ENTITY ON
01:50:42THE PLANET CAN DO. NOBODY ELSE.
01:50:47THE CONFERENCES CAN TRY TO ENFORCE THEIR OWN RULES. DID IT
01:50:49WITH SOME SUCCESS RECENTLY WITH THE PRO SITUATION IN THE SEC, IN
01:50:53THE BIG TEN. BUT IF THIS STUFF
01:50:56IS CHALLENGED, THEY HAVE NO LEGAL ABILITY BECAUSE OF OUR ANTITRUST LAWS TO ACTUALLY
01:51:00ENFORCE THESE RULES. SO WE'RE GIVING THAT LIMITED ANTITRUST
01:51:04PROTECTION TO ENFORCE
01:51:05ELIGIBILITY AT FIVE YEARS, TO
01:51:08ENFORCE THE ONE TIME TRANSFER. I
01:51:13THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT. THAT ABILITY TO ENFORCE THOSE RULES,
01:51:16THE ATHLETES. LET'S TALK ABOUT THE STUDENT ATHLETES FOR A SECOND. NOT ONLY IS THAT MARKET
01:51:20THEN ESTABLISHED, THAT IS WHERE IT IS RIGHT NOW. NOW, I WILL
01:51:24TELL YOU, MAYBE THE ONE GROUP THAT DOESN'T LIKE THIS ARE THE SPORTS AGENTS, THE RICH SPORTS
01:51:28AGENTS WHO WEAR GUCCI SUITS AND
01:51:31ALLIGATOR SHOES. THEY MAY NOT LIKE THIS BECAUSE THERE ARE NO
01:51:34RULES FOR AGENTS RIGHT NOW. AN
01:51:37AGENT CAN CHARGE 30% ON AN 18 YEAR OLD, AND IN SOME INSTANCES,
01:51:40IF I'VE HEARD THEIR LIFETIME
01:51:42EARNINGS, THAT IS NUTS. THE
01:51:47PERCENTAGE AN AGENT GETS IN THE NFL IS IN THE SINGLE DIGITS. THE
01:51:49LOW SINGLE DIGITS. PEOPLE ARE
01:51:52BEING TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF. A BUDDY IN A CLASSROOM MIGHT GET YOU A BETTER DEAL. IF YOU GO TO
01:51:56WISCONSIN. WELL, GUESS WHAT? IT WASN'T A BETTER SITUATION. MAYBE DIDN'T END UP THERE.
01:52:00MAYBE YOU ENDED UP WITH LESS MONEY. THAT AGENT OR YOUR
01:52:03FRIEND, OR THE HANGAR OWNER, HE
01:52:05DOESN'T CARE. HE GOT HIS CUT.
01:52:08SO THIS BILL ESTABLISHES RULES FOR AGENTS TO GET RID OF THE
01:52:12SCAMMERS AND FRAUDSTERS WHO ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF OUR STUDENT
01:52:16ATHLETES. AND AS I MENTIONED,
01:52:18CAN STILL GET YOUR OWN NIL DEAL
01:52:20OUTSIDE OF THE REV SHARE NUMBER,
01:52:23BUT IT HAS TO BE FOR LEGITIMATE
01:52:26BUSINESS PURPOSE. THERE. EXAMPLE AFTER EXAMPLE, WHERE THAT'S NOT ACTUALLY THE CASE RIGHT NOW,
01:52:30WHICH IS WHY YOU HAVE THIS INFLUX. AND IF YOU THINK FOR A
01:52:33MOMENT, WESTERN KENTUCKY CAN COMPETE WITH OHIO STATE IN THE
01:52:36LONG TERM, YOU'RE FOOLING YOURSELF. EVEN SCHOOL, EVEN,
01:52:40HONESTLY, SCHOOLS COME WITHIN THE POWER. FOUR WITHIN THOSE
01:52:43PARTICULAR CONFERENCES, IT CREATES A GREAT DISPARITY. WHAT
01:52:46FANS REALLY WANT IS PARITY. THIS
01:52:48HELPS ESTABLISH THAT IT HELPS
01:52:51CREATE A STRUCTURE BY WHICH TEAMS CAN COMPETE. IT RESTORES
01:52:54TRUST, UH, STRUCTURE TO THAT TRANSFER PORTAL. I THINK THE
01:52:58THING THAT PROBABLY MOST PEOPLE SEE, I'VE LEARNED A LOT OF
01:53:01WHAT'S GOING ON BEHIND THE SCENES, BUT WHAT PEOPLE SEE FRONT AND CENTER IS PROBABLY THE
01:53:05TRANSFERS, WHERE AN ENTIRE DEFENSE IS GONE, OR AN ENTIRE
01:53:09OFFENSE IS GONE. I'M TALKING A LOT ABOUT FOOTBALL JUST BECAUSE IT'S WHERE IT'S FOOTBALL
01:53:12SEASON. THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE MOST PEOPLE SEE. IT'S THE SECOND MOST
01:53:14POPULAR SPORT IN THIS COUNTRY. AND WHILE I'M TALKING ABOUT
01:53:18THAT, IT'S WORTH MENTIONING THE
01:53:20BILL FOR THE FIRST TIME PROVIDES
01:53:23THE OPTION. THE OPTION FOR
01:53:25CONFERENCES TO POOL THEIR
01:53:27METEORITES. IT'S TOTALLY VOLUNTARY. IF THE SEC BIG TEN
01:53:31DON'T WANT TO DO IT, IT'S NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN BUT COLLEGE
01:53:34FOOTBALL IS ABOUT 4 BILLION. ALL IN. THE NBA HAS HALF THE
01:53:37AUDIENCE. IT'S 8 BILLION. ALL IN. PART OF THE REASON FOR THAT
01:53:41IS THEY'RE NEGOTIATING ONE UNIFIED RIGHTS DEAL. THIS WOULD
01:53:45ALLOW THE CONFERENCES TO HAVE A UNIFIED RIGHTS DEAL IF THEY WANT
01:53:48TO. AND THAT ADDITIONAL REVENUE, THE BILLIONS AND BILLIONS AND
01:53:50BILLIONS AND BILLIONS MORE, CAN BE USED TO PROTECT WOMEN'S
01:53:54SPORTS AND OLYMPIC SPORTS THAT
01:53:56ARE AT RISK. AND IF YOU TALK TO ANYBODY THAT ACTUALLY KNOWS THIS
01:53:59STUFF, THEY WILL TELL YOU THAT THOSE OPPORTUNITIES ARE GOING TO BE LIMITED. THEY'RE STILL GOING
01:54:03TO HAVE TO COMPLY WITH TITLE NINE, BUT THEY'LL DO A ONE FOR
01:54:06ONE REDUCTION IN SPORTS. SO I
01:54:10MENTIONED THE YOU'VE GOT THE, THE REV SHARE POOL, YOU'VE GOT
01:54:14THE RETENTION POOL, YOU'VE GOT THE MONEY, THE 5 MILLION. THAT DOESN'T COUNT AGAINST THAT CAP.
01:54:17IF IT'S FOR WOMEN'S SPORTS, I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
01:54:21THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT COMPONENTS WITH THIS BILL THAT I'VE TALKED TO A TON OF
01:54:25COLLEAGUES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE
01:54:27AISLE ABOUT. THIS IS NOT A
01:54:31PERFECT BILL. I PROBABLY HAVE NEVER VOTED FOR A PERFECT BILL.
01:54:34I'VE FILED PERFECT BILLS. MR.
01:54:35PRESIDENT, I FILED A LOT OF
01:54:39PERFECT BILLS, BUT VOTING ON PERFECT BILLS IS A DIFFERENT
01:54:41MATTER. SO THERE'S GOING TO BE THINGS SOME THERE'S SOME THINGS
01:54:45IN THIS BILL THAT I DON'T LIKE,
01:54:46ACTUALLY. BUT ON BALANCE, THE
01:54:52TIME HAS COME FOR THE UNITED STATES SENATE TO DO SOMETHING
01:54:56THAT IT ACTUALLY RARELY DOES,
01:55:00WHICH IS TO MEET THE MOMENT. WE
01:55:04ARE AT A MOMENT. THIS HAS THE
01:55:06ENDORSEMENT OF EVERY CONFERENCE, ALL THE SCHOOLS, THE NFL PLAYERS
01:55:10ASSOCIATION, STUDENT ATHLETES
01:55:11THAT HAVE COME HERE. LEGENDARY
01:55:16COACHES WHO'VE SEEN THE CHANGES
01:55:22HBCUS, THE SWAC CONFERENCE, THE
01:55:23SEC, THE BIG TEN, ALL OF THEM.
01:55:28THEY ALL RECOGNIZE THAT THERE IS
01:55:30A CHOICE. NOW, A BINARY CHOICE,
01:55:34WHICH IS TO DO SOMETHING TO CORRECT THE MAJOR ISSUES AND PROVIDE STABILITY SO THAT WE CAN
01:55:38CONTINUE TO ENJOY COLLEGE ATHLETICS, WHICH, LIKE I SAID,
01:55:42WHAT WE GET TO ENJOY ON A SATURDAY AFTERNOON OR, OR
01:55:46WHENEVER A GAME IS BEING PLAYED. I'VE GOT TWO DAUGHTERS. I THINK IT'S GREAT WHAT'S HAPPENING
01:55:50WITH WOMEN'S SPORTS. THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN ANYWHERE ELSE IN
01:55:53THE WORLD. IT IS A UNIQUELY AMERICAN INSTITUTION. WE CAN DO
01:55:56THAT, OR WE CAN FIND SOME REASON
01:56:01TO NOT SUPPORT IT. WE CAN
01:56:04GRANDSTAND AND TRY TO PRETEND THAT YOU'RE ADVOCATING FOR
01:56:06SOMEBODY THAT'S BEING LEFT OUT
01:56:09OF THIS. BUT THE TRUTH IS, THIS
01:56:12BILL WILL SOLVE A TON OF
01:56:16PROBLEMS THAT ARE SO OBVIOUS.
01:56:18YOU'D HAVE TO BE NOT PAYING
01:56:20ATTENTION OR NOT WANT TO NOTICE.
01:56:22AND SO I THINK THAT, UH, COLLEGE
01:56:26ATHLETES ARE PROTECTED. OUR
01:56:28SPORTS THAT FANS LOVE ARE
01:56:33PROTECTED. IT'S BECOME COLLEGE
01:56:35SPORTS HAS BECOME IN SOME WAYS,
01:56:40A PROFESSIONAL LEAGUE. I DON'T,
01:56:42I DON'T THINK IT'S STRIPPED OF
01:56:44WHAT BEEN STRIPPED OF LOYALTY,
01:56:47CONTINUITY, THE MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN FANS AND
01:56:51THEIR TEAMS. THIS BILL REESTABLISHES THAT WITH STILL
01:56:54GIVING STUDENT ATHLETES A LOT OF
01:56:55OPTIONS. I ALSO WANT TO JUST SAY
01:57:01SOMETHING ABOUT. WHAT SPORTS
01:57:03MEANS TO OUR CONSTITUENTS I
01:57:06WOULD SAY, CULTURALLY, WE DO A LOT OF THINGS UP HERE THAT BACK HOME, PEOPLE WONDER, WHAT ARE
01:57:09YOU TALKING ABOUT? WHAT ARE YOU DOING? I DON'T THIS IS A
01:57:13CULTURAL ISSUE. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT OUR FOLKS BACK
01:57:16HOME DO CARE ABOUT. AND I THINK
01:57:19THEY WANT TO KNOW. THEY WANT TO
01:57:22KNOW WHEN WE SEE IT, WHEN EVERYBODY SEES THE CHALLENGES
01:57:25AND THE CHAOS. THAT WE CAN WORK
01:57:29TOGETHER TO GET SOMETHING DONE. I THINK, I THINK AT THE HEART OF
01:57:31IT, RESTORING FAITH THAT THIS
01:57:34BODY CAN ACT IN A WAY THAT TAKES
01:57:39A LOT OF DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS FROM A LOT OF DIFFERENT GROUPS
01:57:43AND INDIVIDUALS, AND GET TO A PLACE WHERE A PIECE OF LEGISLATION LIKE THIS CAN GET
01:57:46ACROSS THE FINISH LINE. I WANT
01:57:48TO THANK, UM, YOU KNOW, LOOK, THE BILL IS BEFORE YOU, BUT
01:57:51SENATOR CANTWELL FROM THE STATE OF WASHINGTON HAS DONE A TON OF
01:57:54GREAT WORK ON THIS. UM, SENATOR CRUZ FROM TEXAS. I MEAN, THE
01:57:58THREE OF US HAVE SPENT A LOT OF TIME TALKING TO A LOT OF PEOPLE,
01:58:01GETTING INPUT, MAKING CHANGES,
01:58:02TRYING TO MAKE THE BILL BETTER,
01:58:06AND, UM, I JUST DON'T THINK WE
01:58:08CAN PRETEND INACTION IS A, IS A
01:58:13SATISFYING ANSWER HERE. SO WE'RE
01:58:16ALL GOING TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY
01:58:18TO VOTE ON THIS TO, TO PROCEED
01:58:24TO THIS BILL. AND I HOPE THAT WE
01:58:25DO IT. WE'RE GOING TO GET ONE
01:58:29SHOT AT THIS. WE'RE GOING TO
01:58:30GET ONE SHOT. AND I DON'T KNOW.
01:58:34I'M NOT NOSTRADAMUS. NOBODY IN HERE IS. I DON'T KNOW THAT WE
01:58:37EVER WILL AGAIN ANYTIME SOON. I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO
01:58:40HAPPEN. AND WHENEVER I DON'T
01:58:43KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO OTHER THINGS. BUT WE GOT A
01:58:46MOMENT HERE, LIKE I SAID, THAT
01:58:49WE CAN MEET AND ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU
01:58:53WANT TO PUT IT, YOU WANT TO TAKE
01:58:54A STEP BACK. I THINK THIS VOTE,
01:58:57THIS BILL, WILL DEFINE THE
01:59:00TRAJECTORY OF COLLEGE ATHLETICS
01:59:05FOR DECADES. AND THAT DOESN'T COME. THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN EVERY DAY THAT WE'RE CONFRONTED WITH,
01:59:09WITH THOSE KIND OF ISSUES, WITH A SOLUTION IN FRONT OF US THAT
01:59:13HAS BEEN WORKED ON IN A
01:59:15BIPARTISAN WAY TO TRY TO SOLVE
01:59:17THESE ISSUES, TO PROTECT AN
01:59:20AMERICAN INSTITUTION, COLLEGE SPORTS. WITH THAT, MR.
01:59:22PRESIDENT, I YIELD BACK.
01:59:30>> MR. PRESIDENT. >> SENATOR FROM ILLINOIS.
01:59:34>> MR. PRESIDENT, LAST WEEK
01:59:36MARKED ONE YEAR SINCE PRESIDENT TRUMP LAUNCHED AN ASSAULT
01:59:40AGAINST MY HOME STATE OF ILLINOIS, CHARACTERIZED AS
01:59:44OPERATION MIDWAY BLITZ. FOR
01:59:48MONTHS, CHAOS AND TERROR REIGNED
01:59:51SUPREME IN THE STREETS OF THE CITY THAT I LOVE AND AM HONORED
01:59:54TO REPRESENT. THIS OPERATION WAS
01:59:57SUPPOSEDLY TARGETING, QUOTE, THE WORST OF THE WORST. AS PRESIDENT
02:00:01TRUMP HAS CLAIMED, RAPISTS,
02:00:05MURDERERS, TERRORISTS, CHILD PREDATORS WERE GOING AFTER HIM.
02:00:08WE'RE GOING TO ARREST HIM. AND IF THEY'RE NOT PROPERLY
02:00:11DOCUMENTED, WE'RE GOING TO DEPORT HIM. IT ENDED UP
02:00:13TARGETING, NOT THAT POPULATION,
02:00:16BUT AMERICAN CITIZENS AND IMMIGRANTS WHO BUILT THEIR LIVES
02:00:19AND RAISED THEIR FAMILIES IN ILLINOIS, PEOPLE WHO POSE NO
02:00:23THREAT WHATSOEVER TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY. LET ME GIVE YOU TWO
02:00:27EXAMPLES. ONE WAS WHEN AN ICE
02:00:30AGENT IN THE STREETS OF CHICAGO
02:00:34KILLED SILVERIA VILLEGAS. GONZALEZ MINUTES AFTER HE HAD
02:00:37DROPPED OFF HIS CHILD AT A DAYCARE IN FRANKLIN PARK, A
02:00:41SUBURB OF CHICAGO. MR. GONZALEZ
02:00:44LIVED IN CHICAGO AREA FOR NEARLY
02:00:4720 YEARS. HIS CHILDREN WERE FORCED TO ENTER FOSTER CARE
02:00:51BECAUSE OF HIS MURDER. IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE SHOOTING,
02:00:55THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND
02:00:59SECURITY CLAIMED MR. HAD HIT AND DRAGGED AN ICE AGENT WITH HIS
02:01:02CAR WHEN HE AND ANOTHER OFFICER
02:01:06ATTEMPTED TO CONDUCT A TRAFFIC
02:01:09STOP, CAUSING SERIOUS INJURIES. HOWEVER, THERE WAS A VIDEO OF
02:01:12WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED AND IT CONTRADICTED THE CLAIMS MADE BY
02:01:16THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY. IN FACT, MR. GONZALEZ
02:01:20IS NOW NOT SHOWN HITTING OR DRAGGING ANY OFFICER WITH HIS
02:01:23CAR, AND IN THE AFTERMATH, ONE OF THE OFFICERS SAID HIS
02:01:27INJURIES WERE, QUOTE, NOTHING
02:01:30MAJOR. AND ANOTHER DISTURBING
02:01:33EXAMPLE OF THE HORRORS OF OPERATION MIDWAY BLITZ. AN AGENT
02:01:37OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, SHOT MY CONSTITUENT,
02:01:41MARIMAR MARTINEZ, NOT ONCE,
02:01:47TWICE, FIVE TIMES AFTERWARDS.
02:01:51THE SHOOTER TEXTED HIS FELLOW AGENTS AND BRAGGED, I FIRED FIVE
02:01:55ROUNDS AND SHE HAD SEVEN HOLES.
02:01:56PUT THAT IN YOUR BOOK, BOYS. THE
02:02:01ADMINISTRATION CALLED MR. MARTINEZ A DOMESTIC TERRORIST.
02:02:04MISS MARTINEZ WAS ON HER WAY TO
02:02:08HER CHURCH. SHE HAD SOME CLOTHING. SHE WAS GOING TO
02:02:10DONATE TO THE CHURCH CLOTHING DRIVE. THAT'S WHEN THE ICE
02:02:14AGENTS PULLED HER OVER. SHE WAS
02:02:17DRIVING WHILE HISPANIC, WHICH UNDER THE MEDWAY BLITZ RULES,
02:02:20WAS ENOUGH TO STOP HER, THREATEN
02:02:22HER AND SHOOT HER FIVE TIMES.
02:02:27WHAT HAPPENED TO THE CHARGES
02:02:31AGAINST HER? ALL DROPPED. NOT
02:02:33ONE SINGLE CHARGE WAS PROSECUTED. THIS POOR YOUNG
02:02:36WOMAN, ON HER WAY TO HER CHURCH
02:02:39TO GIVE SOME CLOTHING TO A CLOTHING DRIVE, SHOT FIVE TIMES
02:02:42BY ICE AGENTS AND NO CHARGES
02:02:45FILED AGAINST HER AT ALL.
02:02:48NORMALLY, WHEN FEDERAL AGENTS ENGAGE IN EXCESSIVE FORCE LIKE
02:02:51I'VE JUST DESCRIBED, THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
02:02:54STEPS IN TO INVESTIGATE. THEY
02:02:56FOLLOW UP, GATHERING EVIDENCE,
02:03:01VIDEOS, WITNESSES, INSTEAD, FOLLOWING THE SHOOTING OF
02:03:03MARIMAR, MARTINEZ, FBI DIRECTOR
02:03:06KASH PATEL TOOK TO SOCIAL MEDIA
02:03:08TO FALSELY ACCUSE MISS MARTINEZ
02:03:10OF ATTACKING IMMIGRATION AGENTS.
02:03:13HE SAID, QUOTE, ATTACK OUR LAW
02:03:16ENFORCEMENT AND THIS FBI WILL
02:03:19FIND YOU AND BRING YOU TO JUSTICE. TOUGH TALK. WHEN THE VIDEO SHOWS THAT THIS YOUNG
02:03:23WOMAN DID NOT ENGAGE IN ANY
02:03:25ILLEGAL CONDUCT. TODAY, WHEN I ASKED KASH PATEL, WHEN HE
02:03:28APPEARED BEFORE THE SENATE
02:03:30JUDICIARY THE SHOOTINGS OF MR.
02:03:34GONZALEZ AND MISS MARTINEZ, HE
02:03:37CLAIMED THEY ARE ONGOING
02:03:38INVESTIGATIONS. WE'LL SEE. IT'S
02:03:41BEEN MORE THAN A YEAR, AND HE
02:03:43REFUSED. WHEN HE HAD A CHANCE,
02:03:46AND I GAVE HIM THAT CHANCE TO APOLOGIZE FOR ATTACKING MISS
02:03:48MARTINEZ. I DON'T HAVE MUCH FAITH IN THE DIRECTOR OF THE
02:03:51FBI, KASH PATEL. BUT IF THE FBI
02:03:54IS, IN FACT, INVESTIGATING THESE SHOOTINGS, THEY MUST COOPERATE
02:03:58WITH STATE AND LOCAL OFFICIALS
02:04:01TO BRING THESE PEOPLE TO JUSTICE AS WELL. IF YOU GO TO THE
02:04:03WEBSITE OF THE FBI AND LOOK
02:04:06UNDER THE ISSUE OF CIVIL RIGHTS, YOU WILL FIND THE CLAIM OF THAT
02:04:10AGENCY THAT THEY ARE THE LEADERS IN INVESTIGATING CRIMES
02:04:14INVOLVING CIVIL RIGHTS. AND HISTORICALLY, THAT HAS BEEN THE
02:04:17CASE, BUT NOT UNDER THIS ADMINISTRATION. IF THERE'S
02:04:20WRONGDOING BY AN ICE AGENT OR DHS OFFICIAL, AND ANY SUSPICION
02:04:24THAT A CRIME HAS BEEN COMMITTED,
02:04:28YOU HEAR NOTHING BUT CRICKETS WHEN IT COMES TO THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AND THE FBI.
02:04:32THANKFULLY, THE PEOPLE OF MY HOME STATE ARE STEPPING IN AND
02:04:35SHINING A LIGHT ON THIS
02:04:38ADMINISTRATION'S WRONGDOING. GOVERNOR PRITZKER ESTABLISHED
02:04:42THE ILLINOIS ACCOUNTABILITY COMMISSION, AN INDEPENDENT STATE BOARD, TO INVESTIGATE AND
02:04:46DOCUMENT THE CONDUCT OF FEDERAL AGENTS DURING OPERATION MIDWAY
02:04:49BLITZ. AFTER A SIX MONTH INVESTIGATION, THE COMMISSION
02:04:52FOUND THAT MOST OF THOSE ARRESTED UNDER THE OPERATION WERE, QUOTE, NOT THE WORST OF
02:04:56THE WORST. THE COMMISSION FOUND
02:04:59THAT FROM SEPTEMBER THROUGH
02:05:01DECEMBER OF 2025 LAST YEAR, THE
02:05:03DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
02:05:07DETAINED OVER 3900 PEOPLE IN
02:05:10CHICAGO. AN ESTIMATED 85% HAD NO
02:05:14CRIMINAL CONVICTIONS. THE WORST OF THE WORST, NO. AND OPERATION
02:05:17MIDWAY BLITZ HAD NEGATIVE ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES AS WELL.
02:05:21I'VE BEEN TO THESE NEIGHBORHOODS, LITTLE VILLAGE,
02:05:24PILSEN. I'VE SEEN WHAT'S GOING ON. PEOPLE LIVE IN FEAR. THEY
02:05:28DON'T COME OUT OF THEIR HOMES TO GO TO CHURCH OR GO SHOPPING. THEY ASK NEIGHBORS TO DO IT FOR
02:05:32THEM, WHICH THEY WILLINGLY DO,
02:05:34BUT THEY'RE AFRAID OF WHAT WILL
02:05:37HAPPEN IF ICE RETURNS. A NEW REPORT BY THE GREAT CITIES
02:05:40INSTITUTE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS, CHICAGO, SHOWS THAT
02:05:43THE FAILED OPERATION OF MIDWAY BLITZ OF THE TRUMP
02:05:47ADMINISTRATION CAUSED COOK
02:05:50COUNTY $1.26 BILLION IN LOST
02:05:53RETAIL ACTIVITY AND RESTAURANTS. UNFORTUNATELY, THIS
02:05:55ADMINISTRATION HAS NOT STOPPED CIRCUMVENTING THE CONSTITUTION
02:05:58AND THE LAWS OF THIS COUNTRY. IN
02:06:01IMMIGRATION COURTS AROUND THE COUNTRY, IMMIGRATION JUDGES,
02:06:05EMPLOYEES OF THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT, I MIGHT ADD, HAVE BEEN HOLDING SO-CALLED MEGA
02:06:09MASTER COURT HEARINGS. IN THESE
02:06:12HEARINGS, A SINGLE JUDGE HEARS BETWEEN 100 AND 200 CASES OVER
02:06:16THE COURSE OF JUST A FEW HOURS.
02:06:19LAST MONTH, I DECIDED I WOULD GO PERSONALLY TO SEE THESE COURTS.
02:06:22I WENT TO THE CHICAGO IMMIGRATION COURT TO OBSERVE ONE
02:06:25OF THESE MEGA MASTER HEARINGS
02:06:28THAT DAY, 850 PEOPLE WERE
02:06:30SCHEDULED TO APPEAR. THE COURT WAS SO PACKED THAT PEOPLE MISSED
02:06:33THEIR HEARING TIMES BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T GET FROM THE LOBBY TO
02:06:36THE COURTROOM. IN TIME. THERE IS
02:06:39NO WAY THAT INDIVIDUALS CAN MEANINGFULLY DEFEND THEMSELVES
02:06:42OR HAVE DUE PROCESS IN THIS KIND
02:06:44OF A HEARING, I OBSERVED A
02:06:47PARTICULARLY TROUBLING MEGA MASTER DOCKET FOR CHILDREN. WHAT
02:06:51I SAW WAS HEARTBREAKING. CHILDREN WHO STATE COURT FOUND
02:06:55HAD BEEN ABUSED, ABANDONED, OR
02:06:58NEGLECTED ARE FORCED TO APPEAR IN COURT WITHOUT PARENTS AND
02:07:02EXPLAIN WHY THEY DESERVE TO STAY IN THIS COUNTRY, ALL WHILE
02:07:05FACING LANGUAGE AND COGNITIVE BARRIERS. THE LAST CASE ON THE
02:07:09DOCKET THAT MORNING WAS A HIGH
02:07:12SCHOOL AGED GUATEMALAN CHILD. REMEMBER, THE STATE COURTS HAVE
02:07:16A FINDING THAT THESE CHILDREN
02:07:19HAVE BEEN ABANDONED OR ABUSED OR NEGLECTED BECAUSE OF A DELAY IN
02:07:22FINDING A TRANSLATOR THAT DAY
02:07:23WHO SPOKE HIS DIALECT. HE WAS FORCED TO SIT AND WATCH EVERY
02:07:28OTHER CHILD BEFORE HIM, BEFORE
02:07:30HE WAS ORDERED DEPORTED. AFTER
02:07:33RATTLING OFF A LITANY OF DIRECTIVES TO THE TRANSLATOR, THE JUDGE ASKED THE CHILD IF HE
02:07:37HAD ANY QUESTIONS. AND I QUOTE,
02:07:41WHY ARE YOU SENDING ME BACK TO
02:07:44GUATEMALA? WHAT DID I DO? THE
02:07:45ANSWER IS DEVASTATINGLY CLEAR
02:07:48THAT POOR BOY IS JUST THE LATEST VICTIM OF PRESIDENT TRUMP AND
02:07:52STEPHEN MILLER'S EVIL VISION OF A HATEFUL AMERICA THAT TURNS ITS
02:07:56BACK ON IMMIGRANTS. THE PRESIDENT'S RECKLESS MASS
02:07:59DEPORTATION CAMPAIGN HAS STEAMROLLED THE RIGHTS AND
02:08:02LIBERTIES GUARANTEED BY OUR CONSTITUTION, ITS COUNTLESS
02:08:06VICTIMS, INCLUDING MARIO
02:08:07MARTINEZ AND SILVERIA VILLEGAS
02:08:10GONZALEZ, DESERVE JUSTICE AND
02:08:12ACCOUNTABILITY. THAT IS WHY MY
02:08:15ILLINOIS COLLEAGUES AND I REQUESTED AN INVESTIGATION BY
02:08:18THE DHS OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL INTO THE PATTERNS OF
02:08:22MISCONDUCT AND UNCONSTITUTIONAL
02:08:23USE OF FORCE DURING DHS MASS
02:08:27DEPORTATION OPERATIONS, INCLUDING MIDWAY BLITZ. LET ME
02:08:30BE CLEAR. IT'S LONG PAST TIME THAT CONGRESS HOLD THE PRESIDENT
02:08:33AND HIS MAGA LOYALISTS ACCOUNTABLE FOR FAILING TO FOCUS
02:08:37ON PUBLIC SAFETY. MR. PRESIDENT, I'M RETIRING AT THE END OF THIS
02:08:40YEAR. WE HAVE VERY FEW MEETINGS
02:08:43OF THE SENATE LEFT BEFORE THE
02:08:46NEW SENATE IS BROUGHT INTO. SWORN IN ON JANUARY 3rd. WE
02:08:50STILL HAVE TIME TO PASS MEANINGFUL IMMIGRATION
02:08:53LEGISLATION. WE STILL HAVE TIME ON A BIPARTISAN BASIS, TO
02:08:57RESOLVE SOME OF THE MANY ISSUES THAT FACE US. I JUST LEFT A
02:09:00PRESS CONFERENCE WHERE WE TALKED ABOUT THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY
02:09:02AND TALKED ABOUT FOOD SERVICE AND THE IMPORTANCE OF
02:09:06IMMIGRANTS. YOU MAY NOT NOTICE IN THE WAIT STAFF, MANY
02:09:09IMMIGRANTS, BUT BELIEVE ME, BEHIND THAT SWINGING DOOR ARE A
02:09:12LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE UNDOCUMENTED AND WORKING. A
02:09:15FRIEND OF MINE WHO'S IN THE
02:09:16BUSINESS IN CHICAGO SAID, IF YOU
02:09:20TOOK THE UNDOCUMENTED OUT OF CHICAGO, YOU COULD JUST START CLOSING DOWN RESTAURANTS AND
02:09:23HOTELS. THESE PEOPLE ARE HARD WORKING PEOPLE, TAKING JOBS THAT
02:09:27AMERICANS, FRANKLY, DON'T WANT, BECAUSE THEY'RE SO DARN TOUGH. BUT THEY DO IT FOR THEIR
02:09:30FAMILIES, AS ALL IMMIGRANTS HAVE DONE IN THE PAST. MY OWN FAMILY
02:09:34INCLUDED. WHY DO WE SNEER AT
02:09:36THESE PEOPLE WHO WORK SO HARD, WHO MAKE THIS ECONOMY HUM, WHO
02:09:40TAKE THE JOBS WHICH OTHER AMERICANS WON'T TOUCH? WHY DO
02:09:44WE WANT TO DEPORT THEM BACK TO SITUATIONS THAT COULD BE THE SCENE OF THE CRIME? FOR REASONS
02:09:48THAT I CAME TO THE UNITED STATES, THAT JUST ISN'T FAIR,
02:09:50AND IT ISN'T REALISTIC. WE STILL
02:09:53HAVE TIME TO DO SOMETHING WHEN IT COMES TO THE DREAM ACT. I'LL
02:09:56CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR THAT. AS LONG AS I CAN STAND ON THIS
02:09:59FLOOR OF THE SENATE AND THEREAFTER, IF NECESSARY, WE'VE
02:10:03GOT TO COME TOGETHER ON A BIPARTISAN BASIS AND DO
02:10:07SOMETHING CONSTRUCTIVE TO SET THE IMMIGRATION LAWS IN THIS COUNTRY ON A RIGHT TRACK. IT'S
02:10:10BEEN 30 YEARS SINCE WE'VE DONE ANYTHING OF SUBSTANCE ON
02:10:14IMMIGRATION. 30 YEARS. AND THINGS HAVE CHANGED DRAMATICALLY
02:10:17IN THIS COUNTRY AND IN THIS WORLD. WE CAN DO MORE, AND WE
02:10:20SHOULD DO MORE. OPERATION MIDWAY
02:10:22BLITZ WAS THE EXTREME. INNOCENT PEOPLE WERE KILLED IN THE
02:10:26STREETS OF CHICAGO AND OTHER CITIES ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.
02:10:29IT IS ONLY RIGHT THAT WE INVESTIGATE THESE CRIMES, AND TO FIND OUT IF THERE'S ANY
02:10:33VIOLATION OF CIVIL RIGHTS AND PROSECUTED. IF THERE IS. MR.
02:10:36PRESIDENT, I YIELD THE FLOOR.
02:11:02>> THE SENATOR FROM OHIO.
02:11:04>> THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. I RISE TODAY TO SPEAK ABOUT THE
02:11:08FUTURE OF COLLEGE ATHLETICS AND
02:11:11AMERICAN STUDENT ATHLETES.
02:11:13CONGRESS IS BEING ASKED ASKED TO
02:11:16TAKE ACTION TO SAVE COLLEGE
02:11:22SPORTS. WELL, AS WE CONSIDER WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO SAVE COLLEGE SPORTS, WE BETTER MAKE
02:11:24SURE THAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON
02:11:27SAVING IT FOR AMERICAN STUDENT
02:11:30ATHLETES. FOR GENERATIONS, COLLEGE SPORTS HAVE BECOME A
02:11:34PART OF CULTURE, PARTICULARLY IN A STATE LIKE OHIO. A LOT OF
02:11:37STATES LOVE THEIR COLLEGE
02:11:40SPORTS. IT'S PART OF AMERICAN
02:11:42CULTURE. I. AND IT IS AN
02:11:45IMPORTANT PART OF CAMPUS LIFE FOR MANY AMERICAN STUDENTS. AND
02:11:49WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT
02:11:53REMAINS THE CASE. BUT SPORTS MEANS SO MUCH MORE THAN THAT. SO
02:11:56MANY OF AMERICA'S LEADERS HAVE
02:12:01A SPORTS BACKGROUND, WHETHER THAT'S IN POLITICS, BUSINESS,
02:12:02OR WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE. FOR
02:12:07OBVIOUS REASONS. IT HELPS YOU
02:12:10BUILD CHARACTER, MAKES YOU TOUGHER. YOU LEARN DISCIPLINE,
02:12:14TEAMWORK, ALL OF THE THINGS THAT ARE VIRTUOUS, PARTS OF
02:12:16SUCCEEDING IN LIFE. I KNOW THIS
02:12:20FIRSTHAND. I GREW UP, UH, VERY
02:12:23RURAL AND WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL IN
02:12:26A SMALL TOWN. AND, UM, NO ONE IN
02:12:31MY FAMILY HAD ATTENDED COLLEGE
02:12:34NO ONE. AND, UM, THE ONLY THING
02:12:36I WANTED TO DO AS A KID IS THAT
02:12:42I WANTED TO PLAY COLLEGE FOOTBALL. I GOT TO WATCH THE
02:12:44OHIO STATE BUCKEYES AND, AND
02:12:46EVEN ONE OF, UH, THE NOTRE DAME
02:12:49FIGHTING IRISH WATCHED HIM WHEN YOU WERE A KID ON TV AND YOU
02:12:53SAID, HEY, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT COLLEGE, BUT
02:12:56I WOULD LIKE TO GO PLAY COLLEGE
02:12:59FOOTBALL. AND THAT'S WHAT GOT ME INTERESTED IN GOING TO COLLEGE,
02:13:03BECAUSE I WANTED TO PLAY COLLEGE
02:13:06FOOTBALL. I LITERALLY DIDN'T KNOW A PERSON WHO HAD GONE TO
02:13:10COLLEGE OTHER THAN MY TEACHERS
02:13:11AND COACHES ANYBODY, BUT I
02:13:18WANTED TO GO TO COLLEGE BECAUSE
02:13:19I WANTED TO PLAY COLLEGE SPORTS.
02:13:23AND IF YOU WANT TO PLAY COLLEGE
02:13:26SPORTS, THE PATHWAY TO
02:13:28DEVELOPING YOU AS A HUMAN BEING STARTS LONG BEFORE YOU GRADUATE
02:13:32FROM HIGH SCHOOL BECAUSE IF YOU
02:13:34WANT TO PLAY COLLEGE SPORTS, YOU
02:13:37GOT TO PREPARE. FROM THE TIME
02:13:41THAT YOU PLAYED LITTLE LEAGUE
02:13:44BASEBALL, OR MAYBE NOW YOUTH
02:13:47SOCCER, YOUTH BASKETBALL, FOOTBALL, WHATEVER YOUR SPORT IS, YOU START TO DEVELOP
02:13:51YOURSELF, YOUR CHARACTER AS A
02:13:53YOUNG PERSON WITH THAT GOAL IN
02:13:56MIND, THAT ONE DAY, MAYBE YOU
02:13:59CAN GO PLAY FOR THAT TEAM THAT
02:14:02YOU DREAMED OF WHEN YOU WERE A
02:14:05LITTLE KID. UH, FOR ME, I ENDED UP PLAYING FOOTBALL AT THE
02:14:09UNIVERSITY OF DAYTON. I WAS A, I
02:14:12WAS A HIGHLY PRIZED RECRUIT. I WAS THE SEVENTH TEAM RUNNING
02:14:16BACK. WHEN I GOT THERE. I BET MOST PEOPLE DIDN'T KNOW THAT
02:14:20YOU COULD BE THAT LOW ON THE
02:14:22DEPTH CHART. I ACTUALLY ACTUALLY
02:14:24WAS THAT LOW ON THE DEPTH CHART.
02:14:27AND, UM, AS A MATTER OF FACT,
02:14:31THE, THE EQUIPMENT MANAGER DIDN'T EVEN WANT TO GIVE ME A JERSEY NUMBER THAT I COULD BE A
02:14:35RUNNING BACK BECAUSE HE SAID I
02:14:36WAS NEVER GOING TO PLAY THERE.
02:14:40BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS, IS THAT IF YOU DEVELOP THAT CHARACTER THAT
02:14:43YOU GET FROM SPORTS LIKE FOOTBALL, WHERE YOU GET KNOCKED
02:14:45DOWN AND YOU GOT TO GET BACK UP,
02:14:48YOU LEARN NEVER TO QUIT. THAT'S
02:14:52WHY SPORTS ARE SO SUCH AN IMPORTANT PART OF PEOPLE'S
02:14:56LIVES. AND FOR ME, UH, THAT
02:14:59RESILIENCE PAID OFF BECAUSE
02:15:01LATER I ENDED UP HAVING THE
02:15:04OPPORTUNITY TO BE A STARTING
02:15:06DEFENSIVE BACK, EVENTUALLY
02:15:09BECAME A NATIONAL CHAMPION AND
02:15:10AN ALL AMERICAN, UH, I WOULD
02:15:13NEVER HAVE DEVELOPED THAT CHARACTER WITHOUT THE
02:15:17OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY SPORTS. AND
02:15:19I TELL YOU TODAY, THERE'S NO WAY I'D BE STANDING HERE AS A U.S.
02:15:22SENATOR IF IT WEREN'T FOR COLLEGE ATHLETES, ATHLETICS,
02:15:26GIVING ME THE CHANCE TO DEVELOP
02:15:30MYSELF FROM A KID WHO GREW UP WHERE THEY DIDN'T KNOW ANYBODY
02:15:33THAT WENT TO COLLEGE, TO SOMEBODY WHO NOT ONLY GRADUATED,
02:15:36BUT GOT A CHANCE TO SUCCEED IN
02:15:39ATHLETICS. AND, UM, I WANT THAT FOR EVERYBODY IN THIS COUNTRY. I
02:15:43WANT EVERY KID, LITTLE KID WHO
02:15:44HAS A DREAM OF GOING TO PLAY
02:15:48ATHLETICS, THAT'S ON THE TENNIS TEAM, THE GOLF TEAM, HOCKEY,
02:15:51WHATEVER IT IS THAT THEY HAVE THE CHANCE TO DO THAT. BUT
02:15:55INCREASINGLY, AMERICAN STUDENT
02:15:58ATHLETES ARE BEING DENIED THIS OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE MORE AND
02:16:02MORE ROSTER SPOTS ARE GOING TO
02:16:05STUDENT ATHLETES WHO, FROM OTHER
02:16:10NATIONS. WHILE THE PROTECT COLLEGE SPORTS ACT TAKES A
02:16:13MATERIAL STEP TOWARDS MAKING OUR
02:16:16NATION'S COLLEGE SPORTS LEAGUES COMPETITIVE AGAIN, ONE CRITICAL
02:16:20OMISSION EXISTS IN IT. IT DOESN'T LOOK OUT FOR AMERICAN
02:16:24STUDENT ATHLETES IN THEIR
02:16:29ACADEMIC AND ATHLETIC JOURNEYS AS I SAID, MORE SCHOLARSHIPS,
02:16:33AND IN THIS CASE, ROSTER SPOTS. I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT
02:16:36SCHOLARSHIP. I'M TALKING ABOUT ROSTER SPOT, A CHANCE TO PLAY
02:16:40ARE GOING TO NON-AMERICANS, AND
02:16:43THERE'S NO INCENTIVE FOR
02:16:45COLLEGES TO PRIORITIZE AMERICAN
02:16:48STUDENT ATHLETES. AND WITH THE NIL FUNDS THAT ARE COMING IN,
02:16:52IT'S GOING TO CREATE A BIGGER
02:16:53AND BIGGER INCENTIVE FOR PRO
02:16:56ATHLETES FROM OTHER NATIONS TO COME PLAY COLLEGE SPORTS IN
02:17:00AMERICA AND TAKE ROSTER SPOTS AWAY FROM AMERICAN CITIZENS.
02:17:04THESE TAXPAYER FUNDED
02:17:07INSTITUTIONS SHOULD PRIORITIZE AMERICAN STUDENTS. AND ADDITIONALLY, THE PROTECT
02:17:11COLLEGE SPORTS ACT FAILS TO
02:17:13ADDRESS THE GRAY AREA CREATED BY THE OVERLAP IN IMMIGRATION LAW
02:17:17AND REVENUE SHARING STRUCTURES. STUDENT ATHLETES OFTEN COME TO
02:17:21THE UNITED STATES UNDER F-1 VISA STATUS. THESE. VISA STATUS. THIS
02:17:24VISA STATUS HAS STRICT
02:17:26LIMITATIONS ON COMPENSATION COMPENSATION VIA EMPLOYMENT. BUT
02:17:29TO AVOID JEOPARDIZING VISA
02:17:33STATUS, COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES STRUCTURE PAYMENTS TO INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS AND
02:17:36ATHLETES AS PASSIVE INCOME OUT
02:17:39OF REVENUE SHARING FUNDS, AND
02:17:44GET AROUND THOSE PROHIBITIONS AGAIN, CREATING AN INCENTIVE FOR
02:17:47MORE ROSTER SPOTS AND MORE
02:17:48SCHOLARSHIPS TO GO TO STUDENT
02:17:53ATHLETES WHO ARE NOT AMERICAN
02:17:56CITIZENS. IT'S NOT RIGHT. IF
02:18:01YOU ASK CONGRESS TO PROTECT COLLEGE SPORTS, YOU SHOULD BE PROTECTING IT. FOR AMERICAN
02:18:05STUDENT ATHLETES. AND THAT'S
02:18:06WHY, MR. PRESIDENT, I INTRODUCED
02:18:09THE TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR
02:18:12AMERICA. AMERICAN MEMBERS AND UNIVERSITY SPORTS AND ATHLETICS
02:18:16ACT, THE TEAM USA ACT, WITH
02:18:19HOUSE EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE CHAIR WALBERG, THE TEAM USA ACT
02:18:23WOULD ENCOURAGE UNIVERSITIES TO
02:18:27PRIORITIZE AMERICAN STUDENTS WHEN RECRUITING THE BEST TALENT,
02:18:30AND. THE PROPOSAL PLACES A 20%
02:18:33CAP ON INTERNATIONAL STUDENT
02:18:35ROSTER SPOTS, PER SPORT. WITH DELAYED IMPLEMENTATION, SO THAT
02:18:39CURRENT STUDENT ATHLETES ARE NOT DISRUPTED. SO, UNDERSTAND, I'M
02:18:42NOT CALLING FOR A BAN. WE
02:18:48WELCOME INTERNATIONAL STUDENT ATHLETES TO AMERICA. 20% OF THE
02:18:51ROSTER SPOTS. THAT'S FINE, BUT WE HAVE SOME ROSTERS IN WHICH
02:18:55THERE IS NOT A SINGLE UNITED
02:18:57STATES CITIZEN ON THAT ROSTER.
02:19:02AND SOME OF OUR NON-REVENUE
02:19:05SPORTS. THAT'S NOT RIGHT. IT'S NOT THE WAY IT SHOULD BE. WE
02:19:08SUPPORT COMPETITION, BUT WE WANT
02:19:10TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S A VALUABLE OPPORTUNITY FOR
02:19:14AMERICAN STUDENT ATHLETES,
02:19:17BECAUSE SPORTS WERE CREATED NOT TO MAKE BIG REVENUE AND BIG
02:19:21MONEY FOR COLLEGE ATHLETIC
02:19:24PROGRAMS. THEY WERE CREATED TO
02:19:27BUILD CHARACTER AMONGST OUR
02:19:31STUDENTS IN OUR SCHOOLS. WAS
02:19:35DESIGNED ORIGINALLY TO TEACH. YES, WE WANT TO HAVE ACADEMICS IN OUR SCHOOLS, BUT WE ALSO ARE
02:19:39GOING TO HAVE EXTRACURRICULAR
02:19:42ATHLETICS TO TEACH PHYSICAL
02:19:45FITNESS AND TOUGHNESS LEADERSHIP
02:19:47AND CHARACTER. THAT'S WHAT IT'S
02:19:50ALL ABOUT. AND TO DENY, INCREASINGLY, THOSE
02:19:54OPPORTUNITIES TO AMERICAN
02:19:56STUDENT ATHLETES IS WRONG. AND
02:19:59SO AS CONGRESS CONSIDERS THE
02:20:04FUTURE OF NIL AND COLLEGE SPORTS
02:20:07PROTECTING AMERICAN. OR PROTECTING OPPORTUNITIES FOR AMERICAN STUDENT ATHLETES MUST
02:20:11COME FIRST. AMERICAN COLLEGES
02:20:14AND UNIVERSITIES ARE INCREASINGLY GIVING
02:20:17SCHOLARSHIPS, AND. THESE LIMITED ROSTER SPOTS TO FOREIGN
02:20:21ATHLETES. AND. THE GROWTH OF NA
02:20:23L MONEY ONLY CREATES MORE INCENTIVES FOR FOREIGN ATHLETES
02:20:27TO CASH IN ON THE AMERICAN
02:20:29SYSTEM AT THE EXPENSE OF STUDENT
02:20:33ATHLETES IN THIS COUNTRY. IF THE U.S. CONGRESS IS BEING ASKED TO
02:20:37SAVE COLLEGE SPORTS, WE BETTER
02:20:40DARN SURE MAKE SURE THAT WE SAVE
02:20:42IT FOR AMERICAN STUDENT
02:20:47ATHLETES. I DON'T EXPECT
02:20:52GOVERNMENTS OF OTHER NATIONS TO LOOK OUT FOR AMERICAN STUDENT
02:20:55ATHLETES, BUT I SURE EXPECT THE
02:20:58UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT TO LOOK OUT FOR AMERICAN STUDENT
02:21:02ATHLETES. AND THAT'S WHY I'VE
02:21:06INTRODUCED THE LEGISLATION. IT'S WHY IT NEEDS TO BE PART OF
02:21:09THIS DISCUSSION, SO THAT AMERICAN STUDENT ATHLETES STILL
02:21:13HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY LIKE LOTS
02:21:17OF LITTLE BOYS AND LITTLE GIRLS
02:21:18OUT THERE TODAY WHO DREAM AND
02:21:21HAVE A DREAM OF BEING ABLE TO
02:21:23PLAY COLLEGE SPORTS ONE DAY,
02:21:26SHOULDN'T SEE THAT OPPORTUNITY
02:21:27GIVEN AWAY. TO SOMEONE. WHO'S
02:21:35NOT AN AMERICAN CITIZEN. WE CAN
02:21:38BALANCE BOTH. WE CAN FIND A WAY
02:21:41TO WELCOME THE BEST FROM OTHER
02:21:45NATIONS. AND ALSO PROTECT ROSTER
02:21:48SPOTS FOR AMERICAN STUDENT ATHLETES. THANK YOU, MR.
02:21:50PRESIDENT. I YIELD THE FLOOR.
02:22:05>> THE SENATOR FROM NEW JERSEY. >> I WANT TO SPEAK FORCEFULLY
02:22:09AGAINST THE PROTECT COLLEGE SPORTS ACT. I KNOW THERE'S A HANDFUL OF US, LIKE MY COLLEAGUE
02:22:12WHO PLAYED COLLEGE SPORTS. I WAS A HIGH SCHOOL ALL-AMERICAN, A
02:22:16PLAYER OF THE YEAR FOR MY STATE, UH, ON THE SAME USA TODAY
02:22:19ALL-AMERICAN TEAM AS PEOPLE LIKE EMMITT SMITH, AND GOT A FULL
02:22:22SCHOLARSHIP IN SO MANY WAYS.
02:22:24LIKE MY COLLEAGUE, I AM HERE AFFORDED OPPORTUNITIES I
02:22:27PROBABLY WOULD NEVER HAVE HAD IF
02:22:30IT WASN'T FOR COLLEGE ATHLETICS. BUT WHILE A COLLEGE STUDENT AND
02:22:33A PLAYER, I SAW HOW UNJUST THE
02:22:37NCAA IS, IT IS A SERIAL
02:22:40MONOPOLIST CONTROLLING AN
02:22:41INDUSTRY OVER $15 BILLION,
02:22:47STRONG AND RAPIDLY GROWING, AND
02:22:49THE NCAA HAS A LONG RECORD OF
02:22:51IGNORING THE CRIES FOR JUSTICE
02:22:55FROM EXPLOITED COLLEGE ATHLETES.
02:22:58THE NCAA PROTECTS ITS MEMBERS. IT PROTECTS THE COLLEGES, AND IT
02:23:02HAS REPEATEDLY PUT COLLEGE
02:23:04ATHLETES IN HORRIBLE POSITIONS
02:23:08FOR GENERATIONS, BILLIONS OF DOLLARS WERE BEING MADE THAT
02:23:10WERE GIVEN TO COACHES, AIDES.
02:23:15EVERYBODY WAS MAKING MONEY, BUT COLLEGE ATHLETES WEREN'T. IT
02:23:19WASN'T UNTIL COLLEGE ATHLETES
02:23:21WERE ABLE TO BEGIN TO WIN CASES
02:23:25IN COURT, AND STATES. SEEING THE INJUSTICES BEGAN TO CHANGE. THE
02:23:29LAW THAT STARTED TO SHIFT THE POWER TABLE. AND NOW THE NCAA IS
02:23:32COMING HERE TO THE UNITED STATES
02:23:35SENATE ASKING FOR SWEEPING
02:23:38POWERS THAT EXEMPT OUR ANTITRUST
02:23:42LAWS WELL, MY CONCERNS I'VE
02:23:46GROWN TO HAVE OVER THE YEARS ARE
02:23:47NOT ADDRESSED IN THIS BILL. THIS
02:23:52BILL DOES NOT ENOUGH TO PROTECT
02:23:54COLLEGE ATHLETES HEALTH AND
02:23:57SAFETY AND WELL-BEING. AND AS A RESULT OF THAT, THE NUMBERS OF
02:24:00GROUPS OPPOSED TO IT IS ALMOST
02:24:03TOO LONG TO READ. I'M GOING TO
02:24:06SUBMIT FOR THE RECORD A FULL LIST, BUT LET ME JUST READ SOME
02:24:10OF THEM. EVERY COLLEGE SPORTS
02:24:13ATHLETES, PLAYERS ASSOCIATION, THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYERS
02:24:16ASSOCIATION, THE UNITED COLLEGE
02:24:19ATHLETES ASSOCIATIONS, ALL THE
02:24:22ASSOCIATIONS OF COLLEGE SPORTS, ALL OUR MAJOR UNIONS, THE
02:24:26AFL-CIO, THE UNITED STEELWORKERS, ALL OF OUR MAJOR
02:24:30CIVIL RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS, THE
02:24:33NC NAACP, THE URBAN LEAGUE, ALL OF OUR MAJOR LEGAL THINK TANKS
02:24:37THAT PROTECT THE HEALTH,
02:24:40WELL-BEING, AND JUSTICE, LIKE
02:24:42THE CENTER FOR LAW AND POLICY. I
02:24:45COULD GO ON AND ON ABOUT THOSE
02:24:47PEOPLE WHO OBJECT TO THIS BILL,
02:24:51BECAUSE IT IS NOT PROTECTING
02:24:54ATHLETES. AND THINK ABOUT THIS.
02:24:56IT IS DOING ALL KINDS OF THINGS
02:25:02TO STOP PLAYERS FROM EARNING
02:25:05MONEY, PUTTING BUREAUCRACY BETWEEN THEM, AND THE POSSIBILITIES. BUT IT DOES
02:25:08NOTHING TO AFFECT COACHES. SO,
02:25:11IN OTHER WORDS, IT'S TREATING COLLEGE ATHLETES AS A DIFFERENT
02:25:15CLASS. MEANWHILE, COACHES SALARIES, OFTEN IN MOST STATES,
02:25:18THE HIGHEST PAID PEOPLE IN THEIR STATE GOVERNMENTS ARE THE
02:25:21BASKETBALL OR THE FOOTBALL
02:25:22COACH. THEIR SALARIES CONTINUE
02:25:26TO SKYROCKET, WITH CLOSE TO 15
02:25:29COACHES RIGHT NOW HAVE ALMOST A
02:25:31QUARTER OF $1 BILLION BUYOUTS
02:25:35FOR THEIR CONTRACTS. THIS IS AN
02:25:37UNJUST BILL, AND I WANT TO DEAL
02:25:41VERY QUICKLY WITH SOME OF THE TOP LINES. FIRST AND FOREMOST,
02:25:44WE HAVE A BILL THAT DOESN'T SOLVE THE PROBLEMS IT CLAIMS TO
02:25:47SOLVE. IT SAYS IT'S GOING TO FIX
02:25:51A SYSTEM THAT'S BROKEN. WELL,
02:25:54THE NCAA CONFERENCES AND SCHOOLS
02:25:56CONTINUE TO LOSE MAJOR COURT CASES. THIS BILL IS GOING TO
02:25:59TAKE AWAY THE POWER OF ATHLETES
02:26:02TO BE ABLE TO SUE FOR THEIR RIGHTS. IT SAYS IN THIS BILL
02:26:06THAT, OH, WE'RE PRESERVING AN
02:26:08INDIVIDUAL RIGHT OF ACTION FOR INDIVIDUAL ATHLETES. WELL, LET
02:26:11ME TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, ANY LAWYER WORTH THEIR SALT WILL
02:26:15TELL YOU THAT SOMEBODY COMPETING FOR THE STARTING PITCHER SPOT ON
02:26:19A SOFTBALL TEAM IS NOT GOING TO SUE THEIR COLLEGE IN HOPES
02:26:22THEY'RE GOING TO GET JUSTICE IF THEY'RE FACING SEXUAL ASSAULT,
02:26:26OR IF THEY'VE BEEN FORCED TO PLAY THROUGH AN INJURY, OR IF
02:26:28THERE'S A BREAKING OF ANY OF
02:26:31THE RULES AROUND THE NCAA THAT PURPORT TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS,
02:26:34IT'S CREATING A CARTEL FOR THEM, A MONOPOLY FOR THEM, AND
02:26:37NO INADEQUATE PROTECTIONS,
02:26:39EXCUSE ME, INADEQUATE
02:26:41PROTECTIONS FOR COLLEGE ATHLETES
02:26:44AND UNDERMINING THEIR ABILITY,
02:26:46SHOULD THEY EVEN CHOOSE TO SUE, UNDERMINING THEIR ABILITY TO
02:26:49HAVE A FAIR DAY IN COURT. IT'S NOT PROTECTING THE SPENDING
02:26:53PROBLEM. SCHOOLS INCREASINGLY
02:26:56CLAIM THAT ATHLETE COMPENSATION HAS CREATED UNPRECEDENTED
02:26:59FINANCIAL PRESSURE. AT THE SAME TIME THAT FOOTBALL COACHES AND
02:27:03BASKETBALL COACHES CONTINUE TO
02:27:04SEE HIGHER AND HIGHER SALARIES,
02:27:08THIS BILL RESPONDS BY PLACING FEDERALLY IMPOSED CEILINGS ON
02:27:11ATHLETE COMPENSATION, WHILE LEAVING EVERY OTHER MAJOR
02:27:15EXPENSE FREE TO CONTINUE TO
02:27:18INCREASE. HOW MUCH SCHOOLS ARE SPENDING ON THEIR FACILITIES,
02:27:21PAYING THEIR AIDES, PAYING THEIR
02:27:24COACHES AND ASSISTANT COACHES. ALL OF THOSE PRICES CONTINUE TO GO UP, BUT IT'S THE COLLEGE
02:27:28ATHLETES THAT ARE GOING TO BE
02:27:30FACING THE CAPS WE SEE
02:27:33PROTECTIONS FOR WOMEN'S AND OLYMPIC SPORTS, WHICH I AGREE
02:27:36ON. THEY'RE IN THIS BILL, BUT
02:27:41THOSE PROTECTIONS EXPIRE WHILE THE ANTITRUST PROTECTIONS DO
02:27:44NOT. YOU GO TO SECTION 125 OF
02:27:47THE BILL AS PROTECTIONS FOR THOSE ROSTER SPORTS AND GRANT
02:27:51AND AID OPPORTUNITIES IN THOSE SPORTS, BUT THOSE PROTECTIONS
02:27:54EXPIRE AFTER 4 OR 9 YEARS. IT IS
02:27:56A LIE TO SAY THAT THIS BILL IS
02:28:00PROTECTING OLYMPIC SPORTS, BECAUSE IT'S NOT. IT ONLY DOES SO FOR A HANDFUL OF YEARS.
02:28:04PERMANENT ANTITRUST EXEMPTION,
02:28:09TEMPORARY PROTECTION FOR COLLEGE ATHLETES COMPETING IN OLYMPIC
02:28:13SPORTS. WHY WOULD WE DO THAT? WHY WOULD WE DO THAT? WE SHOULD
02:28:17GIVE NOT PERMANENT EXEMPTION IF
02:28:21WE'RE NOT DOING IT IN OTHER
02:28:21PARTS OF THE BILL. AND EVEN THAT
02:28:25IS QUESTIONABLE. THE NCAA'S
02:28:28RECORD OVER DECADES DOES NOT
02:28:30JUSTIFY GIVING IT MORE CONTROL.
02:28:32WE'RE GIVING THEM MORE AUTHORITY OVER A GROUP OF
02:28:36AMERICANS, AND YET WE'RE NOT
02:28:38ASKING FOR THE RIGHT THINGS IN
02:28:43RETURN. PROTECTIONS FOR ATHLETES, THEIR HEALTH, THEIR
02:28:46WELL-BEING, THEIR SAFETY, THEIR
02:28:48EQUALITY FOR OTHERS INVOLVED IN
02:28:50THE SPORT, THE BILL CLAIMS TO
02:28:53CODIFY INTO LAW ATHLETES
02:28:55ABILITIES TO BENEFIT FROM NIL.
02:28:58ATHLETES ALREADY ENJOY THIS, RIGHT? THEY FOUGHT DECADES FOR
02:29:01IT. THE BILL JUST PUTS NEW RED
02:29:03TAPE THERE. THE BILL INCLUDES PROTECTIONS FOR ATHLETES HEALTH
02:29:06AND SAFETY AND EDUCATION. YEAH, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? WITHOUT A
02:29:10MEANINGFUL ENFORCEMENT
02:29:12MECHANISM, THESE PROTECTIONS ARE
02:29:15BASICALLY SUGGESTIONS. THIS BILL RELIES EXCLUSIVELY ON THAT
02:29:18PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION. IN
02:29:20SECTION 119, PLACING THE BURDEN ON YOUNG ATHLETES AND YOUNG
02:29:24ATHLETES ALONE TO ENFORCE
02:29:26ANYTHING WITHIN THIS BILL. THEY
02:29:29CLAIM THAT SCHOOLS AND CONFERENCES AND NCAA COACHES
02:29:32SUPPORT THE PROTECT COLLEGE SPORTS ACT. OF COURSE, THEY
02:29:34SUPPORT IT. THEY'RE GETTING ALL
02:29:36OF THE FINANCIAL GAIN AND
02:29:39PUTTING ALL THE BURDEN AND
02:29:42COMPROMISES AND GIVE BACKS TO COLLEGE ATHLETES, INCLUDING
02:29:45THEIR ABILITY TO WIN IN COURT.
02:29:48OH, AND THERE'S A CYNICAL PART OF THIS. THEY SAY THAT THEY'RE
02:29:51GOING TO HELP HISTORICALLY BLACK
02:29:54COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES. I
02:29:56WANT EVERYONE LIKE ME THAT HAS
02:29:59BEEN FIGHTING FOR HBCUS, WHO
02:30:02SUPPORTS HBCUS, TO UNDERSTAND THE CYNICISM IN THIS BILL. THIS
02:30:06BILL AUTHORIZES MONEY. IT
02:30:08AUTHORIZES MONEY. IT DOES NOT
02:30:13APPROPRIATE ONE SINGLE DOLLAR. WHAT YOU GET IS A PROMISE FOR
02:30:16FUTURE FUNDS. BUT WE KNOW TIME
02:30:18AND TIME AGAIN, CONGRESS
02:30:21AUTHORIZES FUNDING, AND THAT
02:30:22FUNDING IS NEVER DELIVERED. THIS
02:30:27BILL INCLUDES PROVISIONS OF THE
02:30:29SAFE ACT THAT I SUPPORTED. WELL,
02:30:33THIS LEAVES OUT A CRITICAL DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE SAFE ACT
02:30:37AND ATHLETES PROTECTIONS WITH MEANINGFUL ENFORCEMENT. THE SAFE
02:30:41ACT INCLUDED THE STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL AND STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S. BEING ABLE TO A
02:30:45FORCE ENFORCE IT. THIS BILL DOES
02:30:48NOT. THE SAFE ACT DIDN'T GIVE
02:30:49THE NCAA AND CONFERENCES SWEEPING NEW ANTITRUST SHIELD.
02:30:53THIS BILL DOES. SO, YES, THERE ARE SOME PROVISIONS FOR MY
02:30:56EARLIER WORK IN THIS BILL, BUT
02:31:00THEY'RE TOOTHLESS BECAUSE OF THE
02:31:01LACK OF ENFORCEMENT POWER. THIS
02:31:06IS A GROWING GRASSROOTS EFFORT, I HEAR, TO SUPPORT THIS BILL.
02:31:07WELL, I'M SEEING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF COMMERCIALS
02:31:11BEING FUNDED BY ALL THE FINANCIAL INTERESTS BEHIND THIS
02:31:15BILL. BUT WHO IS PROTECTING
02:31:18COLLEGE ATHLETES? I GAVE AN EXAMPLE, AND I'LL END WITH
02:31:21THIS, BECAUSE I KNOW TIME IS SHORT. I WANT TO MAKE SURE,
02:31:25THOUGH, THAT I CAN ENTER. FOR THE RECORD, I'M GOING TO ASK THE PRESIDENT, I'D LIKE TO ENTER
02:31:28INTO A RECORD, A SOME LETTERS.
02:31:32THIS LETTER IS FROM, UH, COLLEGE
02:31:37ATHLETES, ORGANIZATIONS. UM,
02:31:40THIS LETTER IS FROM CIVIL RIGHTS
02:31:45ORGANIZATIONS AND FORMER
02:31:47ATTORNEY GENERALS. UH, AND THIS
02:31:51LETTER IS FROM COLLEGE ATHLETE
02:31:55SAFETY ORGANIZATIONS, COLLEGE
02:31:56ATHLETES, SEXUAL ABUSE SURVIVOR
02:31:59ORGANIZATIONS, AND FAMILIES OF COLLEGE ATHLETES WHO DIED
02:32:02FOLLOWING ATHLETIC ACTIVITIES,
02:32:04ALL SPEAKING TO THE URGENCY TO
02:32:07STOP THIS BILL. >> WITHOUT OBJECTION.
02:32:10>> THANK YOU. I WANT TO END WITH
02:32:12THIS. I GAVE AN EXAMPLE OF THE
02:32:15LIES THAT THE NCAA TELLS, THAT
02:32:18THEY'RE ABOUT THE PROTECTION OF STUDENT ATHLETES FIRST, AND THE
02:32:22EXAMPLE I GAVE WAS A CHANGE THAT
02:32:23THE NFL DID, THAT WE ALL KNOW
02:32:26ABOUT WHO ARE FOOTBALL FANS. WHEN THEY SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE'RE GOING TO CHANGE THE
02:32:30KICKOFF RULES. WHY DID THEY CHANGE THE KICKOFF RULES? WELL, I KNOW FROM MY PERSONAL
02:32:34EXPERIENCE OF SCREAMING DOWN A
02:32:36FIELD, TRYING TO BREAK UCLA'S
02:32:38WEDGE, I'VE LEARNED THIS FROM
02:32:40RUSHING DOWN THE FIELD TO TRY TO
02:32:44TACKLE A PEOPLE PLAYING AGAINST USC. I LEARNED THIS IN PLAYING
02:32:47NOTRE DAME, THAT ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS THINGS YOU COULD DO IS GET A FULL HEAD OF STEAM AND RUN
02:32:51DOWN ON A KICKOFF. WELL, THEY CHANGED THE KICKOFF RULES TO
02:32:54PROTECT NFL ATHLETES, AND IT'S WORKED. THERE ARE LESS INJURIES
02:32:56IN THIS AREA. IT'S WORKING. IS
02:33:00THERE A PEEP FROM THE NCAA?
02:33:03DON'T YOU THINK THAT COLLEGE SPORTS SHOULD HAVE MORE
02:33:06PROTECTIVE POLICIES THAN THE PROS? WELL, NO. THE PROS. IT'S A
02:33:08BUSINESS. WE ALL KNOW THAT. THEY INVEST MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN
02:33:11THESE EMPLOYEES OF THEIRS, AND
02:33:16THEY'RE TAKING ACTIONS TO PROTECT THEIR PLAYERS THAT THE
02:33:18NCAA ISN'T. THE NCAA IS AN
02:33:22ECONOMIC GROUP OF ACTORS WHO
02:33:28SEEK TO MAXIMIZE PROFIT. LOOK AT
02:33:31THEIR DECADES LONG HISTORY. IT IS NOT ABOUT PLAYER PROTECTION.
02:33:35HOW DO I KNOW THAT THERE'S NO
02:33:37ENFORCEABLE STANDARDS FOR SEXUAL
02:33:39ASSAULT? THERE'S NO ENFORCEABLE STANDARDS FOR HEAT STROKE. WE
02:33:43HAVE CASES RIGHT NOW ABOUT BRAIN INJURIES. I HAVE FRIENDS OF MINE
02:33:47STILL PAYING FOR THE MEDICAL
02:33:49COSTS FOR INJURIES THEY INCURRED, PUTTING THOUSANDS OF
02:33:52PEOPLE INTO SEATS. WHEN IT COMES
02:33:58TO ACADEMIC GRADUATION RATES, WHEN IT COMES TO ALL THE THINGS
02:34:01THEY TELL PEOPLE, THEY'RE CONCERNED WITH, THE EVIDENCE
02:34:04SPEAKS THAT THAT'S NOT THEIR NUMBER ONE CONCERN. AND THIS
02:34:07BODY WANTS TO GIVE THEM SWEEPING
02:34:10ANTITRUST POWER PERMANENTLY IN
02:34:13PERPETUITY, FOREVER, WITH NO ACCOUNTABILITY, NO
02:34:17ACCOUNTABILITY TO CONGRESS,
02:34:20LIMITED ACCOUNTABILITY IN THE
02:34:22COURTS, NO ACCOUNTABILITY TO THE GIRLS AND BOYS AND YOUNG STUDENT
02:34:26ATHLETES, THE COLLEGE PLAYERS
02:34:28WHO BRING THIS COUNTRY TOGETHER,
02:34:33WHO GIVE US OF OUR GREATEST LIFE
02:34:38EXPERIENCES. THIS IS UNFAIR. THIS IS UNJUST. THIS IS WRONG.
02:34:42HUNDREDS OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT REPRESENT STUDENT ATHLETES THAT
02:34:46REPRESENT IDEALS OF JUSTICE, THAT REPRESENT IDEALS OF
02:34:48ECONOMIC JUSTICE. HECK, YOU EVEN HAVE SOMEBODY LIKE BRETT
02:34:52KAVANAUGH. EXCUSE ME? YOU HAVE
02:34:54EVEN SOMEBODY LIKE GORSUCH
02:35:00SAYING THINGS LIKE, IT'S A BUSINESS MODEL. THIS IS THE
02:35:01NCAA. THAT WOULD BE FLATLY
02:35:05ILLEGAL IN ANY OTHER INDUSTRY IN
02:35:06AMERICA. AND YET WE'RE MOVING
02:35:09ROCKET SPEED, WHERE MOST OF THE MEMBERS OF THIS HAVEN'T EVEN
02:35:11GOTTEN THE FINAL BILL YET.
02:35:13THEY'RE LITERALLY HAVEN'T PUT
02:35:16THE BILL IN MOST OF THE OFFICES
02:35:19HERE. AND WE'RE RUSHING TO MOVE
02:35:20ON TO IT RIGHT NOW WITHOUT
02:35:24READING THE BILL, WITHOUT DISCUSSING IT, WITHOUT HAVING HEARINGS THAT HAVE COLLEGE
02:35:28ATHLETES THAT HAVE JUSTIFIABLE EXPERIENCES, SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL
02:35:32ASSAULT, PARENTS WHOSE CHILDREN HAVE DIED, PEOPLE THAT HAVE COURT CASES AGAINST THE NCAA
02:35:36RIGHT NOW, THAT THE NCAA KNOWS IT'S GOING TO SAVE THEM FROM
02:35:39MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF LIABILITY. THAT'S WHY THEY'RE
02:35:42SPENDING SO MUCH MONEY TO PASS THIS BILL. IT'S NOT ABOUT THE
02:35:45SAFETY. IT'S NOT ABOUT THE WELL-BEING. IT'S NOT ABOUT THE
02:35:48EDUCATION OF COLLEGE ATHLETES.
02:35:50THIS IS A MONEY PLAY, PLAIN AND
02:35:55SIMPLE. READ THE BILL. TALK TO
02:36:02COLLEGE ATHLETES. IF WE PASS
02:36:08THIS BILL, IT'S A SHAME >> [APPLAUSE]. >> AFTER YEARS AND YEARS OF TRYING COLLEGE ATHLETES FINALLY
02:36:12HAVE GAINED SOME LEVERAGE OVER THE NCAA. AND NO, THEY CAN'T WIN
02:36:14IN COURT. SO THE NCAA RUNS HERE.
02:36:18I ASK MY COLLEAGUES NOT TO MOVE
02:36:22TO THIS BILL. DEFINITELY DON'T MOVE TO IT IF YOU HAVEN'T READ IT. IF YOUR STAFF HASN'T GOTTEN
02:36:24THE FINAL COPY YET, I ASK MY
02:36:29COLLEAGUES TO VOTE. NO. THANK
02:36:32YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
02:38:14>> GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. WE HAVE A BIG, I WOULD SAY, BUT LIMITED OPPORTUNITY TO GET SOME
02:38:18THINGS DONE HERE. OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT SEVERAL
02:38:21WEEKS. AND I WOULD SAY, STARTING WITH THE CLARITY ACT, WHICH WE'RE GOING TO VOTE ON THIS
02:38:25AFTERNOON, IT'LL BE A PROCEDURAL VOTE, AND WE'LL FIND OUT IF
02:38:27DEMOCRATS ACTUALLY WANT TO PASS
02:38:30THIS LEGISLATION AND WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE WILLING TO TAKE YES
02:38:33FOR AN ANSWER, BECAUSE OUR MEMBERS WHO'VE BEEN NEGOTIATING
02:38:36THIS, CHAIRMAN SCOTT, CHAIRMAN
02:38:39BOZEMAN, SENATOR LUMMIS, OTHERS
02:38:42HAVE BEEN VERY INVOLVED NOW, LITERALLY FOR MONTHS IN TRYING TO COME UP WITH LEGISLATION THAT
02:38:46WOULD ADDRESS THE CONCERNS. AND
02:38:48THEY HAVE MADE MYRIAD, UM, I
02:38:53WOULD SAY, CONCESSIONS TO THE DEMOCRATS. I THINK 126 DIFFERENT
02:38:56CHANGES TO THIS LEGISLATION SINCE IT WAS FIRST INTRODUCED,
02:39:00TRYING TO ACCOMMODATE SOME OF THE DEMOCRATIC CONCERNS. SO THIS IS IT'S TIME TO VOTE. IT'S TIME
02:39:03TO PUT UP OR SHUT UP. AND SO THIS AFTERNOON, WE'RE GOING TO
02:39:07HAVE THAT VOTE. AND THEN I WOULD SAY ON THE PROTECT COLLEGE
02:39:10SPORTS ACT, THAT WILL FOLLOW
02:39:11AFTER, DEPENDING ON HOW THE VOTE
02:39:14GOES. BUT THAT'S ALSO LEGISLATION THAT HAS HAD A LOT
02:39:17OF WORK PUT INTO IT OVER THE
02:39:19PAST SEVERAL MONTHS. AND I THINK ALL MOST PEOPLE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT
02:39:23THE CURRENT LANDSCAPE IN COLLEGE
02:39:25SPORTS IS A MESS. UH, IT NEEDS
02:39:27TO BE ADDRESSED. CHAIRMAN CRUZ AND OTHERS HAVE WORKED
02:39:31DILIGENTLY. SENATOR SCHMITT
02:39:32COMING UP WITH A PRODUCT THAT I
02:39:36THINK IS A VAST IMPROVEMENT AND, OF COURSE, WORKED WITH DEMOCRATS
02:39:38AS WELL, ON TRYING TO GET THAT IN A FORM THAT WE COULD MOVE IT
02:39:41ACROSS THE FLOOR. SO WE WILL SEE IF THERE ARE 60 VOTES ON A
02:39:45PROCEDURAL VOTE ON THAT ISSUE AS WELL. AND I WOULD ALSO ADD TO
02:39:48THAT LIST PERMITTING REFORM.
02:39:50SENATOR CAPITO AND HER TEAM HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE DEMOCRATS,
02:39:53AND WE'LL FIND OUT SOON WHETHER OR NOT WE CAN. THAT IS ALSO
02:39:57SOMETHING THAT HAS, I THINK, BROAD BIPARTISAN SUPPORT. AND
02:40:00SHE'S DONE A GREAT JOB OF NEGOTIATING THOSE ISSUES. AND I'M HOPEFUL, FRANKLY, THAT WE
02:40:04COULD GET THAT UP ON THE FLOOR AND VOTED ON, BECAUSE I THINK
02:40:07THAT IS AN IMPORTANT AND CONSEQUENTIAL PIECE OF LEGISLATION THAT'S REALLY
02:40:11IMPORTANT TO OUR OUR COUNTRY'S ECONOMY. AND THEN, FINALLY, I WOULD SAY SOMETHING THAT'S
02:40:15REALLY IMPORTANT IN FARM COUNTRY IS THE FARM BILL. AND THERE'S GOING TO BE, HOPEFULLY, A COMMITTEE ACTION ON THAT THIS
02:40:18WEEK AS WELL. AND SO THOSE ARE ALL ISSUES THAT ARE SORT OF
02:40:22HOVERING OUT THERE RIGHT NOW, IN ADDITION TO SOME OF THE NOMINATIONS THAT WE'LL DEAL
02:40:26WITH, BOTH ON THE JUDICIAL AND
02:40:27AND THE EXECUTIVE CALENDARS AS WELL. BUT MY HOPE WOULD BE THAT
02:40:31THIS CAN BE A PRODUCTIVE FEW WEEKS HERE. AND IT'S GOING TO DEPEND LARGELY, I THINK, ON
02:40:35WHETHER OR NOT THE DEMOCRATS WANT TO PLAY BALL, WHETHER THEY WANT TO GET SOME THINGS DONE, OR
02:40:39WHETHER THEY WANT TO PLAY POLITICS. AND WE'LL FIND THAT
02:40:41OUT SOON ENOUGH. >> META. >> ONE OF THE PROBLEMS HERE,
02:40:45THAT THERE'S A PERCEPTION THAT THE PRESIDENT HAD INVESTED SO
02:40:49HEAVILY IN CRYPTOCURRENCY. I KNOW THERE'S OTHER GUARDRAILS THAT WERE AGREED TO BY THE WHITE
02:40:52HOUSE, PUT IN. SOME DEMOCRATS SAY THAT DOESN'T GO FAR ENOUGH. BUT, I MEAN, AT THE END OF THE
02:40:56DAY, ISN'T THAT THE ISSUE THAT IS MAKING THIS BILL TOXIC?
02:40:59>> WELL, I THINK I DON'T THINK THERE IS. I DON'T THINK YOU
02:41:02EVER GO FAR ENOUGH FOR THE DEMOCRATS. UM, I THINK THE
02:41:06PRESIDENT AND THE WHITE HOUSE, AND YOU CAN ASK THE SPONSORS OF THE BILL ABOUT THIS, BUT THERE
02:41:09HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS AND I MEAN,
02:41:13NUMEROUS CONVERSATIONS ON THE ETHICS PIECE. AND SENATOR TILLIS HAS BEEN INVOLVED. SENATOR MORENO HAS BEEN INVOLVED.
02:41:17SENATOR LUMMIS HAS BEEN
02:41:18INVOLVED. AND AS RECENTLY AS THIS WEEKEND, MADE SOME
02:41:22ADDITIONAL ACCOMMODATIONS. AS I POINTED OUT, TO THE POINT WHERE I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY MORE
02:41:26THEY COULD GIVE, HONESTLY. SO I THINK THIS WAS THIS WAS A LAST
02:41:29AND FINAL OFFER PUT FORWARD OVER THE WEEKEND. WE'RE GOING TO FIND
02:41:33OUT TODAY, AGAIN, WHETHER OR NOT THE DEMOCRATS ARE WILLING TO
02:41:34TAKE YES FOR AN ISSUE OR YES FOR AN ANSWER.
02:41:38>> THE CBO IS OUT WITH NEW NUMBERS TODAY ABOUT THE IRAQ
02:41:41WAR, SAYING THE INFLATION IS GOING TO INCREASE NEXT YEAR, AND
02:41:44THAT IT'S COST $38 BILLION UP
02:41:47UNTIL AUGUST 1st. I'M WONDERING, GIVEN THAT THIS WAS SOLD TO THE PUBLIC BY THE
02:41:50ADMINISTRATION, IT'S BEING A SHORT LIVED WAR AND MAY NOT HAVE
02:41:53MUCH OF AN ECONOMIC COST. AND VOTERS ARE STILL PAYING SO MUCH
02:41:56AT THE GAS PUMP. ARE YOU
02:41:58CONCERNED THAT THIS COULD BE AN ALBATROSS FOR REPUBLICANS HEADING INTO NOVEMBER?
02:42:02>> WELL, I MEAN, I THINK ANY
02:42:05TIME, UM, GAS PRICES ISN'T ALWAYS AN ISSUE FOR VOTERS. AND,
02:42:08YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE STRAIT OF
02:42:12HORMUZ IS HAVING SOME IMPACT THERE. BUT I ALSO THINK THAT THE MAJORITY OF AMERICANS UNDERSTAND
02:42:15WHAT'S AT STAKE. AND THE IMPORTANCE OF ENSURING THAT IRAN NEVER HAS A NUCLEAR WEAPON, AND
02:42:19THAT THEY ARE UNABLE TO THREATEN
02:42:23NOT ONLY THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT THE ENTIRE WORLD WITH THE MILITARY CAPABILITIES THAT THEY'VE DEMONSTRATED IN THE
02:42:27PAST THEY'RE PERFECTLY WILLING TO USE. >> SO IS IT WORTH THE COST? >> IS IT. >> WORTH THAT COST? WELL, LOOK, I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S A,
02:42:31THAT'S A, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY'S GOING TO COME TO A DIFFERENT CONCLUSION ABOUT, YOU
02:42:33KNOW, WHAT THE COST OUGHT TO BE FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. BUT I
02:42:36THINK IN ORDER TO KEEP THE COUNTRY AND THE WORLD SAFE. YES. AND I THINK MOST OF OUR MEMBERS
02:42:40WOULD AGREE WITH THAT. NOW, IS
02:42:42THERE A PATH TO TRY AND GET SHIPPING LANES OPEN IN THE
02:42:46STRAIT SO WE CAN GET SOME OF THIS PRESSURE OFF OF FUEL PRICES IN THIS COUNTRY? YES. AND THE
02:42:50ADMINISTRATION, I THINK, IS WORKING THAT DILIGENTLY. AND I
02:42:53HOPE THAT THE PRESIDENT AND HIS TEAM WILL HAVE SOME SUCCESS IN
02:42:55DOING THAT. BUT IN THE OVER, IF
02:42:58YOU LOOK AT THE OVERARCHING SORT OF THE ARC OF HISTORY ON THIS AND WHERE WE'VE BEEN FOR THE
02:43:02LAST FIVE DECADES WITH RESPECT TO IRAN, I THINK THE THE
02:43:05MILITARY OBJECTIVES THAT WERE
02:43:09LAID OUT HAVE BEEN LARGELY ACHIEVED. UM, WE GOT THIS ECONOMIC ISSUE THAT'S GOT TO BE
02:43:13DEALT WITH. AND THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT THE ADMINISTRATION IS RIGHTLY FOCUSED ON.
02:43:16>> NOW >> ERBIL. >> IF THE ASSUMING THAT THE AG
02:43:19COMMITTEE REPORTS OUT FARM BILL
02:43:22TOMORROW WITH SENATOR
02:43:24MCCONNELL'S VOTE, HOW SOON DO YOU INTEND TO BRING UP THIS
02:43:28WHOLE STORY? WOULD IT BE BEFORE THE ELECTION, AFTER THE
02:43:30ELECTION? AND WHAT ABOUT, UH, THE DEMOCRATIC COOPERATION ON
02:43:34THAT? THERE WERE NO VOTES, SO FAR AS YOU KNOW, IN COMMITTEE.
02:43:37AND FINALLY, THE CURRENT
02:43:39EXTENSION EXPIRES ON SEPTEMBER
02:43:4130th. IN A PUSH EXPIRING
02:43:46EXTENSION OF THE THIRD TIME THE FARM BILL WAS EXTENDED. >> WELL, FIRST, A LOT OF THE
02:43:49FARM BILL GOT WRITTEN LAST SUMMER. I MEAN, THE KEY TITLES, AND I'M A MEMBER OF THIS
02:43:53COMMITTEE. THIS IS MY FIFTH FARM BILL. THE COMMODITY TITLE,
02:43:56CONSERVATION TITLE, ALL THE DISASTER PROVISIONS WERE WERE DEALT WITH LAST SUMMER IN THE
02:44:00WORKING FAMILIES TAX CUTS LEGISLATION. BUT THERE ARE PIECES THAT DIDN'T GET DONE. AND
02:44:04FARMERS NEED CERTAINTY. THEY NEED PREDICTABILITY. AND THERE ARE SOME IMPORTANT COMPONENTS IN
02:44:08THIS BILL THAT WAS BLOCKED BY THE DEMOCRATS AND THE COMMITTEE. WHEN WE VOTED ON IT BEFORE WE
02:44:12LEFT IN AUGUST, AND I HAVE NEVER
02:44:15SEEN A TIME IN MY TIME IN PUBLIC LIFE. AND CERTAINLY, AS IT RELATES TO DEALING WITH FARM
02:44:19BILLS, WHERE YOU'VE HAD THIS
02:44:22KIND OF A PARTISAN, AND, FRANKLY, ON A BILL, ON A BILL
02:44:25THAT THE DEMOCRATS WERE INVOLVED IN NEGOTIATING. IF YOU TALK TO
02:44:29SENATOR BOOZMAN, WHO'S THE CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE, THERE
02:44:33WERE 100 DEMOCRAT AMENDMENTS IN THE FARM BILL THAT THEY BLOCKED, VOTED AGAINST. THAT IS
02:44:37INEXCUSABLE IN FARM COUNTRY. AND
02:44:40SO I THINK I'M HOPING, AT LEAST WITH SENATOR MCCONNELL'S PRESENCE HERE ON WEDNESDAY, WE'LL BE ABLE TO REPORT IT OUT
02:44:44OF THE COMMITTEE. AND WITH RESPECT TO TIMING, I WOULD SAY I
02:44:46WOULD LIKE TO GET THIS INTO CONFERENCE WITH THE HOUSE AS
02:44:50SOON AS POSSIBLE. UM, YOU KNOW, FLOOR TIME IS GOING TO BE CHALLENGING, OBVIOUSLY, FOR THE
02:44:53REASONS I MENTIONED, PARTICULARLY IF WE GET ON EITHER OR BOTH OF THE, THE BILLS THAT
02:44:57WE'RE GOING TO BE VOTING ON TODAY. BUT IN FARM COUNTRY,
02:45:01THEY'RE LOOKING FOR PREDICTABILITY. THEY'RE LOOKING FOR CERTAINTY. AND THIS BILL
02:45:05GIVES THEM THAT. AND THE
02:45:08DEMOCRATS BLOCK VOTED AGAINST IT, JUST LIKE THEY BLOCK VOTED
02:45:11AGAINST GETTING ON THE DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION BILL. THE WAY THEY
02:45:14BLOCKED VOTED AGAINST FISA AND SOME OF THESE OTHER ISSUES. I MEAN, THESE ARE ISSUES THAT ARE
02:45:18BIPARTISAN AND THEY'RE IMPORTANT. THEY'RE IMPORTANT
02:45:21NATIONAL SECURITY ITEMS AND FARM BILLS ARE, YOU KNOW, FOOD
02:45:24SECURITY IS NATIONAL SECURITY.
02:45:26AND SO I'M JUST I HOPE THAT THE DEMOCRATS WILL, AT LEAST WHEN IT
02:45:30COMES TO THESE MATTERS OF
02:45:33NATIONAL IMPORTANCE, WORK TOGETHER WITH REPUBLICANS, RATHER THAN CONVERTING
02:45:38EVERYTHING INTO AN ELECTION YEAR
02:45:41POLITICAL ISSUE. >> AT ALL CONCERNED. DO YOU AGREE WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP THAT
02:45:45IT'S A HOAX, THAT THE IDEA THAT AI COULD HAVE EFFECTS THAT COULD
02:45:48KILL ALL HUMAN BEINGS? AND DO
02:45:52YOU HAVE ANY, INTENTION TO ACTUALLY DO ANYTHING ON THAT, IN
02:45:54THIS, IN THIS NEXT THREE WEEKS OR AFTER THE MIDTERMS?
02:45:57>> WELL, I THINK THERE ARE GONNA BE A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS AROUND
02:45:59THAT. THAT SUBJECT, UM, AND I
02:46:02WOULD SAY, I MEAN, THE FIRST, THE PREMISE OF YOUR FIRST
02:46:06QUESTION, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY REALLY KNOWS THE ANSWER TO THAT. I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF
02:46:10HYPERBOLE AROUND, AROUND THIS ISSUE, BUT I DON'T THINK FOR A
02:46:12MINUTE THAT WE OUGHT TO CEDE
02:46:15THE, UM, FUTURE WHEN IT COMES TO
02:46:18AI, TO CHINA OR ANY OTHER ADVERSARY. I THINK WE NEED TO,
02:46:21TO LEAD IN THAT, IN THAT REALM
02:46:24AND MAKE SURE THAT AMERICANS ARE BENEFITING FROM WHAT I THINK ARE
02:46:27GOING TO BE SOME PRETTY IMPORTANT BENEFITS FROM AI. BUT
02:46:31I ALSO THINK THAT YOU HAVE TO MITIGATE AGAINST THE, UM, I
02:46:34WOULD SAY THE SORT OF ADVANCED,
02:46:38RISK SYSTEMS WHEN IT, WITH RESPECT TO AI, WHAT YOU WANT TO
02:46:41CALL THE FRONTIER MODELS. AND SO THIS IS SOMETHING I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH FOR A LONG TIME. WE HAD A BILL THAT PASSED IN THE
02:46:45COMMERCE COMMITTEE IN THE LAST
02:46:46SESSION OF CONGRESS IN 2024 ON
02:46:50AI. UM, WHAT I CHARACTERIZE AS A LIGHT TOUCH APPROACH, BUT IT
02:46:53DEALS WITH THIS VERY ISSUE. AND SO AT SOME POINT, MAYBE WE GET
02:46:57THAT TEED UP. RIGHT NOW THAT'S BEING BLOCKED BY DEMOCRATS, INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH. BUT I DO THINK IT'S AN ISSUE THAT'S
02:47:01GOING TO BE A LOT OF DISCUSSION AROUND. AND I THINK THERE SHOULD
02:47:03BE. I MEAN, I THINK IT'S OBVIOUSLY GOING TO BE INCREDIBLY
02:47:06IMPACTFUL, NOT ONLY TO, UM, OUR
02:47:10COUNTRY'S FUTURE, BUT FRANKLY, FOR THE WORLD. >> COXON SPENDING. THERE'S BEEN
02:47:14A BREAKDOWN IN THE APPROPRIATIONS PROCESS THIS YEAR. UH, WHAT IS YOUR
02:47:17PREFERENCE AFTER THE ELECTION? THE DEFENSE FUNDING, THE SUPPLEMENTAL, MOVED BY REGULAR
02:47:21ORDER, OR ARE YOU GOING TO HAVE TO DO A RECONCILIATION PACKAGE TO GET THAT DONE?
02:47:25>> WELL, PREFERABLY ALWAYS TO DO IT THROUGH REGULAR ORDER. I
02:47:28MEAN, I'M, I'M A, I'M AN ADVOCATE. UM, YOU KNOW, DEFENSE
02:47:32AUTHORIZATION BILL AT SOME POINT NEEDS TO BE A BIPARTISAN BILL.
02:47:35IT JUST DOES. AND I WOULD ARGUE THE SAME THING WITH RESPECT TO
02:47:39APPROPRIATIONS WHEN IT COMES TO NATIONAL SECURITY, THE BEST WAY
02:47:41TO DO IT IS UNDER REGULAR ORDER, THROUGH THE NORMAL
02:47:44APPROPRIATIONS PROCESS, OR PERHAPS A SUPPLEMENTAL THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO GET BIPARTISAN
02:47:48SUPPORT, UH, ABSENT ANY KIND OF
02:47:53BIPARTISAN SUPPORT, THEN YES, RECONCILIATION IS ALWAYS AN
02:47:55OPTION THAT'S AVAILABLE. UM,
02:47:58BUT WE'LL SEE WHAT THE NEXT FEW
02:48:01WEEKS BRING. AND THEN OBVIOUSLY, THE ELECTION WILL PROBABLY HAVE SOME BEARING ON WHAT THE
02:48:05WILLINGNESS IS ON THE PART OF THE DEMOCRATS TO, TO DO WHAT
02:48:08THEY'VE HISTORICALLY DONE WHEN IT COMES TO NATIONAL SECURITY MATTERS. AND THAT IS PUT SOME OF
02:48:11THEIR PARTISANSHIP ASIDE AND WORK IN THE COUNTRY'S INTERESTS.
02:48:15BUT I DON'T THINK WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO KNOW THE ANSWER TO SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS UNTIL WE GET
02:48:19THROUGH THE NEXT FEW WEEKS. THANK YOU ALL. >> I'M GOING TO SANDERS AI
02:48:22BRIEFING TOMORROW
02:48:25>> GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY.
02:48:28NOW, AMERICANS ARE DEMANDING WE
02:48:33ACT ON AI, WHICH IS LOOKING MORE AND MORE DANGEROUS. BUT TRUMP
02:48:37COULDN'T CARE LESS. TRUMP SAYS HE HAS THIS ISSUE COVERED. CAN
02:48:40YOU BELIEVE WHAT HE SAYS THIS TIME? HE SAID THE ONLY CONTROL
02:48:44OR GUARDRAILS THAT AI NEEDS IS A
02:48:47STRONG AND SMART, >> [APPLAUSE] >> HIGH IQ PRESIDENT. WELL,
02:48:50RIGHT OFF THE BAT, WE DON'T HAVE ONE OF THOSE, THAT'S FOR SURE.
02:48:53JUST ON THIS ISSUE ALONE, ON AI
02:48:56ALONE, WE SEE HOW LOW HIS
02:48:59PERCEPTION AND IQ ARE. BUT IT'S
02:49:03ALSO ALWAYS WHAT TRUMP DOES.
02:49:06AMERICANS SCREAM OUT FOR HELP. TRUMP DISMISSES THEM OUT OF HAND
02:49:10AND SAYS, LEAVE IT TO ME, AND
02:49:10THEN DOES NOTHING FAMILIES ARE
02:49:15SAYING THEY'RE GETTING CRUSHED AT THE GAS PUMP, FOR INSTANCE,
02:49:18BECAUSE OF TRUMP'S WAR IN IRAN.
02:49:21THE PRESIDENT CALLS SOARING FUEL
02:49:26PRICES FAKE. WHAT PLANET IS HE ON? AMERICANS SAY THEY CAN'T AFFORD BASIC EXPENSES, AND TRUMP
02:49:29CALLS AFFORDABILITY A HOAX. WHEN
02:49:32DOES HE EVER BUY ANYTHING? AND
02:49:34NOW ON AI, AMERICANS ARE
02:49:37DEMANDING A PLAN. AND TRUMP'S
02:49:39CALLS IT A HOAX. WE KNOW
02:49:41NOTHING. NOTHING ABOUT THIS
02:49:45ADMINISTRATION'S APPROACH TO AI SAFETY. AND THEY DISMANTLED WHAT
02:49:48WAS IN PLACE TO PROTECT AMERICANS. THAT'S GOING TO GO
02:49:51AS A DARK MOMENT IN HISTORY.
02:49:54THAT'S WHY I CALLED ON THE ADMINISTRATION TO IMMEDIATELY
02:49:58HOLD A CLASSIFIED, ALL SENATE
02:50:01BRIEFING. UH, ABOUT THE SEVERE
02:50:03RISKS THAT UNCHECKED AI POSES
02:50:07FOR OUR COUNTRY. TURN THOSE
02:50:11LIGHTS BACK ON.
02:50:14>> IN THE DARK ON AI. >> YES. THE ADMINISTRATION NEEDS
02:50:17TO FOLLOW THROUGH ON THIS DEMAND, BECAUSE WE NEED TO DO
02:50:21SOMETHING ON IT. WE DON'T KNOW
02:50:25WHAT THE ADMINISTRATION IS DOING. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE DIFFERENT AGENCIES ARE DOING.
02:50:28AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE ALL
02:50:29FEAR, TRUMP MAY BE SHOWING
02:50:33FAVORITISM. SOME COMPANY HE LIKES DOESN'T HAVE ANY, ANY RESTRICTIONS. ANOTHER COMPANY
02:50:37DOESN'T LIKE. HE PUTS ON
02:50:40RESTRICTIONS. WE NEED TO MAKE
02:50:42THIS ALL APPARENT TO THE SENATE,
02:50:47BECAUSE THE ONLY WAY WE'RE GOING TO GET THINGS DONE. ON THE ISSUE
02:50:49OF AI IS BIPARTISANSHIP, AND
02:50:52IT'S WORTH REMEMBERING THAT
02:50:55THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE. I'M NOT JUST SPECULATING. THREE
02:50:58YEARS AGO, I CONVENED THE
02:51:02BIPARTISAN INSIGHT FORUMS TO MAP
02:51:02THE PATH FORWARD ON AI,
02:51:06DEVELOPING A BIPARTISAN ROADMAP,
02:51:09AND THEN SEVEN BILLS. WE HAD BIPARTISAN SUPPORT ON THOSE BILLS. EVEN JOHNSON SAID HE
02:51:13MIGHT SUPPORT THEM, BUT THEN
02:51:18TRUMP, MUSK, AND SOME OF THE
02:51:21REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP JUST KILLED THEM. AND HERE WE ARE.
02:51:25NOW. WE COULD HAVE HAD SOME PROTECTIONS. IF TRUMP REFUSES TO
02:51:29ACT, CONGRESS MUST, ON THE
02:51:33EMAIL, ELECTION EMAIL IN. FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS, TRUMP HAS
02:51:37BEEN WORKING SYSTEMATICALLY TO
02:51:40SOW DOUBT ON THE ELECTION AND
02:51:42RIG THE RULES FOR THE MIDTERMS. WE'VE BEEN FIGHTING EVEN HARDER
02:51:46TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY ELIGIBLE
02:51:48AMERICAN CAN HAVE THEIR VOICE
02:51:50HEARD. WELL, THE SUPREME COURT,
02:51:54IN A CANDIDLY SURPRISING BUT
02:51:58POSITIVE, A RARE POSITIVE FROM THEM, THE SUPREME COURT JUST
02:52:02DEALT TRUMP ANOTHER BLOW. HE TRIED TO TAKE OVER MAIL IN
02:52:05VOTING. WE SUED. WE SAID NF W
02:52:09TRUMP, YOU'RE NOT TAKING OVER
02:52:12PUBLIC MAIL IN VOTING. I WAS PROUDLY A PLAINTIFF IN THE CASE
02:52:16THAT THE COURT RULED ON LAST NIGHT. AND THE COURT SAW THE
02:52:18SCHEME FOR WHAT IT WAS, AND THAT
02:52:23IS AN UNCONSTITUTIONAL PLOY TO AVOID ACCOUNTABILITY IN THE
02:52:25POLLS. TRUMP KNOWS THE AMERICAN
02:52:28PEOPLE ARE ANGRY AT HIM. HE'S
02:52:32SCARED TO FACE THEM. THEY KNOW.
02:52:33HE KNOWS THAT THE AMERICAN
02:52:36PEOPLE KNOW THAT HE SENT COSTS SKYROCKETING. HIS CHAOS AND WARS
02:52:40HAVE MADE AMERICA LESS SAFE. HIS
02:52:43CORRUPTION MEANS BILLIONAIRES
02:52:46GET AHEAD OF AN EXPENSE OF THE
02:52:50AMERICAN FAMILY. ATTACKING MAIL IN VOTING IS NOT THE ONLY REVENUE THAT TRUMP IS SUING TO
02:52:54TRY AND CHEAT. TRUMP IS USING TO
02:52:56TRY AND GET US AHEAD. SO YESTERDAY, SENATOR PADILLA, WHO
02:52:59YOU'LL HEAR FROM IN A MINUTE,
02:53:02AND I RELEASED A BOMBSHELL WHISTLEBLOWER COMPLAINT FROM A
02:53:06DHS EMPLOYEE, THE WHISTLEBLOWER
02:53:09EXPOSED HOW TRUMP IS DIRECTING AGENTS TO BREAK STATE LAWS.
02:53:13HE'S ASKING THEM TO LIE TO
02:53:19OBTAIN SENSITIVE VOTER INFORMATION AND PRODUCE A BASELESS CLAIMS OF VOTER FRAUD.
02:53:21THE WHISTLEBLOWER REPORTS THAT INNOCENT AMERICAN CITIZENS HAVE
02:53:25BEEN CAUGHT UP IN HIS ILLEGAL EFFORTS TO PROMOTE HIS ELECTION
02:53:29LIES, AND THAT'S HOW DESPERATE TRUMP IS. WE'RE NOT GOING TO
02:53:32STAND FOR THAT, EITHER. IN AMERICA, VOTERS PICK THE
02:53:36PRESIDENT. THE PRESIDENT WON'T PICK THE VOTERS. AND IN
02:53:40NOVEMBER, TRUMP WILL LEARN JUST
02:53:42THAT. SENATOR PADILLA.
02:53:50>> THANK YOU, MR. LEADER. UH, THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE
02:53:54TODAY. LOOK, WE'VE KNOWN FOR A LONG TIME THE LENGTHS TO WHICH
02:53:57DONALD TRUMP WILL GO TO TRY TO
02:54:01INTERFERE WITH ELECTIONS, WHEN
02:54:03HE KNOWS HE'S GOING TO LOSE OR
02:54:05FACE ACCOUNTABILITY. AND NOW,
02:54:07THANKS TO A WHISTLEBLOWER'S
02:54:11INTEGRITY AND COURAGE, WE HAVE
02:54:12FURTHER INSIGHT INTO JUST
02:54:17EXACTLY WHAT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS DOING, AMONG
02:54:18OTHER TACTICS. THEY'RE ORDERING
02:54:23FEDERAL OFFICERS TO BREAK PRIVACY LAWS. THOUSANDS AND
02:54:26THOUSANDS OF TIMES TO TRY TO OBTAIN THE SENSITIVE PERSONAL
02:54:29VOTER INFORMATION THAT HE'S BEEN TRYING TO GET HIS HANDS ON FOR A
02:54:32DECADE NOW. BUT WHEN HE FAILS TO
02:54:38BE ABLE TO GET IN THE FRONT
02:54:40DOOR, HE TRIES TO FIND A BACK DOOR ENTRANCE. I'LL REMIND
02:54:43EVERYBODY HE TRIED THIS IN HIS FIRST TERM, SETTING UP A SHAM
02:54:47COMMISSION TO EXPOSE THE MASSIVE
02:54:50VOTER FRAUD THAT HE'S BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR TEN YEARS. AND
02:54:54THEY FAILED. NO EVIDENCE, NO
02:54:57PROOF. THIS TIME. HE'S GONE
02:54:59ABOUT IT BY WEAPONIZING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. WE'VE SEEN
02:55:02WHAT HE'S DONE WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE HERE.
02:55:06WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE
02:55:06DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY.
02:55:11>> [APPLAUSE]
02:55:12>> A THE DEPARTMENT IS USING WHAT THEY CALL SUPPLEMENTAL
02:55:16MAGIC. THIS DATA THAT WHEN
02:55:19AGENTS QUESTION WHERE THEY CAME FROM AND DO THEY HAVE THE
02:55:21AUTHORITY TO USE IT IN THIS WAY?
02:55:24THEY'RE TOLD TO NOT WORRY. THEY
02:55:27ARE CREATING FILES AND LISTS OF
02:55:32SO-CALLED UNLAWFUL VOTERS BASED ON THIS DATA. THAT, AGAIN, THE
02:55:35DEPARTMENT ITSELF HAS
02:55:38ACKNOWLEDGED IS UNRELIABLE. AND
02:55:42CONTAINS MANY UNITED STATES
02:55:45CITIZENS. AGENTS ARE TOLD TO CONDUCT 12 MINUTES
02:55:49INVESTIGATIONS. >> UH, CRUZ AND MYSELF BE PERMITTED TO SPEAK UP TO FIVE MINUTES EACH PRIOR TO THE SCHEDULED ROLL CALL VOTE.
02:55:53>> WITHOUT A. IS THERE AN
02:55:56OBJECTION? WITHOUT OBJECTION. >> THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
02:55:58THERE'S A LOT TO SAY IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, BUT WE WILL BE
02:56:01HAVING A VOTE SOON TO MOVE, TO PROCEED TO THE PROTECT COLLEGE
02:56:05SPORTS ACT, A BILL THAT DOES
02:56:08DESERVE THE ATTENTION OF THIS INSTITUTION. UH, THERE'S LOTS OF
02:56:11THINGS I'D LIKE TO FOCUS ON. I DIDN'T NECESSARILY CALL THE SHOT THAT WE WERE HAVING THIS
02:56:15VOTE, BUT I WILL TELL YOU, IT IS
02:56:18DEFINITELY WORTH PROCEEDING TO THE IMPORTANCE OF PROTECTING
02:56:20COLLEGE SPORTS IS ABOUT US
02:56:22WORKING IN A BIPARTISAN BASIS WITH A VARIETY OF MEMBERS ON
02:56:26BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE, AND
02:56:27WORKING WITH UNIVERSITIES ACROSS
02:56:30THE UNITED STATES. AND EVERY CONFERENCE, AND THOUSANDS OF
02:56:34ATHLETES WHO WANT TO HAVE A BETTER SYSTEM. I THINK, MR.
02:56:37PRESIDENT, THE BEST THING I CAN
02:56:41DO IS TO READ FROM UH, BUSINESS SPORTS ARTICLE BY A KEY
02:56:45INDIVIDUAL. AND SO I'M GOING TO DO THAT. THIS IS LAMELL
02:56:49MCMORRIS, A GRADUATE OF MOREHOUSE COLLEGE. AND FOR TWO
02:56:53DECADES WORKED AT THE INTERSECTION OF SPORTS AND
02:56:55POLITICS, ENTERTAINMENT, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND BUSINESS. HE SERVES AS THE VICE
02:56:59CHAIR OF THE NATIONAL URBAN LEAGUE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, A
02:57:03BOARD MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL ACTION NETWORK, AND A FORMER
02:57:06BOARD MEMBER OF THE NAACP. BUT
02:57:10THESE VIEWS ARE THAT HE'S EXPRESSING HERE. THAT WAS
02:57:14PUBLISHED YESTERDAY, ARE HIS OWN. SO, QUOTING FROM HIM IN HIS
02:57:15LETTER, COLLEGE SPORTS ARE IN A
02:57:19FREE FALL, AND EVERYONE INSIDE
02:57:20THE GAME KNOWS IT. UNIVERSITIES
02:57:24ARE BORROWING AND SPENDING TENS
02:57:26OF MILLIONS JUST TO KEEP UP WITH NON-REVENUE WOMEN AND OLYMPIC
02:57:29SPORTS ARE CUT TO FEED FOOTBALL
02:57:32AND MEN'S BASKETBALL COURTS, NOT
02:57:37CAMPUSES, INCREASINGLY DECIDE WHO PLAYS AND WHERE. SMALLER
02:57:41SCHOOLS HAVE BECOME UNPAID DEVELOPMENT LEAGUES FOR THE GIANTS. I HAVE SPENT MY WHOLE
02:57:45CAREER ON BOTH SIDES OF THE TABLE THAT RARELY AGREE. AS THE
02:57:49FOUNDER OF A SPORTS AGENCY
02:57:52REPRESENTING ATHLETES, INCLUDING NUMBER ONE OVERALL DRAFT PICK
02:57:54AND A GRADUATE OF MOREHOUSE
02:57:56COLLEGE WHO LOVES OUR HISTORIC BLACK INSTITUTIONS. FROM BOTH
02:58:00CHAIRS, I CAN TELL YOU, THE
02:58:04STATUS QUO IS UNSUSTAINABLE, AND THE COLLEGE PROTECT COLLEGE
02:58:08SPORTS ACT IS THE BEST CHANCE WE
02:58:10HAVE TO FIX IT. LET ME SAY
02:58:13SOMETHING. MY FORMER COLLEAGUES WILL NOT LIKE THE AGENT WORLD
02:58:16AROUND THESE YOUNG ATHLETES.
02:58:19LARGELY UNREGULATED. TOO MUCH OF IT PREYS ON THE VERY YOUNG KIDS
02:58:23IT CLAIMS TO SERVE IN THE PROS.
02:58:27AGENTS ARE CAPPED AROUND 5% IN COLLEGE. SOME AGENTS ARE TAKING
02:58:3120 TO 25% OF AN ATHLETE'S NIL
02:58:34DEAL OTHERS PUSH PLAYERS INTO
02:58:37THE TRANSFER PORTAL, CHASING AN OFFER THAT NEVER COMES, AND MORE
02:58:41THAN 40% OF THE TRANSFERS EACH
02:58:42YEAR LOSING THEIR SCHOLARSHIP AND SUPPORT. I KNOW THIS IS
02:58:46BUSINESS. IT IS NOT BUILT AROUND
02:58:49THE BEST INTEREST OF STUDENT ATHLETES. AND THIS BILL FINALLY
02:58:53BRINGS ORDER TO IT. THIS
02:58:56LEGISLATION SETS NATIONAL RULES.
02:58:58EVERYONE HAS TO PLAY BY. IT PROTECTS OLYMPIC AND NON-REVENUE
02:59:01SPORTS. IT INVESTS IN WOMEN'S
02:59:04ATHLETICS. IT STRENGTHENS HEALTH
02:59:07AND SAFETY. IT'S SAFEGUARD
02:59:09SCHOLARSHIPS, AND IT CREATES REAL ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE
02:59:12SCHOOLS AND ATHLETES ALIKE. AND IT DIRECTS NEARLY $1 BILLION
02:59:15OVER THE NEXT SIX YEARS TO HBCUS
02:59:19IN HBCUS, SPORTS, MEDIA, JOURNALISM, AND BROADBAND. IT IS
02:59:23WHY THE UNITED COLLEGE FUND, THE
02:59:26THURGOOD MARSHALL COLLEGE FUND, ALONG WITH MORE THAN 300 SCHOOLS
02:59:30IN EVERY MAJOR CONFERENCE, SUPPORTED AT A PLACE LIKE
02:59:34MOREHOUSE, HOME TO SPORTS
02:59:37JOURNALISM PROGRAM FOUNDED WITH SPIKE LEE. THE MONEY IS
02:59:41GENERATIONAL. I DO NOT DISMISS
02:59:42THE PEOPLE OPPOSING THIS BILL.
02:59:45SEVERAL ARE FRIENDS AND ALLIES.
02:59:48THE NAACP AND THE CONGRESSIONAL
02:59:50BLACK CAUCUS HAD TRIED TO FIGHT
02:59:53OVER BLACK VOTING POWER. LET ME
02:59:56BE CLEAR VOTING RIGHTS ARE SACRED, AND I WILL STAND IN THAT
03:00:00FIGHT WITH ANYONE. BUT I CANNOT
03:00:04AGREE THAT THE WAY TO WAGE IT IS
03:00:06TO HOLD THOUSANDS OF STUDENT
03:00:08ATHLETES, SCHOLARSHIPS, HEALTH
03:00:11PROTECTIONS, AND FUTURE HOSTAGES TO A SUPREME COURT DECISION THEY
03:00:14DID NOT MAKE. LET US FIGHT FOR
03:00:16VOTING RIGHTS WITH EVERYTHING WE HAVE, AND LET'S NOT MAKE THESE
03:00:19YOUNG PEOPLE THE COLLATERAL. THE
03:00:25OTHER OBJECTION, PRESSED BY ORGANIZED LABOR, IS THAT COLLECTIVE BARGAINING SHOULD FIX
03:00:29ALL THIS. I WISH IT WERE THAT
03:00:32SIMPLE. MORE THAN 80% OF DIVISION ONE SCHOOLS ARE PUBLIC
03:00:36INSTITUTIONS, AND THEIR ATHLETES SHOULD BE STATE EMPLOYEES
03:00:39OUTSIDE OF THE REACH OF ANY
03:00:41FEDERAL LAW. AND IN MANY STATES,
03:00:43BARRED FROM BARGAINING AT ALL. A
03:00:45NATIONAL BARGAINING SYSTEM WOULD REQUIRE OPENING THE NEW DEAL ERA
03:00:49STATE STATE STATUTE. THIS
03:00:51CONGRESS IS NOT GOING TO TOUCH. AND MEANWHILE, THE PROTECTIONS
03:00:54IN THIS BILL ARE REAL, AND THEY
03:00:57ARE AVAILABLE NOW IS THIS BILL
03:01:01PERFECT? NO. I WISH IT WOULD STILL PRESS THE HOUSE FOR
03:01:04FUNDING FOR FULL FUNDING OF HBCU INVESTMENT, NOT ON A PROMISE ON
03:01:08PAPER, BUT I WILL NOT LET THE PERFECT BE THE ENEMY OF THE
03:01:12ESSENTIAL. THIS IS THE LAST, BEST CHANCE TO SAVE COLLEGE
03:01:15SPORTS AND PUT HBCUS AT THE
03:01:18TABLE WHERE THE FUTURE GETS
03:01:20DECIDED. I HAVE NEGOTIATED
03:01:23AGAINST INSTITUTIONS AND FOR THE PEOPLE THAT THEY OVERLOOK, FROM
03:01:27BOTH CHAIRS. THE ANSWER IS THE SAME. PASS THE PROTECT COLLEGE
03:01:31SPORTS ACT IN THE SENATE THIS FALL, AND IN THE HOUSE RIGHT
03:01:34BEHIND IT. STUDENT ATHLETES NEED
03:01:37PROTECTIONS. UNIVERSITIES NEED A
03:01:39SUSTAINABLE SYSTEM, AND OUR
03:01:42HBCUS DESERVE THIS INVESTMENT.
03:01:45THE TIME TO ACT IS NOW. MR.
03:01:49PRESIDENT, THIS LETTER THAT I
03:01:50JUST WROTE FROM READ FROM LAMELL MCMORRIS, I THINK, IS A
03:01:54REPRESENTATIVE OF ALL THE ISSUES COMBINED IN THIS LEGISLATION. I
03:01:57CAN JUST TELL YOU THAT THE
03:02:00UNSEEN, UNSUSTAINABLE, 300%
03:02:05INCREASE IN RECRUITING STUDENT ATHLETES WITHOUT THE PROPER
03:02:08RULES AND REGULATION, ARE BANKRUPTING OUR HIGHER EDUCATION
03:02:12SYSTEM. TAXPAYERS ARE ASKED TO
03:02:13FOOT THE BILL IN HIGHER TUITION FEES THAT STUDENTS PAY, WHO ARE
03:02:17NOT EVEN ATHLETES. THEY'RE GOING
03:02:20TO STATE LEGISLATURES AND ASKING FOR BAILOUTS, AND THEY ARE USING
03:02:23UNIVERSITY FUNDS THAT SHOULD GO
03:02:24TO RESEARCH AND PUTTING THEM
03:02:28INSTEAD INTO WHAT IS AN ARMS
03:02:30RACE. THIS BILL BRINGS ORDER TO
03:02:33THIS. IT HELPS WOMEN IN OLYMPIC SPORTS, AND IT SETS UP A
03:02:35COMMISSION TO LOOK AT THE REAL
03:02:38FUTURE, WHICH I THINK SHOULD INCLUDE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING
03:02:42FOR WHAT COLLEGE SPORTS CAN BE ORGANIZED IN IN THE FUTURE. BUT
03:02:44NONE OF THAT CAN HAPPEN. AND THE
03:02:48500,000 ATHLETES THAT ARE AT RISK, BECAUSE THOUSANDS OF THEM
03:02:52HAVE ALREADY BEEN CUT FROM THE SYSTEM, ARE JUST GOING TO
03:02:54CONTINUE TO SEE FAILURE. THE
03:02:57OTHER NIGHT, I TALKED TO THE PAC 12 COMMISSIONER, WHO SAID, I
03:03:01JUST MET WITH ALL THE STUDENT
03:03:04ATHLETES IN THE PAC 12. SHE SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT? THE NUMBER
03:03:07ONE QUESTION I GOT FROM THOSE
03:03:09STUDENT ATHLETES WAS SAID, KNOW WHAT? THEY WANTED TO KNOW, WHETHER THEIR SPORT WAS STILL
03:03:13GOING TO BE THERE. MR. PRESIDENT, THERE'S GOING TO BE A
03:03:17MOMENT WHEN THE UNITED STATES IS STANDING AT THE OLYMPICS, AND
03:03:21WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE WINNING GOLD OR SILVER OR BRONZE,
03:03:25BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE THE ATHLETES, BECAUSE THE
03:03:28COLLEGIATE SYSTEM WILL HAVE COLLAPSED AND PEOPLE WON'T BE
03:03:32FUNDING THEM, BECAUSE THEY WILL BE IN AN ARMS RACE OVER
03:03:35FOOTBALL. LET'S BRING SOME
03:03:37SANITY. RECOGNIZE THAT ATHLETES
03:03:40DO DESERVE REVENUE SHARING, AND
03:03:42THAT THIS BILL WILL PUT THAT
03:03:45INTO LAW FOR THE FIRST TIME. THE
03:03:46FIRST TIME ATHLETES WILL GET A
03:03:49FEDERAL PREEMPTION ON NIL RIGHTS
03:03:53AND REVENUE SHARING. THAT WILL
03:03:54BE HISTORIC. LET'S MOVE FORWARD.
03:03:58I THANK THE PRESIDENT. I YIELD
03:04:01THE FLOOR.
03:04:05>> THE SENATOR FROM TEXAS. >> TODAY, THE SENATE HAS AN
03:04:08OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOMETHING THAT
03:04:09DOESN'T HAPPEN NEARLY ENOUGH IN
03:04:12WASHINGTON. REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS CAN COME TOGETHER,
03:04:16SOLVE A REAL PROBLEM, AND PROTECT AN AMERICAN INSTITUTION
03:04:20THAT MILLIONS OF PEOPLE LOVE.
03:04:23COLLEGE SPORTS TODAY ARE IN
03:04:24CRISIS FOR YEARS, COURT
03:04:28DECISIONS, LITIGATION, CONFLICTING STATE LAWS,
03:04:31UNLIMITED TRANSFERS, ELIGIBILITY
03:04:34ISSUES, AND INCONSISTENT ENFORCEMENT HAVE CHIPPED AWAY AT
03:04:38THE FOUNDATION OF COLLEGE ATHLETICS. THE RESULT IS WHAT
03:04:41WE'RE SEEING RIGHT NOW. THE
03:04:44WILD WEST, THE RULES CHANGE FROM STATE TO STATE COURT TO COURT
03:04:47AND SEASON TO SEASON. ATHLETES
03:04:50DON'T KNOW WHAT RULES WILL GOVERN THEM. COACHES DON'T KNOW
03:04:54WHAT ROSTERS WILL LOOK LIKE FROM ONE YEAR TO THE NEXT, AND
03:04:57SCHOOLS DON'T KNOW WHAT RULES
03:04:58THEY CAN LEGALLY ENFORCE. AND FANS ARE WATCHING. TRADITIONS
03:05:02AND RIVALRIES DISAPPEAR. TRADITIONS AND RIVALRIES THAT
03:05:06HAVE EXISTED FOR GENERATIONS.
03:05:09DOING NOTHING IS NOT AN OPTION.
03:05:13THE PROTECT COLLEGE SPORTS ACT IS A BIPARTISAN SOLUTION
03:05:17DESIGNED TO BRING ORDER TO THAT
03:05:19CHAOS. AND LET ME BE CLEAR ABOUT WHAT THIS BILL DOES. IT PROTECTS
03:05:23THE RIGHTS OF STUDENT ATHLETES
03:05:25TO EARN MONEY FROM THEIR NAME,
03:05:28IMAGE, AND LIKENESS. IT
03:05:31ESTABLISHES CLEAR, ENFORCEABLE
03:05:32RULES GOVERNING ELIGIBILITY AND
03:05:35TRANSFERS. IT PROVIDES IMPORTANT
03:05:39PROTECTIONS FOR ATHLETES, AND IT
03:05:43PROTECTS SCHOLARSHIPS. IT PROTECTS WOMEN'S SPORTS AND
03:05:46OLYMPIC SPORTS FROM BEING SACRIFICED IN AN UNCHECKED
03:05:50SPENDING ARMS RACE. IT PROTECTS
03:05:53RIVALRIES AND TRADITIONS THAT
03:05:56MAKE COLLEGE SPORTS UNLIKE
03:06:01ANYTHING ELSE IN THE WORLD, AND IT GIVES THE LIMITED LEGAL
03:06:02CERTAINTY NEEDED TO ACTUALLY ENFORCE THE RULES. THE BILL
03:06:05DOESN'T TURN BACK THE.
03:06:08>> FLOCK. THE NIL ERA IS HERE,
03:06:10AND STUDENT ATHLETES DESERVE THE
03:06:13OPPORTUNITY TO BENEFIT FROM
03:06:15THEIR TALENT AND HARD WORK. BUT
03:06:18RIGHTS WITHOUT RULES PRODUCE CHAOS, AND HAVING RULES MEAN
03:06:22VERY LITTLE. IF EVERY ATTEMPT TO ENFORCE THEM IMMEDIATELY ENDS UP
03:06:25IN COURT. THAT'S THE FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION. BEFORE THE SENATE
03:06:29TODAY. DO WE WANT COLLEGE SPORTS
03:06:32TO HAVE CLEAR NATIONAL
03:06:34ENFORCEABLE RULES? OR DO WE WANT
03:06:36ANOTHER DECADE OF LAWSUITS, CONFLICTING STATE LAWS, BIDDING
03:06:40WARS, ROSTER CHAOS AND
03:06:43UNCERTAINTY, THE STATUS QUO IS NOT WORKING. AND THE PEOPLE WHO
03:06:47WILL ULTIMATELY PAY THE PRICE IF CONGRESS FAILS TO ACT, AREN'T
03:06:50THE HIGHLY PAID COACHES OR THE
03:06:52CONFERENCE COMMISSIONERS. THEY
03:06:55ARE THE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN WHOSE SPORTS DON'T GENERATE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN
03:06:59TELEVISION REVENUE. THEY ARE THE SWIMMERS AND THE WRESTLERS AND
03:07:03THE GYMNASTS, AND THE ROWERS, AND THE VOLLEYBALL PLAYERS, AND THE TRACK ATHLETES, AND THE
03:07:06THOUSANDS OF OTHER STUDENT
03:07:09ATHLETES WHOSE OPPORTUNITIES
03:07:12DEPEND UPON A HEALTHY COLLEGE ATHLETIC SYSTEM. THEY ARE THE
03:07:15HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETES HOPING TO GET THAT SCHOLARSHIP THAT WILL
03:07:18GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO
03:07:21EARN A COLLEGE DEGREE. AND
03:07:23THEY'RE THE FANS KIDS AND
03:07:28GRANDKIDS TO INHERIT THE
03:07:28RIVALRIES THEY GREW UP LOVING.
03:07:32THIS LEGISLATION ISN'T PERFECT.
03:07:35NO BIPARTISAN LEGISLATION IS. SENATOR CANTWELL AND I BOTH
03:07:38COMPROMISED TO GET HERE, BUT
03:07:40SENATOR CANTWELL AND I, ALONG WITH THE MANY OTHER SENATORS
03:07:44FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE,
03:07:46HAVE SPENT MONTHS LISTENING TO STUDENT ATHLETES, TO COACHES, TO
03:07:50UNIVERSITIES, TO CONFERENCES, TO OLYMPIC LEADERS, TO PROFESSIONAL
03:07:54SPORTS ORGANIZATIONS, AND TO
03:07:57FANS. WE FOUND COMMON GROUND.
03:07:59AND NOW IT IS TIME TO ACT. WHEN
03:08:03THIS BILL CAME BEFORE THE COMMERCE COMMITTEE IN JUNE, I
03:08:07SAID WE WERE IN FOURTH DOWN TERRITORY. WELL, MR. PRESIDENT,
03:08:10THE BALL IS NOW ON THE SENATE FLOOR. THERE'S NO MORE TIME TO
03:08:14PUNT. WE CAN SIT ON THE SIDELINES AND WATCH COLLEGE
03:08:18SPORTS CONTINUE TO UNRAVEL, OR
03:08:20WE CAN STEP ONTO THE FIELD AND
03:08:24LEAD. I URGE MY COLLEAGUES, REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS TO
03:08:26VOTE YES ON THE PROTECT COLLEGE
03:08:29SPORTS ACT. LISTEN TO THE 29
03:08:32CONFERENCES THAT HAVE ENDORSED THIS BILL. LISTEN TO THE MORE
03:08:34THAN 370 UNIVERSITIES THAT HAVE
03:08:37ENDORSED THIS BILL. LISTEN TO
03:08:40THE HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES THAT ARE
03:08:43BEGGING THE SENATE TO PASS THIS BILL. LISTEN TO THE UNITED
03:08:47COLLEGE FUND THAT HAS ENDORSED THIS BILL. LISTEN TO THE
03:08:51THURGOOD MARSHALL SCHOLARSHIP FUND THAT HAS ENDORSED THIS
03:08:54BILL. THIS BILL HAS THE SUPPORT OF THE NFL, OF THE NBA, OF MAJOR
03:08:57LEAGUE BASEBALL, OF THE NATIONAL
03:09:00HOCKEY LEAGUE. IT HAS THE SUPPORT OF THE NBA PLAYERS
03:09:03ASSOCIATION AND THE NFL PLAYERS
03:09:05ASSOCIATION. IT HAS THE
03:09:07ENTHUSIASTIC SUPPORT OF THE U.S.
03:09:09OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC
03:09:12COMMITTEE. TODAY IS A CHANCE FOR
03:09:14US TO STAND UP AND FIGHT FOR THE
03:09:17HALF MILLION COLLEGE ATHLETES WHO ARE COMPETING RIGHT NOW,
03:09:21BECAUSE IF THE SENATE DOESN'T
03:09:23ACT, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF THOSE STUDENTS WILL SEE THEIR
03:09:27ROSTER SLOTS GO AWAY, AND THEIR
03:09:29SCHOLARSHIPS GO AWAY. LET'S FIGHT FOR THE STUDENTS TO
03:09:33PROTECT THEIR RIGHTS, TO PROTECT
03:09:35THEIR FUTURE. LET'S COME
03:09:37TOGETHER AND DEMONSTRATE THAT
03:09:41THE SENATE REPUBLICANS AND
03:09:42DEMOCRATS WORKING TOGETHER, CAN LEAD AND PROTECT AN INSTITUTION
03:09:46THAT IS UNIQUE AND VALUABLE, THAT IS COLLEGE SPORTS IN
03:09:49AMERICA. THANK YOU, MR.
03:09:53PRESIDENT.
03:09:56>> THE CLERK WILL REPORT THE MOTION TO INVOKE CLOTURE. >> CLOTURE MOTION. WE, THE
03:10:00UNDERSIGNED SENATORS, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF RULE 22 OF THE STANDING RULES
03:10:04OF THE SENATE, DO HEREBY MOVE TO BRING TO A CLOSE DEBATE ON THE MOTION TO PROCEED TO CALENDAR
03:10:08NUMBER 449 S 4668. A BILL TO
03:10:11PROTECT THE NAME, IMAGE AND LIKENESS RIGHTS OF AND PROVIDE
03:10:15PROTECTIONS FOR STUDENT ATHLETES AND TO PROMOTE FAIR COMPETITION
03:10:19AMONG INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETES AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. SIGNED
03:10:22BY 17 SENATORS. >> UNDER THE PREVIOUS ORDER, THE MANDATORY QUORUM CALL UNDER RULE
03:10:2622 HAS BEEN WAIVED. THE QUESTION IS, IS IT THE SENSE OF THE
03:10:28SENATE THAT DEBATE ON THE MOTION
03:10:30TO PROCEED TO S 4668, A BILL TO
03:10:35PROTECT THE NAME, IMAGE AND LIKENESS OF RIGHTS OF AND
03:10:38PROVIDING PROTECTIONS FOR
03:10:39STUDENT ATHLETES AND TO PROMOTE FAIR COMPETITION AMONG
03:10:43INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETES AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES, SHALL BE BROUGHT TO A CLOSE. THE YEAS AND NAYS
03:10:46ARE MANDATORY UNDER THE RULE. THE CLERK WILL CALL THE ROLL. >> MISS ALSOBROOKS, MR.
03:10:50ARMSTRONG, MISS BALDWIN, MR.
03:10:53BANKS, MR. BARRASSO, MR.. BENNET. MRS.. BLACKBURN, MR..
03:10:57BLUMENTHAL. MISS. BLUNT ROCHESTER. MR.. BOOKER, MR..
03:11:00BOOZMAN. MRS.. BRITT. >> I.
03:11:04>> AND SENATE LAWMAKERS NOW VOTING ON WHETHER TO ADVANCE A
03:11:07BIPARTISAN STUDENT ATHLETES
03:11:10COMPENSATION BILL, COAUTHORED BY COMMERCE COMMITTEE CHAIR TED
03:11:13CRUZ AND RANKING DEMOCRAT MARIA CANTWELL. THE PROTECT COLLEGE
03:11:17SPORTS ACT SEEKS TO SET STANDARDS FOR PAYING STUDENT ATHLETES FOR RIGHTS TO THEIR
03:11:21NAME, IMAGE AND LIKENESS. 60 VOTES ARE NEEDED TO ADVANCE THE
03:11:24BILL. EARLIER TODAY, THE SENATE FAILED TO ADVANCE A CRYPTO
03:11:27DIGITAL ASSETS REGULATION BILL.
03:11:30THIS IS LIVE, GAVEL TO GAVEL
03:11:33SENATE COVERAGE HERE ON C-SPAN. TWO.
03:11:37>> MR. CORNYN. >> AFTERNOON, EVERYONE, AND
03:11:39WELCOME. UH, WE ARE HERE AT AN
03:11:42EXCITING TIME. WE ARE, I
03:11:44BELIEVE, ON THE CUSP OF PASSING
03:11:49HISTORIC LEGISLATION, BIPARTISAN
03:11:52LEGISLATION TO PROTECT, TO SAVE
03:11:55AND PRESERVE COLLEGE SPORTS,
03:11:56COLLEGE SPORTS IN AMERICA IS AN
03:12:00INCREDIBLE INSTITUTION. THERE IS
03:12:02NO OTHER COUNTRY ON PLANET EARTH
03:12:04THAT HAS ANYTHING REMOTELY LIKE THE INSTITUTION THAT IS COLLEGE
03:12:08SPORTS. IN ANY GIVEN YEAR, THERE
03:12:10ARE ROUGHLY 500,000 COLLEGIATE
03:12:14ATHLETES ALL ACROSS AMERICA, AND
03:12:18SPORTS IS SOMETHING THAT BRINGS US TOGETHER AT A TIME WHEN WE'RE
03:12:21SCREAMING AND YELLING AT EACH OTHER, ABOUT A MILLION DIFFERENT
03:12:24TOPICS. WE CAN COME TOGETHER, WE CAN ROOT FOR OUR TEAMS. WE CAN
03:12:27ROOT FOR OUR ALMA MATER. WE CAN
03:12:31STAND TOGETHER AND CHEER. EVEN
03:12:36MORE IMPORTANTLY, COLLEGE ATHLETICS HAS BEEN AN AVENUE FOR
03:12:40OPPORTUNITY FOR MILLIONS OF YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN. MILLIONS OF
03:12:42YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN, MANY OF
03:12:46WHOM WOULD NOT OTHERWISE HAVE
03:12:47HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET A
03:12:50COLLEGE EDUCATION. AND RIGHT NOW, THE CHAOS WE HAVE IN
03:12:54COLLEGE SPORTS THREATENS THAT ALL. IT THREATENS THE VIABILITY
03:12:57OF MANY COLLEGE ATHLETIC
03:13:00PROGRAMS. IT THREATENS THE ROSTER, SLOTS AND SCHOLARSHIP
03:13:04POSITIONS OF HUNDREDS OF
03:13:07THOUSANDS OF STUDENT ATHLETES.
03:13:08IT THREATENS WOMEN'S SPORTS. IT
03:13:12THREATENS OLYMPIC SPORTS. IF CONGRESS DOES NOT ACT. ALL OF
03:13:16THAT IS IN JEOPARDY OF GOING
03:13:18AWAY. SOME HAVE ASKED, WHY SHOULD CONGRESS GET IN THE
03:13:22MIDDLE OF THIS? THE ANSWER IS SIMPLE BECAUSE CONGRESS SCREWED
03:13:24IT UP IN THE FIRST PLACE. IT HAS
03:13:27BEEN THE FEDERAL ANTITRUST LAWS
03:13:30APPLIED IN LITIGATION, AFTER LITIGATION, AFTER LITIGATION
03:13:33THAT HAVE HAVE HAD THE EFFECT OF
03:13:35TEARING DOWN ESSENTIALLY ALL THE RULES. SO RIGHT NOW, IT IS THE
03:13:39WILD WEST, THE PROTECT COLLEGE
03:13:42SPORTS ACT IS BIPARTISAN
03:13:45LEGISLATION DESIGNED TO BRING
03:13:48ORDER TO THE CHAOS DESIGNED TO
03:13:50PUT SIMPLE, COMMON SENSE RULES
03:13:53IN PLACE SO THAT COLLEGE SPORTS
03:13:55REMAIN STRONG AND VIBRANT. FOR
03:13:58DECADES TO COME. RIGHT NOW, THE
03:14:04TRANSFER PORTAL IS UNLIMITED, AND YOU SEE STUDENT ATHLETES
03:14:06TRANSFERRING THREE, FOUR, FIVE
03:14:10TIMES. THAT MEANS THE TIES TO THE SCHOOL, THE TIES TO THE
03:14:13FANS, THE TIES TO THE PROGRAMS
03:14:14ARE ALL WEAKENED. BUT IT ALSO
03:14:18MEANS EVERY STUDENT THAT TRANSFERS MULTIPLE TIMES, THAT
03:14:21STUDENT IS MUCH LESS LIKELY TO GET A DEGREE, MUCH LESS LIKELY
03:14:24TO GET AN EDUCATION, MUCH LESS
03:14:25LIKELY TO GET THE ENORMOUS
03:14:29BENEFITS THAT YOU GET FROM
03:14:30COMPETING IN COLLEGE ATHLETICS.
03:14:33THE PROTECT COLLEGE SPORTS ACT
03:14:36PROVIDES A COMMON SENSE RULE THAT EVERY ATHLETE IS ENTITLED
03:14:40TO. ONE FREE TRANSFER. AFTER
03:14:42THAT, YOU CAN HAVE A TRANSFER IN NARROW, SPECIFIED CIRCUMSTANCES.
03:14:46IF YOUR COACH LEAVES. IF YOUR
03:14:50PROGRAM IS CANCELED, OR IF YOU'RE THE VICTIM OF SEXUAL
03:14:54ASSAULT OR SEXUAL HARASSMENT. OTHER THAN THAT, IF YOU TRANSFER A SECOND TIME, YOU HAVE TO SIT
03:14:57OUT FOR A YEAR. YOU HAVE TO REDSHIRT. THAT'S THE WAY THE
03:15:01RULE USED TO BE TO BRING SOME
03:15:03ORDER AND STABILITY TO THE
03:15:06SYSTEM. LIKEWISE, WE HAVE SEEN IN LITIGATION IN THE PAST FEW
03:15:09DAYS, THE PHENOMENON OF PRO
03:15:11PLAYERS COMING BACK TO COLLEGE
03:15:13SPORTS, WHICH DOESN'T MAKE ANY
03:15:16SENSE. THE PROTECT COLLEGE
03:15:19SPORTS ACT SETS THE STANDARD THAT EVERY ATHLETE IS ENTITLED
03:15:22TO. FIVE YEARS OF ELIGIBILITY
03:15:23WITH A HARD CAP AT AGE 24. SO
03:15:27YOU HAVE ACTUAL COLLEGE ATHLETES COMPETING AGAINST COLLEGE
03:15:31ATHLETES. THE PROTECT COLLEGE SPORTS ACT PROTECTS THE RIGHTS
03:15:34OF STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN
03:15:37REVENUE SHARING, TO RECEIVE
03:15:39GENUINE NAME, IMAGE, AND LIKENESS COMPENSATION. I THINK
03:15:42IT'S A MUCH MORE FAIR SYSTEM
03:15:46THAT ATHLETES ARE ENTITLED TO ENJOY THE FRUITS OF THEIR LABOR,
03:15:50BUT IT ALSO CRACKS DOWN ON FAKE
03:15:52NIL. IT CRACKS DOWN ON A BOOSTER
03:15:54IN A BACK ALLEY WITH A BAG OF
03:15:57CASH, AND IT ENSURES THE SYSTEM CAN REMAIN COMPETITIVE AND
03:16:01VIBRANT. I WILL SAY WE HAVE AN
03:16:05INCREDIBLY DIVERSE COALITION
03:16:06THAT HAS COME BEHIND THIS BILL.
03:16:0924 CONFERENCES HAVE ENDORSED
03:16:12THIS BILL. THE NBA, THE NFL,
03:16:16MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL, NATIONAL
03:16:17HOCKEY OF ALL ENDORSED THIS
03:16:20BILL. THE NBA PLAYERS ASSOCIATION AND THE NFL PLAYERS
03:16:24ASSOCIATION HAVE ENDORSED THIS
03:16:25BILL. THE U.S. OLYMPIC AND
03:16:29PARALYMPIC COMMITTEE HAS
03:16:31ENDORSED THIS BILL. WE HAVE FOUR
03:16:35REPUBLICAN SPONSORS FOUR DEMOCRAT SPONSORS. WHEN WE VOTED
03:16:38ON THIS IN THE COMMERCE
03:16:39COMMITTEE, THE VOTE WAS 19 TO 9.
03:16:43MORE THAN 70% OF THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMERCE COMMITTEE VOTED FOR
03:16:45IT. A BIG BIPARTISAN VOTE. WE'RE
03:16:48NOW GOING TO SEE A VOTE ON THE FLOOR OF THE SENATE. THAT VOTE
03:16:51WILL EITHER BE THIS WEEK OR NEXT
03:16:55WEEK, DEPENDING ON HOW THE VOTES GO IN THE NEXT DAY. BUT EITHER
03:16:58WAY, IN THE NEXT TEN DAYS, THE
03:17:01SENATE IS VOTING ON THE PROTECT COLLEGE SPORTS ACT. WE ARE
03:17:03SLATED TO BE IN SECOND AS SOON
03:17:06AS THE CRYPTO BILL IS COMPLETED.
03:17:09I BELIEVE WE'RE GOING TO GET THIS DONE, AND I WILL TELL YOU
03:17:13FROM THE BEGINNING, MARIA CANTWELL, THE RANKING MEMBER OF
03:17:15THE COMMERCE COMMITTEE, DEMOCRAT FROM WASHINGTON STATE, SHE AND I
03:17:18HAVE BEEN PARTNERS FROM DAY ONE.
03:17:22WE'VE SPENT LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF HOURS IN A CONFERENCE ROOM
03:17:26NEGOTIATING PROVISION BY PROVISION TO REACH A BIPARTISAN
03:17:30COMPROMISE, BECAUSE COLLEGE
03:17:33SPORTS IS WORTH PROTECTING AND SAVING. AND OUR OBJECTIVE FROM
03:17:37DAY ONE WAS NOT TO EKE BY. WITH
03:17:41JUST 60 VOTES, TO BARELY GET IT OUT OF THE SENATE. OUR OBJECTIVE
03:17:45IS TO GET A BIG BIPARTISAN VOTE
03:17:48ON THE FLOOR OF THE SENATE. AND WITH THAT MOMENTUM, TO GO TO THE
03:17:51HOUSE AND HAVE IT GO TO THE PRESIDENT'S DESK, THE PRESIDENT
03:17:54IS EAGER TO SIGN IT AND I THINK
03:17:57WE'RE VERY CLOSE, TO USE A FOOTBALL ANALOGY. I THINK WE'RE
03:18:01ON THE ONE YARD LINE. I THINK WE
03:18:04HAVE FOUR DOWNS IN FRONT OF US
03:18:07TO MOVE INTO THE END ZONE. AND I BELIEVE WORKING TOGETHER WITH
03:18:11THIS AMAZING COALITION OF ATHLETES AND COACHES WHO HAVE
03:18:13COME HERE SAYING COLLEGE SPORTS IS WORTH SAVING, I THINK WE'RE
03:18:17GOING TO GET IT DONE. WITH THAT, I WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE RANKING
03:18:20MEMBER OF THE SENATE COMMERCE COMMITTEE AND MY FRIEND, SENATOR
03:18:22MARIA CANTWELL. THANK YOU. >> [APPLAUSE]
03:18:26>> WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON. I'LL TRY TO BE BRIEF, BECAUSE I REALLY WANT TO HEAR FROM THE
03:18:29REST OF THE SPEAKERS WHO HAVE JOINED US HERE TODAY. AND WE ARE
03:18:33JOINED BY STUDENT ATHLETES FROM
03:18:37ACROSS THE SPECTRUM OF ATHLETIC
03:18:39ENDEAVORS. I SAY THAT BECAUSE IT CAN'T JUST BE ABOUT THE
03:18:42ATHLETES THAT GET PAID. IT HAS
03:18:45TO BE ABOUT THE 500,000 ATHLETES
03:18:48THAT ARE IN SPORTS THAT MAY
03:18:51NEVER GET THE REVENUE SHARING OR
03:18:53THE RECOGNITION, BUT ARE
03:18:55CRITICAL TO OUR ECOSYSTEM. SO WE APPRECIATE THAT THERE IS SUCH
03:18:59DIVERSITY BEHIND US. SECONDLY, I WANT TO THANK THE COACHES FOR
03:19:02BEING HERE, BECAUSE THEY, TOO, REPRESENT PART OF THIS
03:19:07ECOSYSTEM. AND I WANT TO THANK
03:19:09SPECIFICALLY, MARK FEW SO PROUD OF HIM MAKING THE BASKETBALL
03:19:12HALL OF FAME THIS YEAR AND BEING
03:19:15PART OF OUR U.S. OLYMPIC TEAM
03:19:19I'M SO GLAD COACH BOYLE IS
03:19:23HERE, CALIPARI. AND ALSO TO MAKE SURE THAT COACH SAMPSON KNOWS
03:19:26HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATE HIM. SO,
03:19:29AS MY COLLEAGUE SAID, THIS IS A
03:19:31BIPARTISAN ISSUE. BOTH DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS, AND WE HAVE
03:19:35SOME OF OUR COLLEAGUES HERE
03:19:37TODAY TO SHOW THAT BIPARTISAN
03:19:39SUPPORT. THIS IS ABOUT REINING
03:19:43IN THE BAD PRACTICES THAT ARE HAPPENING IN COLLEGE SPORTS
03:19:45TODAY. THE RUNAWAY COSTS THAT
03:19:48ARE SENDING PEOPLE TO THE STATE
03:19:52LEGISLATURE ASKING FOR BAILOUT
03:19:53FROM TAXPAYERS TO PAY FOR
03:19:56SPORTS, ASKING PEOPLE TO TAKE ENDOWMENT FUNDS THAT REALLY
03:19:59SHOULD GO TO THINGS LIKE WHEAT
03:20:01RESEARCH OR, OR AI, AND INSTEAD
03:20:04HAVE TO BE SPENT BECAUSE THE
03:20:07RUNAWAY ARMS RACE IN SPORTS
03:20:08SPENDING, THE STATISTICS SHOW
03:20:12THAT THE MAJORITY OF COLLEGE ATHLETIC DEPARTMENTS RIGHT NOW
03:20:15CAN'T MAKE ENDS MEET, AND THE
03:20:19300% INCREASE IN WHAT IS CALLED
03:20:21RECRUITMENT IS BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT RULES IN PLACE TO
03:20:24MAKE SURE THAT WHILE ATHLETES
03:20:27ARE PAID, THERE IS A FAIR GAME,
03:20:30AND EVERYONE ABIDES BY THOSE
03:20:32RULES. IT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE FOR
03:20:35THIS BILL TO BE ATTACKED BY
03:20:39THOSE WHO SUPPORT AGENTS, WHO WANT TO MAKE OUTRAGEOUS SUMS OF
03:20:42MONEY AND PREY ON HIGH SCHOOL
03:20:44STUDENTS, HOPING THAT THEY CAN
03:20:47MAKE A BUCK, AND THEN LEAVING
03:20:50THOSE STUDENTS WITHOUT A REAL
03:20:51FUTURE IN COLLEGE SPORTS. I'M
03:20:54ASKING MY COLLEAGUES TO JOIN US
03:20:58IN FIXING WHAT'S WRONG WITH
03:21:01COLLEGE SPORTS TODAY, AND MAKE
03:21:04THIS INSTITUTION THAT HAS PRODUCED SUCH GREAT LEADERS FOR
03:21:06OUR COUNTRY A WINNABLE HAND FOR
03:21:10THE FUTURE OF COLLEGE SPORTS.
03:21:13NOW, COACH AND COACH SAMPSON
03:21:15WILL REMEMBER THIS MOMENT.
03:21:19GONZAGA PLAYED HOUSTON SEVERAL YEARS AGO. AT THE END OF THE
03:21:21GAME, ONE OF THE STUDENTS WHO
03:21:24PLAYED FOR GONZAGA, KHALIF
03:21:28BATTLE, WAS PRETTY UPSET THAT GONZAGA LOST. HAVE TO SAY, MARK,
03:21:32I WAS TOO. BUT COACH SAMPSON ON
03:21:36THE OPPOSITE TEAM, WHEN PUT HIS
03:21:38ROUND HIS ARM AROUND CALEB
03:21:40BATTLE AND SAID, SON, YOU WILL
03:21:44HAVE FUTURE DAYS AND THAT SMALL
03:21:49GESTURE IS WHAT SPORTS IS ALL
03:21:51ABOUT. IT REALLY IS. IT IS ABOUT
03:21:55THE HUMANITY OF US BUILDING
03:21:56TEAMS OF PEOPLE TO WORK TOGETHER
03:21:59IN ENDEAVORS, AND HAVING A SHOT
03:22:00AT A REAL FUTURE. WE'RE ASKING
03:22:03CONGRESS TO GIVE US THAT SHOT, TO PUT AN ARM AROUND THIS BILL
03:22:07AND HELP US GET IT OVER THE GOAL LINE AND ONTO THE PRESIDENT'S
03:22:11DESK. THANK YOU.
03:22:17>> THANK YOU, SENATOR CANTWELL. I'M NOW THRILLED TO REPRESENT,
03:22:21TO INTRODUCE SEVERAL COLLEGE ATHLETES. LOOK, AT THE END OF
03:22:24THE DAY, THIS BILL IS ABOUT PROTECTING COLLEGE ATHLETES,
03:22:28PROTECTING COLLEGE ATHLETES. AS SENATOR CANTWELL SAID, FROM
03:22:31UNSCRUPULOUS AGENTS WHO TOO OFTEN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEM AND
03:22:35PROTECTING COLLEGE ATHLETES SO THAT THE OPPORTUNITY OF COLLEGE
03:22:39SPORTS IS THERE IN THE YEARS TO
03:22:40COME. IF CONGRESS DOESN'T ACT,
03:22:43WE WILL SEE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF ROSTER SLOTS AND
03:22:47SCHOLARSHIP SLOTS ELIMINATED, WHICH WOULD BE A TRAGEDY FOR
03:22:50OPPORTUNITY IN THIS COUNTRY. SO WE HAVE NOW FIVE STUDENT
03:22:54ATHLETES WHO ARE HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE IMPACT OF THE BILL.
03:22:58DIEGO DIAZ FROM FARLEIGH DICKINSON UNIVERSITY, SOPHIA
03:23:02STYLIANOS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF
03:23:04MICHIGAN, KENDRICK GREEN FROM
03:23:07HOWARD UNIVERSITY, SIDNEY WILSON FROM SAINT MARY'S COLLEGE, AND
03:23:10ELLA BROOKS FROM CLEMSON UNIVERSITY. DIEGO, YOU'RE UP
03:23:14FIRST.
03:23:19>> [APPLAUSE] >> SENATOR CRUZ. AND SENATOR CANTWELL. GOOD AFTERNOON,
03:23:22EVERYONE. MY NAME IS DIEGO DIAZ. I SERVE AS THE NORTHEAST CONFERENCE REPRESENTATIVE AND
03:23:26CURRENT CHAIR OF THE NCAA DIVISION ONE STUDENT ATHLETE
03:23:29ADVOCACY COMMITTEE, ALSO KNOWN AS SAC, REPRESENTING OVER
03:23:33200,000 DIVISION ONE STUDENT ATHLETES NATIONWIDE, WORKING
03:23:36ALONGSIDE STUDENT ATHLETE REPRESENTATIVES ACROSS ALL 32 CONFERENCES. DIVISION ONE SAC IS
03:23:40FOCUSED AROUND THREE STRATEGIC PRIORITIES. THIS YEAR, THE PROTECTION OF WOMEN'S AND
03:23:43OLYMPIC SPORTS, ENSURING HOLISTIC DEVELOPMENT REMAINS A CORE PRIORITY, AND EMPOWERING
03:23:47STUDENT ATHLETES TO ENGAGE AND USE THEIR PLATFORMS TO ENACT
03:23:50EFFECTIVE CHANGE. REFLECTING ON MY EXPERIENCE AS A STUDENT ATHLETE, I AM GRATEFUL TO BOTH
03:23:54FDU AND THE NSC FOR THE OPPORTUNITIES TO DEVELOP BOTH ON
03:23:57AND OFF THE VOLLEYBALL COURT. BEING A STUDENT ATHLETE HAS
03:24:00TRANSFORMED MY LIFE. THAT'S AN EXPERIENCE THAT I WANT TO PROTECT FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.
03:24:04DURING MY CAREER, I WITNESSED A FINAL FOUR MEN'S VOLLEYBALL
03:24:07PROGRAM GET CUT AND A LONG TIME
03:24:09MEMBER DROPPED TO DIVISION
03:24:12THREE. AFTER THE HOUSE SETTLEMENT, ERASING OVER 40
03:24:14OPPORTUNITIES AND TWO OLYMPIC PIPELINES. WITH ONLY 32 DIVISION
03:24:18ONE PROGRAMS IN MEN'S VOLLEYBALL, I UNDERSTAND HOW FRAGILE MEN'S VOLLEYBALL IS,
03:24:22AND ALL OLYMPIC SPORTS ARE ACROSS THE BOARD IN THIS CURRENT LANDSCAPE. THEREFORE, I AM
03:24:25URGING FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THE PROTECT COLLEGE SPORTS ACT SO
03:24:28THAT YOUNG MEN'S VOLLEYBALL PLAYERS AND ALL STUDENT ATHLETES, CURRENT AND FUTURE,
03:24:32HAVE THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES THAT
03:24:33I DID. THANK YOU.
03:24:37>> [APPLAUSE]
03:24:41>> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS SOPHIA STYLIANOS AND I'M A ROWER
03:24:44AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN. ROWING HAS TRANSFORMED MY LIFE.
03:24:48IT HAS BEEN PASSED DOWN TO ME THROUGH THE WOMEN OF MY
03:24:51GENERATION, MY GREAT GRANDMOTHER ROWED BREAD TO JEWISH PERSONS
03:24:55FLEEING NAZIS, AND MY MOTHER
03:24:56WROTE ON HER COLLEGIATE TEAM
03:24:59ALONGSIDE OLYMPIANS. FOR ME, ROWING HAS PROVIDED CONFIDENCE
03:25:03AND STRENGTH. IN THE WAKE OF MY FATHER PASSING AWAY. MY STORY IS
03:25:07ONE OF MANY THOUSANDS OF
03:25:11DEDICATED STUDENT ATHLETES, 85% OF WHOM ARE IN NON-REVENUE AND
03:25:15OLYMPIC SPORTS, PASSIONATELY WORK TO BETTER THEIR TEAMS AND
03:25:17THEIR COMMUNITIES. THIS IS WHY
03:25:19I'M PROUD TO BE AN ON AN
03:25:23OLYMPIAN PRODUCING TEAM. ATHLETES IN OLYMPIC SPORTS DESERVE PROTECTED PROGRAMS. WE
03:25:28DESERVE CONTINUED EDUCATION, AND WE DESERVE THE CHANCE TO
03:25:31REPRESENT AMERICA ON AN OLYMPIC WORLD STAGE. THE PROTECT COLLEGE
03:25:35SPORTS ACT PRESERVES THIS OLYMPIC PIPELINE AND THE
03:25:38INTEGRITY OF NON-REVENUE AND OLYMPIC SPORT ATHLETES. I,
03:25:42THEREFORE, URGE CONGRESS TO PASS THE BIPARTISAN PROTECT COLLEGE
03:25:46SPORTS ACT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
03:25:48TIME AND GO BLUE
03:26:00>> [APPLAUSE] >> KEDRICK GREEN. I'M A FOOTBALL PLAYER AT HOWARD UNIVERSITY, AND
03:26:04AS A COLLEGE STUDENT, I BELIEVE THE PROTECT COLLEGE SPORTS ACT
03:26:08IS ABOUT GIVING STUDENT ATHLETES LIKE ME SOMETHING WE ALL DESERVE
03:26:10SECURITY AND A FAIR OPPORTUNITY. IT PROTECTS OUR RIGHT TO EARN
03:26:13FROM OUR NAME, IMAGE, AND LIKENESS WHILE PUTTING SAFEGUARDS IN PLACE SO ATHLETES
03:26:17AREN'T TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF. IT PROTECTS SCHOLARSHIPS,
03:26:20STRENGTHENS HEALTH AND SAFETY STANDARDS, AND CREATES A MORE CONSISTENT RULE AROUND NIL
03:26:24TRANSFERS AND ELIGIBILITY FOR
03:26:26HBCU STUDENTS LIKE MYSELF AT HOWARD UNIVERSITY, AND
03:26:30CONFERENCES LIKE THE STABILITY IS MATTERS, WE NEED A SYSTEM
03:26:32THAT GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO
03:26:35COMPETE AND GROW, NOT WHERE THE RULES CONSTANTLY CHANGE.
03:26:38DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU PLAY. AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS IS
03:26:41ABOUT PROTECTING ATHLETES WHO MAKE COLLEGE SPORTS POSSIBLE. SO
03:26:44I HOPE CONGRESS PASS THIS ACT. THANK YOU
03:26:48>> [APPLAUSE]
03:26:55>> HELLO, MY NAME IS SYDNEY WILSON. I'M A DIVISION ONE
03:26:58TENNIS PLAYER AT SAINT MARY'S COLLEGE. COLLEGE ATHLETICS TAUGHT ME DISCIPLINE,
03:27:01PERSEVERANCE, AND AN EMPOWERS YOUNG WOMEN ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
03:27:04BUT THAT OPPORTUNITY IS
03:27:07DISAPPEARING. THIS PAST YEAR
03:27:10ALONE, OVER 12 DIVISION ONE TENNIS AND SWIM PROGRAMS HAVE
03:27:14BEEN CUT DUE TO FUNDING BEING
03:27:18DIVERTED TO NON-REVENUE, GENERATING AWAY FROM NON-REVENUE
03:27:22GENERATING SPORTS. MOST STUDENT
03:27:23ATHLETES DON'T PLAY FOR PROFIT. THEY PLAY TO EARN THEIR DEGREE,
03:27:27AND THEY PLAY TO COMPETE AT THE
03:27:28HIGHEST AMATEUR LEVEL. THIS IS
03:27:32WHY I URGE CONGRESS TO PASS THE PROTECT COLLEGE SPORTS ACT, SO
03:27:35THAT WE CAN PROTECT OLYMPIC SPORTS AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
03:27:39THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU.
03:27:42>> [APPLAUSE]
03:27:51>> SO SORRY. >> HELLO, EVERYONE. MY NAME IS
03:27:55ELLA BROOKS. I'M A JUNIOR HAMMER THROWER AT CLEMSON UNIVERSITY.
03:27:57SPORTS HAVE SHAPED MY LIFE IN SOME FASHION, IN EVERY SINGLE
03:28:01WAY. THEY ALLOWED ME TO BECOME THE MOST DISCIPLINED, INTELLIGENT VERSION OF MYSELF,
03:28:05AND THEY HAVE EVEN PROVIDED ME A 20 YEAR OLD TRACK AND FIELD
03:28:08ATHLETE. THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIT ALONGSIDE U.S. SENATORS AND ADVOCATE FOR A SYSTEM THAT HAS
03:28:12NOT ONLY GIVEN ME MY DREAM, BUT HAS TRANSFORMED THE LIVES OF
03:28:14MILLIONS OF AMERICANS ACROSS THE COUNTRY OVER THE LAST 120 YEARS.
03:28:18THAT SYSTEM IS IN GRAVE DANGER, CONSTANT LITIGATION HAS
03:28:22DENATURED A ONCE SIMPLE, COHERENT, AND FAIR SET OF RULES. THE NCAA AND STUDENT ATHLETES
03:28:26ARE NOW SUBJECTED TO THE DECISIONS OF ACTIVIST JUDGES.
03:28:29THE MOST RECENT ELIGIBILITY CASES ARE A PERFECT EXAMPLE, AT
03:28:33THE RATE AT WHICH PRECEDENT IS CHANGING, I FEAR THAT THE NCAA
03:28:36WILL NO LONGER BE ABLE TO
03:28:38SUSTAIN ITSELF. SHOULD THAT DAY COME, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF
03:28:42OPPORTUNITIES WILL DISAPPEAR. THE DREAMS OF KIDS LIKE MY LITTLE BROTHER AND SISTER WILL
03:28:45BE CRUSHED. AND WORST OF ALL,
03:28:49THE UNITED STATES WILL NO LONGER BE ABLE TO DEVELOP TALENT FOR ITS NATIONAL AND OLYMPIC
03:28:53PROGRAMS. TO ALL THOSE LISTENING, I IMPLORE YOU TO
03:28:56PROTECT THE SACRED SYSTEM. CALL AND WRITE TO YOUR SENATORS AND
03:28:59ASK THEM TO PROTECT OR TO PASS THE PROTECT COLLEGE SPORTS ACT.
03:29:02THANK YOU.
03:29:05>> [APPLAUSE]
03:29:12>> YOU. >> WELL, THAT WAS TERRIFIC AND
03:29:16AMAZINGLY IMPRESSIVE. ALL FIVE OF YOU DID A FABULOUS JOB. AND I
03:29:19WILL SAY COLLECTIVELY, THE FIVE
03:29:23STUDENT ATHLETES WHO SPOKE REALLY UNDERSCORED THIS IS WHAT THE STAKES ARE ALL ABOUT. WE ARE
03:29:25FIGHTING FOR THOSE OPPORTUNITIES
03:29:28TO BE THERE FOR THOSE ATHLETES AND FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF
03:29:31ATHLETES WHO COME, COME AFTER
03:29:33THEM. WE NOW HAVE, UH, WE HAVE
03:29:37OVER A HUNDRED COACHES FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHO HAVE
03:29:40ENDORSED THIS BILL, BUT WE HAVE FIVE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
03:29:43COACHES WHO ARE HERE TO SPEAK
03:29:46ABOUT THEIR PERSPECTIVE OF THE NEED FOR THIS BILL AND THE
03:29:48IMPACT UPON THE SPORT. UH, WE
03:29:51HAVE JOHN CALIPARI, THE HEAD COACH, BASKETBALL COACH AT THE
03:29:53UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. WE HAVE CRAIG BOHL, THE EXECUTIVE
03:29:56DIRECTOR OF THE AMERICAN FOOTBALL COACHES ASSOCIATION. WE
03:30:00HAVE MARK FEW, THE HEAD BASKETBALL COACH AT GONZAGA
03:30:04UNIVERSITY. UH, WE HAVE CRAIG ROBINSON, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
03:30:08OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF
03:30:10BASKETBALL COACHES, AND
03:30:14SOMEWHERE WE'RE MISSING. YEAH.
03:30:18UH, AND KELVIN SAMPSON FROM UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON, WHO'S NOT ON THE SCRIPT, BUT IS HERE
03:30:21AS WELL. AND AS A TEXAN, I'M HORRIFIED THAT HE WASN'T ON THE
03:30:25SCRIPT. BUT WE'RE THRILLED TO HAVE HAVE HIM AS WELL. AND COACH
03:30:28CALIPARI, YOU CAN START US.
03:30:31THANK YOU UM, I, I WOULD LIKE TO
03:30:34START BY THANKING SENATOR CRUZ, SENATOR CANTWELL, WHO.
03:30:38>> CAME TOGETHER. WAS IT LIKE A THREE YEAR PROJECT? YEAH, THREE
03:30:41YEARS, FOLKS. AND BOTH OF THEM
03:30:45GAVE UP STUFF THEY DESPERATELY DID NOT WANT TO GIVE UP TO MAKE
03:30:48THIS HAPPEN. I ENGAGED BECAUSE I
03:30:53WAS GETTING CALLS FROM COACHES THAT HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS
03:30:57WEREN'T GETTING THE SCHOLARSHIPS. THEY USUALLY GET. FAMILIES WERE CALLING ME. THEY
03:31:01WEREN'T GETTING THE SCHOLARSHIPS. WHY? BECAUSE WE
03:31:04COACHES WERE RECRUITING OLDER PLAYERS. WE WERE WAITING ON THE
03:31:08TRANSFER PORTAL. WE WERE RECRUITING EUROPEAN PLAYERS THAT
03:31:12WERE OLDER. AND IF YOU DID TAKE A 17 OR 18 YEAR OLD, YOU HAD TO
03:31:15PLAY AGAINST A 25 YEAR OLD. NONE
03:31:17OF IT FAIR. UM, WHAT HAPPENED
03:31:21NOW WITH THIS BILL? FIVE YEARS,
03:31:24ONE TIME TRANSFER. WE CLEANED UP
03:31:28FOREIGN STUDENTS AND HOW THEY ARE ON AN EQUAL FOOTING WITH
03:31:31AMERICAN STUDENTS. I THINK THIS
03:31:34CLEARS UP ABOUT 75 TO 80% OF OUR ISSUES. UM, NOTHING IS PERFECT.
03:31:37THIS IS A BITE OUT OF THE APPLE
03:31:41FOR THESE TWO SENATORS TO STEP UP HERE AND DO THIS. I THINK WE
03:31:44ALL NEED TO GIVE THEM A HAND.
03:31:47>> [APPLAUSE]
03:31:52>> WELL, I'M CRAIG BULL, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE
03:31:55AMERICAN FOOTBALL COACHES
03:31:56ASSOCIATION. I REPRESENT 11,000 COACHES. OBVIOUSLY, THEY'RE
03:32:00EXPERTS AT WHAT THEY DO. BUT
03:32:03BEHIND ME, COACHES AND PLAYERS,
03:32:06WE'RE EXPERTS AT RECOGNIZING
03:32:10THE VALUE OF TEAMWORK, TEAMWORK.
03:32:14THERE IS NO I IN TEAM. AND WHAT
03:32:17THESE TWO SENATORS WITH THE OTHER SENATORS HAVE DONE IS A
03:32:21SHINING EXAMPLE TO AMERICA. HOW
03:32:25WASHINGTON CAN WORK. SO HATS OFF TO YOU GUYS. GREAT. GREAT JOB.
03:32:29AS I LOOKED IN SENATOR CRUZ'S EYES AND SENATOR CANTWELL'S
03:32:33EYES, THERE WAS A PROFOUND,
03:32:36PROFOUND, DEEP CONCERN ABOUT
03:32:38PRESERVING THE PATHWAY FORWARD
03:32:41FOR A COLLEGIATE EXPERIENCE. AND
03:32:42TODAY, THIS BILL, THE AMERICAN FOOTBALL COACHES ASSOCIATION,
03:32:46REAFFIRMS OUR FIRM ENDORSEMENT
03:32:49OF THIS BILL. WHAT A GREAT,
03:32:52GREAT DAY. NOW, A LITTLE COACH SPEAK AS THE SENATE GOES BACK
03:32:55INTO SESSION. AND I THINK, SENATOR CRUZ, YOU TALKED ABOUT
03:32:58IT, BUT OUR ENCOURAGEMENT IS, LET'S BUCKLE THOSE CHIN STRAPS
03:33:02UP. LET'S GET OUR HANDS IN THE DIRT. LET'S COME OFF THE ACROSS
03:33:05THE GOAL LINE AND GET THIS BILL
03:33:07TO THE PRESIDENT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
03:33:10>> [APPLAUSE]
03:33:16>> WOW. UH, WELL SAID BY
03:33:18EVERYBODY. AND AND AGAIN, I
03:33:22DON'T WANT TO FORGET OUR, UH, THE MAIN PART OF THIS THAT
03:33:25REALLY, REALLY MOVES ME THE MOST IS NOT JUST ALL THE SPEAKERS, BUT LOOK AT ALL THESE ATHLETES
03:33:29FROM ALL DIFFERENT SPORTS. THAT SHOULD BE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE
03:33:33SUPPOSED TO BE IN CLASS TODAY, BUT TOOK A DAY OFF TO COME ALL THE WAY OUT HERE, WHICH ISN'T
03:33:36SO BAD. BUT SOME OF US TRAVELED ALL THE WAY FROM THE OTHER SIDE
03:33:38OF THE COUNTRY TO SHOW JUST HOW
03:33:42STRONGLY WE FEEL ABOUT THIS. AND, AND I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY
03:33:46FIVE YEARS AGO, SENATOR CANTWELL
03:33:49INVITED ME OUT HERE TO, TO SPEAK ON THIS. AND I DON'T THINK, AS
03:33:53MANY PEOPLE WERE AWARE OF, OF, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE WERE IN
03:33:56COLLEGE ATHLETICS. BUT NOW, FIVE YEARS LATER, I THINK YOU CAN
03:34:00SENSE THE DESPERATION IN EVERYBODY'S VOICES. UM, WE
03:34:04REALLY, REALLY NEED HELP. AND WE NEED IT FROM CONGRESS. AND THIS
03:34:08IS, UH, TO CAL'S POINT, THIS BILL MIGHT NOT BE PERFECT, BUT
03:34:12IT'S FAR AND FAR AND AWAY THE BEST THING WE GOT OUT THERE
03:34:15RIGHT NOW. AND I'M SO PROUD OF
03:34:18BOTH SENATOR CANTWELL WORKING WITH HER, UH, OVER ALL THESE
03:34:21YEARS, BUT JUST TEAMING WITH SENATOR CRUZ, UH, TO CRAIG'S
03:34:25POINT RIGHT THERE. IT REALLY,
03:34:27REALLY GIVES YOU A GREAT FEELING
03:34:31AND GREAT ENCOURAGEMENT OF JUST HOW WASHINGTON DOES REALLY WORK
03:34:34FOR ALL OF US. AND I THINK THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE GREATEST THING ABOUT THIS, TAKING THE
03:34:38TIME TO GO SPEAK WITH SOME SENATORS AND CONGRESSMEN ON THIS, MAN. THERE'S A LOT OF
03:34:42GREAT PEOPLE IN HERE TRYING REALLY, REALLY HARD, AND THEY
03:34:44REALLY CARE ABOUT WHAT'S BEST
03:34:46FOR US. BEING IN THIS BUSINESS.
03:34:4938 YEARS NOW. UH, I CAN JUST TELL YOU, THIS BILL IS THE BEST
03:34:53POSSIBLE THING WE CAN DO RIGHT NOW. UH, FOR COLLEGE ATHLETICS.
03:34:57THANKS
03:34:59>> [APPLAUSE]
03:35:10>> SENATOR CRUZ, I'M THE LOST
03:35:11TEXAN, BUT I'M. I'M ACTUALLY BACK THERE WITH THE STUDENT
03:35:15ATHLETES, WHICH IS, UM, THAT'S
03:35:16WHY WE'RE ALL HERE. UM, YOU
03:35:19KNOW, IN, IN JULY OF 2022, WE
03:35:23STARTED THIS THING CALLED NIL.
03:35:26THE INITIAL PURPOSE WAS NAME, IMAGE, AND LIKENESS. THAT SEEMS
03:35:30LIKE ALMOST, IT WAS 1922 WHEN WE
03:35:33STARTED THAT, UH, IT'S ANYTHING
03:35:35BUT THAT NOW, BUT AT SOME POINT,
03:35:38WE HAVE TO REIN IN THE CHAOS. I
03:35:41THINK YOU CAN LOOK AT ANY BILL TOP TO BOTTOM AND SAY, I DON'T
03:35:44LIKE THIS, OR I DON'T LIKE THAT.
03:35:46AND THIS BILL IS NOT FOOLPROOF,
03:35:49BUT IT'S THE BEST THING WE HAVE
03:35:53TO SHOW IMPROVEMENT AND GET SOME CONTROL BACK WITHIN OUR ATHLETIC
03:35:55DEPARTMENTS AND CONTROL FOR OUR
03:35:57STUDENT ATHLETES. UM, UM, OUR
03:36:00GRADUATION RATES, THE
03:36:02IDENTIFICATION OF STUDENTS WITH SCHOOLS, UM, ALL OF THAT HAS,
03:36:06HAS GONE OUT. SO BEING, BEING
03:36:09ABLE TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO MANAGE
03:36:13THIS CHAOS, I CAN'T THANK SENATOR CANTWELL AND SENATOR
03:36:15CRUZ, UH, ENOUGH CONGRESS,
03:36:20SENATE, UH, GET THIS DONE. THIS GIVES US A CHANCE TO REIN IN,
03:36:24UM, A HORSE THAT'S KIND OF OUT OF THE BARN. NOW. WE NEED TO GET
03:36:28IT BACK IN THE BARN, AND WE NEED
03:36:29TO GET THIS, UM, BACK INTO THESE
03:36:33EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS. WE ARE EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS.
03:36:37THAT'S WHY WE'RE AT THESE SCHOOLS. LET'S MAKE SURE THESE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN ARE PROUD OF
03:36:41THAT. THANK YOU.
03:36:43>> [APPLAUSE]
03:36:48>> THANKS. YOU KNOW, COMING UP, AFTER A BUNCH OF COACHES IS
03:36:51REALLY HARD, BUT, UH, I'M CRAIG ROBINSON, I'M THE EXECUTIVE
03:36:55DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BASKETBALL
03:36:57COACHES. AND AS YOU CAN SEE FROM
03:37:01THESE STUDENT ATHLETES HERE, THEY, THEY REPRESENT A WIDE
03:37:04VARIETY OF INSTITUTIONS. AND THE
03:37:08COACHES YOU SEE HERE MAY BE ALL
03:37:09HIGH MAJOR COACHES AT HIGH
03:37:13SCHOOLS. I'M HERE TO TELL YOU, I
03:37:17REPRESENT 5000 COACHES AND ALMOST ALL OF THEM BACK. THIS
03:37:21BILL. AND I WANT TO THANK
03:37:24SENATOR CANTWELL AND SENATOR
03:37:25CRUZ FOR THE THING. NOBODY'S
03:37:29TALKING ABOUT. THAT HAPPENS ANYMORE IN WASHINGTON, D.C., AND
03:37:33THAT'S TEAMWORK. LOVE TO SEE THE TEAMWORK. I AM HERE TO TELL
03:37:37YOU THAT THE NABC, THE NATIONAL
03:37:40ASSOCIATION OF BASKETBALL, COACHES UNEQUIVOCALLY SUPPORTS
03:37:44THIS BILL. AND I'M EXCITED TO BE HERE. I'M EXCITED FOR OUR
03:37:47STUDENT ATHLETES, AND I'M
03:37:48EXCITED FOR OUR GAME. >> YEAH.
03:37:52>> [APPLAUSE] >> OKAY
03:37:56>> WELL, AN AMAZINGLY IMPRESSIVE ARRAY OF COACHES. THANK YOU FOR
03:38:00YOUR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND COACH SAMPSON PHI SLAMA JAMA IS STILL
03:38:03A HUGE PART OF WHO WE ARE AS
03:38:04TEXANS. UH, I NOW WANT TO
03:38:08INTRODUCE SHELLEY MOORE CAPITO SENATOR FROM THE GREAT STATE OF
03:38:12WEST VIRGINIA. >> I'M REALLY HONORED TO BE HERE WITH ALL THE COACHES AND
03:38:15THE STUDENT ATHLETES, AND THOSE ATHLETES AND COACHES THAT THEY
03:38:19ALL REPRESENT. UH, I THINK WHAT WE SEE TODAY IS, IF YOU'LL
03:38:23EXCUSE THE ANALOGY, IS THE WILD, WILD WEST CHAOS. IT'S ALREADY
03:38:25BEEN ALLUDED TO. SPORTS ARE SO
03:38:28VERY IMPORTANT IN SMALL STATES, LARGE STATES, IT DOESN'T REALLY
03:38:31MATTER. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE REALLY FOUGHT FOR, AND ALSO
03:38:34SOME OF THE ATHLETES HAVE TALKED ABOUT, IS TO PRESERVE THOSE
03:38:37WOMEN. AND AT OLYMPIC SPORTS, I
03:38:40MYSELF, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, BACK IN THE DAY WAS A COLLEGE
03:38:43ATHLETE. I HAVE A DAUGHTER WHO PLAYED AT THAT LEVEL FOR FOUR
03:38:46YEARS. I SAW NOT JUST ATHLETIC
03:38:50ABILITY, BUT PERSEVERANCE,
03:38:51LEADERSHIP, FUTURE LEADERS,
03:38:55FAMILY LEADERS, COMMUNITY LEADERS, ALL OF THEM. THEIR CONNECTIONS TO SPORTS, AND THE
03:38:59EXPERIENCE THAT THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO HAVE AT THEIR
03:39:02UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES ACROSS THE STATE IS IRREPLACEABLE.
03:39:04IT'S IRREPLACEABLE. AND I WANT TO THANK SENATOR CRUZ AND
03:39:07SENATOR CANTWELL. THIS IS SERIOUSLY THREADING A NEEDLE.
03:39:10I'M A A MEMBER OF THE SENATE COMMERCE COMMITTEE. I'M A PROUD
03:39:14CO-SPONSOR OF THIS BILL. UH, BUT THE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE HAVE
03:39:16REALLY BEEN A HERCULEAN TASK, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF PUSHES
03:39:20AND PULLS THAT YOU MIGHT NOT SEE AS THIS GOES THROUGH. SO FROM
03:39:24REPRESENTING A STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA, OUR COACHES, OUR ADS,
03:39:27OUR COLLEGE PRESIDENTS, OUR
03:39:28STUDENT ATHLETES ARE FULLY,
03:39:31FULLY BEHIND THE PROTECT COLLEGE
03:39:34SPORTS ACT. THEY THINK IT IS A
03:39:36GREAT WAY TO SOLVE A LOT OF THE PROBLEMS. SO WE'VE HAD A COUPLE
03:39:40SPORTS ANALOGIES. MY DAUGHTER PLAYED VOLLEYBALL. SO IN ORDER OF THE VOLLEYBALLERS, I'M GOING
03:39:43TO SAY THE BALL IS SET. LET'S
03:39:46SPIKE IT AROUND THE BLOCK. THANK YOU.
03:39:50>> [APPLAUSE]
03:39:51>> UH, NOW RECOGNIZE SENATOR
03:39:54JOHN HICKENLOOPER FROM THE GREAT STATE OF COLORADO.
03:39:58>> [APPLAUSE]
03:40:02>> THERE'S NOT TOO MUCH I CAN ADD TO WHAT'S ALREADY BEEN SAID. I AM EXCITED ABOUT THIS
03:40:06BILL. LIKE EVERYONE, UM, I
03:40:09THINK, UH, VINCE LOMBARDI
03:40:11FAMOUSLY SAID, UH, WINNING
03:40:15ISN'T EVERYTHING. IT'S THE ONLY THING. I THINK THAT'S NOT TRUE. I THINK ALL THESE COACHES WOULD
03:40:18TELL YOU IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT THING, BUT HOW DO YOU CREATE
03:40:22TEAMS, HOW TEAMS LEARN TO WORK TOGETHER IS THE BASIS OF
03:40:26AMERICA, RIGHT? IT'S TEAMS OF DOCTORS. IT'S TEAMS OF
03:40:30SOLDIERS. IT'S TEAMS OF TEACHERS. THAT COLLABORATIVE
03:40:33ABILITY IS WHAT DEFINES HUMANITY AND IS CERTAINLY DEFINED. THIS
03:40:36COUNTRY. UH, THE UNCERTAINTY
03:40:40FACING NON-REVENUE, UH, CREATING SPORTS HAS BEEN DIFFICULT.
03:40:44COLORADO SPRINGS IS, IS HOME TO THE U.S. OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC
03:40:47COMMITTEE. UM, THIS BILL PROTECTS THE OLYMPICS AND OTHER
03:40:50NON-REVENUE SPORTS. I THINK THAT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT,
03:40:53THAT TEAMWORK IS, HAS NOTHING TO
03:40:57DO WITH WHETHER IT'S A REVENUE PRODUCING SPORT OR NOT. AND I
03:41:00THINK WHEN YOU LOOK AT 75% OF
03:41:02THE OLYMPIANS IN PARIS, UH, THEY
03:41:06COMPETED COLLEGIATELY, RIGHT? WE
03:41:08HAVE A WHOLE SYSTEM SET UP IN OUR UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES
03:41:11THAT ALLOWS US TO GET THE GREATEST ATHLETES REPRESENTING OUR COUNTRY IN THE OLYMPICS. AND
03:41:15THAT MATTERS IN TERMS OF THE IDENTITY OF HOW WE THINK ABOUT
03:41:18OURSELVES, HOW THE WORLD LOOKS AT US, AND HOW WE TRADE WITH THE
03:41:21REST OF THE WORLD. SO THERE'S A
03:41:24LOT AT STAKE HERE IN GETTING THIS DONE. UM, THESE LAST COUPLE
03:41:28OF YEARS WITH NON-REVENUE
03:41:29SPORTS, UH, CUT, THEY CUT 415
03:41:32DIFFERENT TEAMS. THERE WERE 45 OLYMPIC SPORTS PROGRAMS THAT GOT
03:41:35CUT, UH, A THOUSAND STUDENT
03:41:38ATHLETES WHO LOST SCHOLARSHIPS WERE AFFECTED. UH, SOME OF THESE
03:41:42IN EVERY STATE IN THE COUNTRY. UH, THIS BILL, AGAIN, AS
03:41:46EVERYONE HAS SAID, IS NOT PERFECT, BUT IT GOES A LONG WAY
03:41:49TO DELIVERING A FUTURE WHEREBY
03:41:53SPORT WILL INCREASE IN ITS
03:41:54BENEFICIAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR
03:41:57COUNTRY AND NOT DECREASE.
03:42:00>> [APPLAUSE] >> THANK YOU, JOHN. AND I WILL
03:42:04SAY, SENATOR HICKENLOOPER FOUGHT
03:42:06FEROCIOUSLY, ESPECIALLY FOR OLYMPIC ATHLETES. HE WAS
03:42:10CRITICAL IN GETTING THE SUPPORT OF THE U.S. OLYMPIC AND
03:42:14PARALYMPIC COMMITTEE FOR THIS BILL AND ENSURING THAT THE BILL
03:42:18HAS REALLY ROBUST PROTECTIONS FOR OLYMPIC ATHLETES, BOTH WOMEN AND MEN. IT'S ONE OF THE MOST
03:42:21IMPORTANT PARTS OF THE BILL.
03:42:25NOW, WE'LL RECOGNIZE SENATOR
03:42:30JOHN HOEVEN FROM THE GREAT STATE OF NORTH DAKOTA. >> I WANT TO BEGIN BY THANKING
03:42:32BOTH, UH, TED AND MARIA. THIS IS
03:42:34REALLY HARD. YOU KNOW, I MEAN,
03:42:37YOU SEE THOSE GREAT ATHLETES DO GREAT THINGS WELL HERE AT THE
03:42:41SENATE. THESE TWO ARE GREAT ATHLETES ON THIS ISSUE. THIS IS
03:42:44A HARD THING TO DO, BUT IT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT THING TO
03:42:48DO. I GREW UP, I LOVE SPORTS, I GREW UP PLAYING SPORTS, MY KIDS
03:42:51PLAYED SPORTS. I'VE GOT EIGHT GRANDKIDS. I KNOW LOOKING AT ME, TED, THAT'S HARD TO BELIEVE. I
03:42:55LOOK VERY YOUNG, BUT I GOT EIGHT
03:42:57GRANDKIDS. AND, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF THEM ARE
03:43:01GOING TO PLAY PROFESSIONAL
03:43:02SPORTS. KIND OF HOPE SO. BUT AND
03:43:05THAT'S TRUE FOR THE VAST
03:43:08MAJORITY OF ATHLETES, RIGHT?
03:43:11YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT 500,000
03:43:13STUDENT ATHLETES. VERY FEW OF
03:43:15THOSE WILL ACTUALLY PLAY PRO. SO WE HAVE TO NOT ONLY PROTECT
03:43:19THEM, BUT PROTECT THE COLLEGIATE
03:43:22SPORTS PROGRAMS ALL ACROSS THIS COUNTRY. WHEN I WAS HOME, WE HAD
03:43:26A PRESS CONFERENCE. I HAD THE BOTH PRESIDENT AND PRESIDENT OF
03:43:29THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA, PRESIDENT OF NDSU, NORTH DAKOTA
03:43:33STATE UNIVERSITY. I HAD THE ATHLETIC DIRECTORS THERE, AND I
03:43:35HAD A LOT OF COACHES THERE. AND
03:43:38IT THEY WANTED TO BE THERE. THEY
03:43:42NEED HELP. WE HAVE A PATCHWORK OF COURT CASES AND STATE LAWS
03:43:45THAT, AS SHELLEY SAID, HAVE
03:43:49CREATED THE WILD WEST FOR COLLEGE SPORTS. IT'S NOT TIME
03:43:52TO ACT. IT'S WAY PAST, WAY PAST
03:43:56TIME TO ACT. AND THIS BILL IS
03:43:58FAIR TO THE ATHLETES THAT WILL GO PRO. YOU'RE TALKING NIL,
03:44:02TRANSFER PORTAL, ALL THOSE THINGS. IT IS FAIR TO THE ATHLETES THAT WILL PLAY IN THE
03:44:05PROS, BUT IT IS ALSO FAIR AND
03:44:10PROTECTS ALL THOSE OTHER ATHLETES. HALF A MILLION THE
03:44:14PROGRAMS, NOT JUST A FEW
03:44:17PROGRAMS, ALL THE PROGRAMS. SO
03:44:18TO FINISH ON ANOTHER SPORTS
03:44:24ANALOGY, LET'S SCORE ONE FOR COLLEGE SPORTS HERE.
03:44:28>> [APPLAUSE] >> HERE. >> [APPLAUSE] >> ALL RIGHT. WELL, WITH THAT,
03:44:30WE'LL OPEN IT UP TO ANY QUESTIONS. YES, SENATOR.
03:44:34>> DO YOU HAVE ANY RESPONSE TO THOSE WHO SAY THAT THIS DIMINISHES THE BARGAINING POWER
03:44:38AND EARNING POTENTIAL OF THESE TOP STUDENT ATHLETES, WHO ARE, OF COURSE, MAKING MILLIONS FOR
03:44:42THEIR UNIVERSITIES? >> WELL, IT DOES THE EXACT OPPOSITE, WHICH IS IT PROTECTS
03:44:46STUDENT ATHLETES. IT IT PROTECTS IN LAW THEIR RIGHT, NUMBER ONE,
03:44:50TO PARTICIPATE IN REVENUE SHARING FROM THEIR SCHOOLS. BUT
03:44:54NUMBER TWO, TO RECEIVE GENUINE NAME, IMAGE, AND LIKENESS,
03:44:57LIKENESS, COMPENSATION. IF IF
03:45:00YOU'RE A STAR ATHLETE AND YOU CAN SELL MILLIONS OF TENNIS SHOES, YOU OUGHT TO MAKE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR SELLING
03:45:04THOSE TENNIS SHOES. AND THAT IS PROTECTED IN THIS BILL. BUT
03:45:08SOMETHING SENATOR HOEVEN THERE SAID IS REALLY IMPORTANT, IS
03:45:11THAT WE WERE LOOKING TO THE SUPERSTARS IN THIS BILL, BUT WE
03:45:13WERE ALSO LOOKING TO THE 99% OF
03:45:18STUDENT ATHLETES WHO WILL NEVER PLAY IN THE NBA, WILL NEVER PLAY
03:45:20IN THE NFL. BUT RIGHT NOW,
03:45:23SPORTS GIVES THEM A TICKET TO COLLEGE, AND THE SKILLS THEY
03:45:27LEARN, HARD WORK, DISCIPLINE,
03:45:28EXCELLENCE, TEAMWORK,
03:45:31SPORTSMANSHIP. THOSE SKILLS SET THEM UP FOR SUCCESS. AND IF WE
03:45:35DON'T ACT, WE'RE GOING TO SEE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF THESE
03:45:37POSITIONS GO AWAY. THAT WOULD BE DEVASTATING FOR STUDENT
03:45:41ATHLETES. IF WE DON'T ACT, WE
03:45:43WILL SEE 30 TO 50 COMPETITIVE FOOTBALL PROGRAMS IN THIS
03:45:47COUNTRY. AND THE REMAINDER OF THE PROGRAMS GO UNDER. THAT
03:45:50WOULD BE DISASTROUS FOR STUDENT ATHLETES. AND SO THE URGENCY OF
03:45:54DOING THIS IS MAKING SURE WE PROTECT THE OPPORTUNITY. STUDENT
03:45:58ATHLETES HAVE TODAY, BUT ALSO THE OPPORTUNITY THEY HAVE TOMORROW.
03:46:01>> SO CAN I JUST ADD QUICKLY? THERE ARE TWO THINGS THAT ARE VERY IMPORTANT IN THE BILL.
03:46:05FIRST OF ALL, IT IS A FIRST TIME FEDERAL STATUTE ON THE RIGHTS OF
03:46:08STUDENTS TO EARN N, I, L AND
03:46:11REVENUE SHARING. SO A HISTORIC RECOGNITION OF BOTH OF THOSE
03:46:15RIGHTS. SECONDLY, IT'S A FEDERAL
03:46:19PREEMPTION. SO STATES WHO HAVE LESSER STANDARDS WILL BE HAVE TO
03:46:23MEET THIS FEDERAL OBLIGATION.
03:46:24AND WE BASICALLY OUTLAW DUPLICITOUS PRACTICES THAT SOME
03:46:28AGENTS AND OTHERS ARE USING TO
03:46:30SHORT TERM, THE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES OF ATHLETES. SO WE
03:46:34ARE WORKING HARD TO MAKE SOLID PROTECTIONS FOR THEIR ECONOMIC FUTURE.
03:46:38>> REALLY QUICK. TWO QUESTIONS. ONE, YOU PROTECTED CONFIDENCE. YOU CAN GET TO 60 VOTES IN THE
03:46:41SENATE THIS WEEK. HOW CONFIDENT ARE YOU THAT YOU'LL HAVE THE SAME SUPPORT IN THE HOUSE,
03:46:45CONSIDERING THE FACT THAT GROUPS LIKE THE CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS HAVE SAID NO AT THIS
03:46:48POINT.
03:46:49>> YOU WANT TO TAKE THAT. WELL,
03:46:54I.
03:46:54>> WILL I'LL JUST SAY, UH,
03:46:58BRIEFLY, I'M NEW AT THIS. UH,
03:46:59BUT WE THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY
03:47:02IMPORTANT FOR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS TO MEET THE PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY HAVE THE BOOTS ON THE
03:47:07GROUND. AND I THINK THOSE MEETINGS HAVE BEEN FRUITFUL. I
03:47:10THINK PEOPLE HAVE, UH, RECEIVED
03:47:12US, THEY'VE HEARD US. AND I
03:47:15THINK THERE IS ROOM FOR MORE
03:47:18WORK TO BE DONE AND TO GET DONE >> AND LASTLY, JUST FOR THE
03:47:22SENATORS, AS YOU WORK TO WHIP THE VOTES FOR THIS, HAVE YOU FOUND THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP'S
03:47:25SUPPORT HAS HELPED OR HURT YOUR EFFORT OVERALL? >> LOOK, THE PRESIDENT IS
03:47:29ENTHUSIASTIC, BUT HE'S ALSO GIVEN SPACE IN THE SENATE FOR
03:47:32FOR THE COALITION TO COME TOGETHER, BECAUSE IT'S A BROAD
03:47:36BIPARTISAN COALITION WITH SOME SENATORS. THE PRESIDENT'S SUPPORT IS MORE HELPFUL THAN
03:47:39WITH OTHERS. AND THAT'S THE THE NATURE OF POLITICS. HE
03:47:43UNDERSTANDS THAT. I WILL SAY, AS I SAID AT THE OUTSET, OUR GOAL
03:47:47WHEN WE SAT DOWN, IT WAS THREE YEARS AGO THAT MARIE AND I
03:47:48STARTED THESE CONVERSATIONS. OUR
03:47:51GOAL FROM THE BEGINNING WAS NOT
03:47:53JUST TO SQUEAK BY WITH 60 VOTES,
03:47:56BUT TO GET A BIG BIPARTISAN
03:47:58VOTE. WE GOT THAT IN COMMITTEE
03:48:01THAT SURPRISED A LOT OF OBSERVERS. AND I HAVE A VERY
03:48:04HIGH LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE THAT THE HOUSE WILL PASS THIS BILL.
03:48:08AND ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO DO
03:48:11THAT IS GET A BIG BIPARTISAN
03:48:13VOTE, UH, COMING OFF THE SENATE.
03:48:15UH, I'VE SPOKEN IN THE LAST WEEK
03:48:18WITH HOUSE LEADERSHIP, AND I THINK IF WE HAVE A STRONG VOTE,
03:48:21UH, IT GOES INTO THE HOUSE WITH A LOT OF MOMENTUM, I THINK THE
03:48:24HOUSE WILL, WILL PASS IT AS WELL. AND THE PRESIDENT IS READY
03:48:28TO SIGN IT. I'VE ACTUALLY SUGGESTED THE PRESIDENT THAT HE
03:48:31SIGN IT ON COLLEGE GAME DAY. UH,
03:48:35ON CAMPUS, WHICH WHICH TRULY WILL BE A REMARKABLE MOMENT. WE GOT TO GET THERE FIRST. BUT, BUT
03:48:39IT, UH, IT WILL BE AN AMAZING,
03:48:42UH, VICTORY FOR STUDENT ATHLETES IF WE CAN GET THAT DONE. >> DO YOU ANTICIPATE THE
03:48:46TIMELINE? LIKE, CAN YOU GO THROUGH THE TIMELINE OF THIS BILL? WILL, WILL YOU BE VOTING
03:48:49ON IT THIS WEEK, OR IS THIS SOMETHING THAT'LL HAPPEN AFTER
03:48:52THE NEXT? >> SO THIS BILL IS TEED UP AS
03:48:56THE SECOND VOTE THAT THAT THE SENATE WILL TAKE. SO THE FIRST
03:48:59VOTE IS WHAT'S CALLED THE CLARITY ACT. AND THAT'S A BILL
03:49:03CONCERNING CRYPTOCURRENCY. AS WE STAND HERE, I DON'T KNOW IF
03:49:06CLARITY WILL GET 60 VOTES OR NOT. IT'S NOT CLEAR IF IT WILL
03:49:10BE FILIBUSTERED OR NOT. IF CLARITY IS FILIBUSTERED, IF THAT
03:49:13VOTE FAILS, WE WILL MOVE IMMEDIATELY TO PROTECTING
03:49:16COLLEGE SPORTS. SO WE WILL MOVE
03:49:18TO IT AS SOON AS TOMORROW. IF
03:49:21CLARITY DOES GET 60 VOTES, WHICH
03:49:23WE'LL FIND OUT SHORTLY, THEN
03:49:25CLARITY WILL TAKE THE REST OF THE WEEK AND WILL MOVE TO PROTECTING COLLEGE SPORTS AT THE
03:49:29BEGINNING OF NEXT WEEK. SO IT'S EITHER THIS WEEK OR NEXT WEEK,
03:49:31DEPENDING ON HOW THE FIRST VOTE
03:49:34GOES. ON AN UNRELATED MATTER.
03:49:36>> LAST QUESTION CAN I ASK YOU
03:49:40LONG SUPPORTED BANNING MEN FROM WOMEN'S SPORTS. THERE ARE SOME
03:49:43SOME CONSERVATIVE CRITICS THAT ARGUE THAT THIS BILL COULD OVERRIDE STATE LAWS THAT ALREADY
03:49:47EXIST TO PROTECT WOMEN IN MEN OR
03:49:51MEN AND WOMEN'S SPORTS. UM, WHAT PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE ON THIS ISSUE?
03:49:53>> YEAH. AND WE'LL DO BOTH THOSE QUESTIONS BECAUSE WE
03:49:56RECOGNIZE YOU AS WELL. THIS BILL DOES ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO
03:50:00UNDERMINE THE LAWS. STATES HAVE PASSED. PROTECTING WOMEN'S
03:50:03SPORTS. YOU'RE RIGHT THAT SOME CONSERVATIVE GROUPS RAISE THOSE
03:50:07CONCERNS. WE MADE MODIFICATIONS TO THE LANGUAGE TO MAKE CLEAR, WE LEAVE THAT ISSUE TO THE
03:50:11STATES. THIS BILL DOES NOTHING TO IMPACT THAT ONE WAY OR THE
03:50:14OTHER. THAT IS A VERY DELIBERATE DECISION TO LEAVE THE DECISION
03:50:17TO THE STATES HOW TO HANDLE THAT ISSUE. AND GO AHEAD.
03:50:20>> CAN IF THIS IS PASSED, HOW
03:50:23QUICKLY WILL IT MAKE A DIFFERENCE? AND IF IT FALLS, ARE THERE ANY OTHER OPTIONS FOR YOU?
03:50:27AND JUST ON SOMETHING ELSE THAT YOU'VE CAMPAIGNED ON THAT I'VE
03:50:30JUST SEEN PRESIDENT TRUMP TRUTH
03:50:31SOCIAL ABOUT, HE SAYS THAT ALL
03:50:34THE WARNINGS ABOUT THE DIRE
03:50:36IMPACT AI CAN HAVE ON HUMANITY ARE A HOAX. I WONDERED IF YOU AGREE.
03:50:40>> SO ON THE LATTER, WE'RE GOING TO KEEP THE FOCUS ON COLLEGE
03:50:43SPORTS. SO BUT I'M HAPPY TO TALK ABOUT AI WALKING DOWN THE HALL. WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT ANOTHER
03:50:47TIME. UH, I WILL SAY THAT THE TIMELINE, IF WE PASS IT, IT WILL
03:50:51GO OVER TO THE HOUSE. AND I EXPECT THAT THE HOUSE WILL TAKE
03:50:54IT UP AND VOTE ON IT QUICKLY. MY OBJECTIVE IS TO GET IT TO THE
03:50:58PRESIDENT FOR SIGNATURE AS, AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. OBVIOUSLY,
03:51:01THE SCHOOL YEAR JUST STARTED. YOU'VE GOT A HALF MILLION
03:51:04COLLEGE ATHLETES THAT WOULD LIKE
03:51:07THE CERTAINTY OF HAVING HAVING
03:51:10COLLEGE SPORTS PROTECTED, AND I WOULD EXPECT THE IMPACT TO BE IMMEDIATE. SENATOR CANTWELL, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING.
03:51:13>> TO ADD? WELL, IT'S LOOK, THESE STATISTICS AND WE'LL HAVE
03:51:17A REPORT COMING OUT TOMORROW TO SHOW THE COST AND IMPACT. BUT
03:51:20HAVING RECRUITMENT COSTS GO UP
03:51:23300% AND HAVING MOST ATHLETIC
03:51:27DEPARTMENTS NOT BE ABLE TO MAKE ENDS MEET IS HAVING DEVASTATING
03:51:31IMPACTS. WE ARE CUTTING
03:51:32PROFESSORS, WE ARE CUTTING
03:51:35PROGRAMS, WE ARE CUTTING STUDENT ATHLETE ROSTER SLOTS. AND
03:51:39THAT'S NOT WHAT WE NEED TO BE DOING IF WE'RE GOING TO COMPETE WITH CHINA, IF WE'RE GOING TO
03:51:43COMPETE AND USE THE PROWESS OF THE UNITED STATES IN TECHNOLOGY
03:51:47AND NEXT GENERATION MANUFACTURING, THEN WE CAN'T BE
03:51:50CUTTING PROGRAMS BECAUSE WE HAVE
03:51:52A BUNCH OF PEOPLE WHO ARE
03:51:55CREATING, UH, AN ARMS RACE,
03:51:57BASICALLY ILLEGALLY IN COLLEGE
03:52:01SPORTS. NOW, IT'S GREAT TO HAVE
03:52:03BILLIONS OF DOLLARS OR MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND SAY THAT YOU'RE
03:52:07GOING TO FUND IT. BUT THESE ARE
03:52:10REAL RULES IN PLACE THAT SAY THAT YOU HAVE YOUR NIL RIGHTS.
03:52:13BUT IF YOU'RE PART OF THE INSTITUTION AND REVENUE SHARING,
03:52:16IT HAS TO BE THROUGH THESE RULES
03:52:18OF THIS BILL. SO THAT WILL STOP
03:52:21A LOT OF WHAT HAS BEEN THIS
03:52:23OUTRAGEOUS ESCALATION OF COLLEGE SPORTS COSTS.
03:52:27>> AND I'LL JUST SAY, FINALLY, I WANT US ONCE AGAIN TO THANK THESE AMAZING COACHES AND THESE
03:52:31AMAZING ATHLETES AND THE
03:52:32ATHLETES ALL ACROSS THIS COUNTRY
03:52:37THAT WE'RE FIGHTING FOR. >> [APPLAUSE]
03:52:38>> ALL RIGHT.
03:52:42>> AND SENATE LAWMAKERS NOW
03:52:43VOTING ON WHETHER TO ADVANCE A
03:52:46BIPARTISAN STUDENT ATHLETES COMPENSATION BILL, COAUTHORED BY
03:52:49COMMERCE COMMITTEE CHAIR TED CRUZ AND RANKING DEMOCRAT MARIA
03:52:52CANTWELL. THE PROTECT COLLEGE SPORTS ACT SEEKS TO SET
03:52:56STANDARDS FOR PAYING STUDENT ATHLETES FOR RIGHTS TO THEIR
03:52:59NAME, IMAGE AND LIKENESS. 60 VOTES ARE NEEDED TO ADVANCE THE
03:53:02BILL. EARLIER TODAY, THE SENATE FAILED TO ADVANCE A CRYPTO
03:53:06DIGITAL ASSETS REGULATION BILL.
03:53:08THIS IS LIVE, GAVEL TO GAVEL
03:53:11SENATE COVERAGE HERE ON C-SPAN.
03:53:13TWO.
03:53:16>> THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
03:53:20WELL, GAME TIME. WE ARE ABOUT READY TO TAKE UP A BILL,
03:53:23POTENTIALLY. UM, THAT DEALS WITH
03:53:27A SITUATION THAT I THINK SHOULD BE AND IS NEAR AND DEAR TO THE HEARTS OF ALL OF OUR
03:53:31CONSTITUENTS. AND THIS IS NOT A PARTISAN ISSUE. THIS IS ABOUT A
03:53:35UNIQUELY AMERICAN INSTITUTION,
03:53:38COLLEGE, SPORTS, COLLEGE SPORTS
03:53:40ARE AT A TIPPING POINT IN A PLACE THAT THEY'VE NEVER BEEN
03:53:44BEFORE, BECAUSE OVER THE LAST
03:53:47DECADE OR SO, OVER THE COURSE OF
03:53:50LITIGATION, NO RULES CAN BE
03:53:54ENFORCED. NOW, I WOULD FREELY ADMIT THAT THE OLD SYSTEM HAD
03:53:57ITS CHALLENGES TO THE IDEA THAT
03:54:00ATHLETES COULDN'T BE COMPENSATED FOR THEIR NAME, IMAGE, AND LIKENESS. I THINK THAT WAS
03:54:04WRONG. THAT HAS BEEN RECTIFIED.
03:54:07BUT WHAT WE HAVE NOW IS A SYSTEM
03:54:10THAT IS UNSTABLE AND THREATENS, IN PARTICULAR, WOMEN'S SPORTS
03:54:12AND OLYMPIC SPORTS. IN THE LONG
03:54:15TERM, FOR A VERY, VERY LONG TIME. UH, THE BUSINESS MODEL,
03:54:19EFFECTIVELY, OF COLLEGE ATHLETICS WAS, WAS COLLEGE FOOTBALL SUBSIDIZED. ALL THE
03:54:23OTHER NON-REVENUE SPORTS. BASKETBALL IS ESSENTIALLY A
03:54:26BREAK EVEN PROPOSITION FOR THE MOST PART, MAYBE MAKES A LITTLE MONEY. BUT ALL THOSE OTHER
03:54:30SPORTS AND THE 500,000 STUDENT
03:54:34ATHLETES IN THIS COUNTRY THAT
03:54:36HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMPETE, TO LEARN WHAT IT'S LIKE TO HAVE
03:54:39THAT KIND OF COMMITMENT, THAT
03:54:42GRIT, SHOW UP ON TIME, PERSEVERE, BUILD RELATIONSHIPS
03:54:45WITH PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS. YOU KNOW, I HAD THE
03:54:48OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY IN COLLEGE AND, AND THROUGHOUT MY LIFE
03:54:52BEFORE THAT, UH, AND WHAT'S LEFT OF THAT IS THE CONGRESSIONAL
03:54:56BASEBALL TEAM. I GUESS. BUT WHEN
03:54:59YOU'RE ON A TEAM, YOU WANT TO
03:55:03WIN, AND YOU WANT TO WIN WITH YOUR TEAMMATES. AND FOR ME, I DIDN'T CARE WHERE THEY CAME
03:55:07FROM, WHAT THE RACE WAS, WHAT THEIR RELIGION WAS. WE WERE A TEAM. AND I THINK THERE'S A LOT
03:55:11OF REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT LEADERSHIP LESSONS THAT COME
03:55:13FROM THAT, AND THAT IS AT RISK. NOW, SOME MIGHT SAY THE STANDS
03:55:16ARE FULL. UM, YOU KNOW, REVENUES
03:55:20ARE ROBUST. ALL THOSE THINGS ARE TRUE. BUT THE REALITY IS WE'VE
03:55:24ENTERED INTO THIS NEW PHASE WITH SOMETHING MISSING, A GOVERNING
03:55:27BODY THAT CAN ESTABLISH AND
03:55:32ENFORCE RULES. AND THAT'S WHERE THIS, THAT'S AT THE HEART OF WHAT THE PROTECT COLLEGE SPORTS
03:55:35ACT IS ALL ABOUT, IS TO GRANT
03:55:41LIMITED ANTITRUST EXEMPTION STATUS FOR GOVERNING BODY, THE
03:55:43NCAA TO ENFORCE RULES, MEANING
03:55:47FIVE YEARS OF ELIGIBILITY. I THINK MOST PEOPLE THINK IT'S
03:55:51NUTS THAT YOU HAVE 27 YEAR OLDS RIGHT NOW COMPETING WITH 17 YEAR
03:55:55OLDS. I THINK MOST PEOPLE THINK IT'S NUTS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE
03:55:59SOMEBODY TRANSFER FOUR TIMES. WELL, GUESS WHAT? GRADUATION
03:56:02RATES ARE PLUMMETING. I PERSONALLY THINK THAT IF YOU'RE
03:56:06THE SECOND STRING QUARTERBACK AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS OR SOMEWHERE ELSE, YOU GET AN
03:56:09OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY, UM, AT LOUISVILLE OR WHEREVER THAT YOU
03:56:12SHOULD BE ABLE TO MOVE ONE TIME. BUT THE CHAOS, IF YOU TALK TO
03:56:16PEOPLE, ANY COACHES AND EVEN PLAYERS, BY THE WAY, WHO
03:56:19TESTIFIED, UH, THIS IS NOT A
03:56:21GOOD SITUATION. IT'S COMPLETELY
03:56:24UNSTABLE. UM, PEOPLE ARE MAKING DECISIONS BASED ON TWEETS AND
03:56:28INJUNCTIONS THAT MAY COME DOWN ON A FRIDAY AFTERNOON. YOU'VE
03:56:31SEEN OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF
03:56:34WEEKS, PEOPLE WHO WENT
03:56:37PROFESSIONAL, COMING BACK TO
03:56:40COMPETE ON A TEAM WHERE SOMEBODY
03:56:43HAD SPENT, YOU KNOW, OR 18 YEARS
03:56:46OLD, HAD SPENT THE, THE FALL CAMP GETTING READY FOR THE
03:56:48SEASON AND MAYBE DISPLACED NONE
03:56:52OF THOSE PROBLEMS, NONE OF THOSE PROBLEMS ARE GOING TO GO AWAY.
03:56:55AND I THINK WE'RE IN A RARE MOMENT HERE IN THIS CHAMBER
03:56:59WHERE WE'RE AT A TIME FOR
03:57:03CHOOSING NO MORE ROUNDTABLES. UH, NO MORE. NO MORE
03:57:06HYPOTHETICALS. THIS IS WHAT WE
03:57:07GET PAID TO DO TO TRY TO SOLVE
03:57:12HARD PROBLEMS. WHAT'S UNIQUE ABOUT THIS IS IT DOESN'T FALL
03:57:15INTO TRADITIONAL PARTIZAN CATEGORIES. THERE'S NO REAL RED JERSEY, BLUE JERSEY ON THIS
03:57:19THING. THIS IS IDENTIFYING WHAT
03:57:22THE PROBLEM IS, WORKING TOGETHER
03:57:24TO FIND A SOLUTION AND THERE'S A LOT OF COMPONENTS OF THIS BILL,
03:57:28AND I WANT TO GO THROUGH SOME OF THEM. THERE'S GOING TO BE A FEW
03:57:31OTHER SPEAKERS, BUT THIS WOULD
03:57:34PROVIDE ONE NATIONAL STANDARD FOR NIL. YOU HAVE KIND OF A
03:57:38PATCHWORK RIGHT NOW, STATE BY STATE. AND LET ME BE CLEAR, IN
03:57:42WHEN THIS BILL, OR HOPEFULLY
03:57:46THIS BILL PASSES IN, A STUDENT ATHLETE WILL STILL BE ABLE TO GO
03:57:49GET AN NIL DEAL ARCH MANNING OR
03:57:55WHOEVER. AUSTIN SIMMONS, THE GREAT QUARTERBACK AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI, THEY CAN
03:57:59STILL GET THEIR DEAL FROM NIKE.
03:58:00NOTHING IN THIS BILL PROHIBITS
03:58:03THAT. AND WHILE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IT, BECAUSE I'M SURE YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR SOME
03:58:07CRITICISMS FROM FROM SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO USE SOME
03:58:08PRETTY, UM, WELL, I'LL LET THEM SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES. THE
03:58:12LANGUAGE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO
03:58:13USE ABOUT THIS, THE REALITY IS,
03:58:16THROUGH THE COURSE OF LITIGATION, THERE'S SOMETHING
03:58:20CALLED THE HOUSE SETTLEMENT. THE HOUSE SETTLEMENT ESTABLISHED A
03:58:22REVENUE SHARING SYSTEM WITH A
03:58:24CAP OF WHAT'S ESSENTIALLY $21.5
03:58:28MILLION RIGHT NOW. OKAY. THERE
03:58:31ARE SOME FOOTBALL TEAMS RIGHT
03:58:32NOW THAT SHALL REMAIN NAMELESS.
03:58:35UH, THAT HAVE A FOOTBALL ROSTER
03:58:39VALUED AT OVER 40 MILLION. HOW IS THIS HAPPENING? BECAUSE THAT
03:58:42CAP DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING. NOBODY CAN ENFORCE ANYTHING. THEY'RE WORKING AROUND THE CAP.
03:58:46SO WHAT THIS BILL WOULD DO IS
03:58:48SET IN STATUTE THAT CAP PLUS A
03:58:55RETENTION POOL NUMBER OF 22.5 MILLION, AND A $5 MILLION
03:58:59NUMBER. THAT DOESN'T COUNT AGAINST THE CAP. IF IT GOES TO
03:59:01WOMEN'S SPORTS. SO IF ANYBODY TELLS YOU WE'RE TAKING MONEY
03:59:04OUT OF THE SYSTEM, WE'RE NOT
03:59:07ACTUALLY, WE'RE ENSURING THAT THIS MARKETPLACE STILL EXISTS,
03:59:10BUT WITH GUARDRAILS, WITH SOME STABILITY, WITH SOME CERTAINTY.
03:59:14THE IDEA THAT SOMEBODY COULD,
03:59:16YOU KNOW, THIS THIS SEMESTER BY
03:59:20SEMESTER THING, ROSTER TURNOVER
03:59:21THAT WE'VE SEEN FOR FANS IS A
03:59:25CHALLENGING THING FOR PLAYERS. THEY SHOULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO MOVE, BUT NOT EVERY YEAR. IF YOU
03:59:29ASK SOMEBODY, WHAT'S THEIR HONEST OPINION ABOUT THIS,
03:59:33THAT'S IT'S RIDICULOUS. AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, IF YOU'RE LOSING MONEY ON YOUR FOOTBALL
03:59:36PROGRAM, OR ALL OF YOUR MONEY IS GOING TO YOUR FOOTBALL PROGRAM,
03:59:40YOU'RE NOT GOING TO SUBSIDIZE
03:59:42WOMEN'S TENNIS ANYMORE, OR EVEN BASEBALL, MEN'S BASEBALL. MEN'S BASEBALL DOESN'T GENERATE
03:59:46REVENUE FOR 99% OF THE PROGRAMS THAT ARE OUT THERE. SO THE MENU
03:59:48WILL SHRINK THE OPPORTUNITIES
03:59:51FOR THOSE 500,000 STUDENT ATHLETES, WHATEVER THEIR COLOR
03:59:55IS, THAT WILL SHRINK THAT NUMBER
03:59:57WILL SHRINK. IF WE DON'T DO
03:59:59SOMETHING. IF YOU HAD ASKED ME A
04:00:02FEW YEARS AGO ABOUT WHETHER CONGRESS SHOULD GET INVOLVED IN THIS, I WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY,
04:00:06VERY SKEPTICAL I AM A FAN FIRST
04:00:10AND FOREMOST, AS I COME TO THIS,
04:00:13AND I'VE TRIED TO TAKE LOOK AT THIS AS A LAWYER, LOOK AT THIS AS A LAWMAKER. LOOK AT THIS AS A
04:00:17FAN. WHAT ARE THE SOLUTIONS THAT
04:00:21ARE NECESSARY? AND WHAT WE'RE
04:00:23DOING HERE IS SOMETHING THAT
04:00:25THIS BODY, THIS CONGRESS, IS THE
04:00:27ONLY ENTITY ON THE PLANET CAN
04:00:31DO. NOBODY ELSE. THE CONFERENCES CAN TRY TO ENFORCE THEIR OWN
04:00:35RULES. DID IT WITH SOME SUCCESS RECENTLY WITH THE PRO SITUATION
04:00:39IN THE SEC, IN THE BIG TEN. BUT
04:00:43IF THIS STUFF IS CHALLENGED, THEY HAVE NO LEGAL ABILITY
04:00:45BECAUSE OF OUR ANTITRUST LAWS TO ACTUALLY ENFORCE THESE RULES. SO WE'RE GIVING THAT LIMITED
04:00:49ANTITRUST PROTECTION TO ENFORCE
04:00:52ELIGIBILITY AT FIVE YEARS TO
04:00:55ENFORCE THE ONE TIME TRANSFER. I
04:00:59THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT. THAT
04:01:00ABILITY TO ENFORCE THOSE RULES, THE ATHLETES. LET'S TALK ABOUT
04:01:04THE STUDENT ATHLETES FOR A SECOND. NOT ONLY IS THAT MARKET THEN ESTABLISHED, THAT IS WHERE
04:01:08IT IS RIGHT NOW. NOW, I WILL TELL YOU, MAYBE THE ONE GROUP
04:01:10THAT DOESN'T LIKE THIS ARE THE
04:01:12SPORTS AGENTS, THE RICH SPORTS
04:01:15AGENTS WHO WEAR GUCCI SUITS AND ALLIGATOR SHOES. THEY MAY NOT LIKE THIS BECAUSE THERE ARE NO
04:01:20RULES FOR AGENTS RIGHT NOW. AN AGENT CAN CHARGE 30% ON AN 18
04:01:24YEAR OLD, AND IN SOME INSTANCES,
04:01:26HAVE. I'VE HEARD THEIR LIFETIME
04:01:29EARNINGS. THAT IS NUTS. THE
04:01:33PERCENTAGE AN AGENT GETS IN THE NFL IS IN THE SINGLE DIGITS. THE
04:01:36LOW SINGLE DIGITS. PEOPLE ARE BEING TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF. A
04:01:40BUDDY IN A CLASSROOM MIGHT GET YOU A BETTER DEAL. IF YOU GO TO
04:01:43WISCONSIN. WELL, GUESS WHAT? IT WASN'T A BETTER SITUATION. MAYBE DIDN'T END UP THERE. YOU.
04:01:47MAYBE YOU ENDED UP WITH LESS MONEY. THAT AGENT, OR YOUR
04:01:49FRIEND, OR THE HANGAR OWNER, HE DOESN'T CARE. HE GOT HIS CUT.
04:01:53SO THIS BILL ESTABLISHES RULES
04:01:56FOR AGENTS TO GET RID OF THE SCAMMERS AND THE FRAUDSTERS WHO
04:01:59ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF OUR
04:02:00STUDENT ATHLETES. AND AS I
04:02:03MENTIONED, CAN STILL GET YOUR
04:02:05OWN NIL DEAL OUTSIDE OF THE REV
04:02:08SHARE NUMBER. BUT IT HAS TO BE FOR LEGITIMATE BUSINESS PURPOSE.
04:02:12THERE ARE EXAMPLE AFTER EXAMPLE WHERE THAT'S NOT ACTUALLY THE
04:02:16CASE RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS WHY YOU HAVE THIS INFLUX. AND IF YOU THINK FOR A MOMENT, WESTERN
04:02:19KENTUCKY CAN COMPETE WITH OHIO
04:02:22STATE IN THE LONG TERM, YOU'RE FOOLING YOURSELF. EVEN SCHOOL,
04:02:26EVEN HONESTLY, SCHOOLS, SOME WITHIN THE POWER FOUR, WITHIN
04:02:30THOSE PARTICULAR CONFERENCES, IT CREATES A GREAT DISPARITY. WHAT
04:02:32FANS REALLY WANT IS PARITY. THIS
04:02:36HELPS ESTABLISH THAT IT HELPS CREATE A STRUCTURE BY WHICH
04:02:38TEAMS CAN COMPETE. IT RESTORES
04:02:41TRUST, UH, STRUCTURE TO THAT TRANSFER PORTAL. I THINK THE
04:02:44THING THAT PROBABLY MOST PEOPLE SEE, I'VE LEARNED A LOT OF
04:02:48WHAT'S GOING ON BEHIND THE SCENES, BUT WHAT PEOPLE SEE
04:02:51FRONT AND CENTER IS PROBABLY THE TRANSFERS, WHERE AN ENTIRE
04:02:54DEFENSE IS GONE, OR AN ENTIRE OFFENSE IS GONE. I'M TALKING A LOT ABOUT FOOTBALL. JUST BECAUSE WE'RE IT'S FOOTBALL SEASON.
04:02:58THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE MOST PEOPLE SEE. IT'S THE SECOND MOST
04:03:01POPULAR SPORT IN THIS COUNTRY. AND WHILE I'M TALKING ABOUT
04:03:05THAT, IT'S WORTH MENTIONING. THE BILL FOR THE FIRST TIME
04:03:08PROVIDES THE OPTION. THE OPTION
04:03:12FOR CONFERENCES TO POOL THEIR METEORITES. IT'S TOTALLY VOLUNTARY. IF THE SEC BIG TEN
04:03:16DON'T WANT TO DO IT, IT'S NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN. BUT
04:03:20COLLEGE FOOTBALL IS ABOUT 4 BILLION. ALL IN. THE NBA HAS
04:03:23HALF THE AUDIENCE. IT'S 8 BILLION. ALL IN. PART OF THE
04:03:25REASON FOR THAT IS THEY'RE
04:03:28NEGOTIATING ONE UNIFIED RIGHTS DEAL. THIS WOULD ALLOW THE
04:03:32CONFERENCES TO HAVE A UNIFIED RIGHTS DEAL IF THEY WANT TO. AND THAT ADDITIONAL REVENUE, THE
04:03:36BILLIONS AND BILLIONS AND
04:03:37BILLIONS AND BILLIONS MORE, CAN BE USED TO PROTECT WOMEN'S
04:03:41SPORTS AND OLYMPIC SPORTS THAT ARE AT RISK. AND IF YOU TALK TO
04:03:44ANYBODY THAT ACTUALLY KNOWS THIS STUFF, THEY WILL TELL YOU THAT
04:03:47THOSE OPPORTUNITIES ARE TO BE LIMITED. THEY'RE STILL GOING TO HAVE TO COMPLY WITH TITLE NINE,
04:03:50BUT THEY'LL DO A ONE FOR ONE
04:03:52REDUCTION IN SPORTS. SO I
04:03:57MENTIONED THE YOU'VE GOT THE, THE REV SHARE POOL, YOU'VE GOT
04:04:00THE RETENTION POOL, YOU'VE GOT THE MONEY, THE 5 MILLION THAT
04:04:03DOESN'T COUNT AGAINST THAT CAP. IF IT'S FOR WOMEN'S SPORTS, I
04:04:07THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT COMPONENTS WITH THIS BILL THAT
04:04:10I'VE TALKED TO A TON OF COLLEAGUES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE
04:04:13AISLE ABOUT. THIS IS NOT A
04:04:17PERFECT BILL. I PROBABLY HAVE NEVER VOTED FOR A PERFECT BILL.
04:04:20I'VE FILED PERFECT BILLS, MR. PRESIDENT, I FILED A LOT OF
04:04:24PERFECT BILLS, BUT VOTING ON PERFECT BILLS IS A DIFFERENT
04:04:27MATTER. SO THERE'S GOING TO BE
04:04:31THINGS, SOME THERE'S SOME THINGS IN THIS BILL THAT I DON'T LIKE,
04:04:34ACTUALLY. BUT ON BALANCE, THE
04:04:37TIME HAS COME FOR THE UNITED STATES SENATE TO DO SOMETHING
04:04:41THAT IT ACTUALLY RARELY DOES,
04:04:47WHICH IS TO MEET THE MOMENT WE
04:04:51ARE AT A MOMENT THIS HAS THE ENDORSEMENT OF EVERY CONFERENCE,
04:04:55ALL THE SCHOOLS, THE NFL PLAYERS ASSOCIATION, STUDENT ATHLETES
04:04:58THAT HAVE COME HERE. LEGENDARY
04:05:02COACHES WHO'VE SEEN THE CHANGES
04:05:08HBCUS, THE SWAC CONFERENCE, THE
04:05:11SEC, THE BIG TEN, ALL OF THEM.
04:05:13THEY ALL RECOGNIZE THAT THERE IS
04:05:18A CHOICE. NOW, A BINARY CHOICE,
04:05:21WHICH IS TO DO SOMETHING TO CORRECT THE MAJOR ISSUES AND
04:05:24PROVIDE STABILITY SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO ENJOY COLLEGE
04:05:27ATHLETICS, WHICH, LIKE I SAID, WHAT WE GET TO ENJOY ON A
04:05:31SATURDAY AFTERNOON OR, OR WHENEVER A GAME IS BEING PLAYED. I'VE GOT TWO DAUGHTERS. I THINK
04:05:35IT'S GREAT WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH WOMEN'S SPORTS. THAT
04:05:38DOESN'T HAPPEN ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD. IT IS A UNIQUELY
04:05:41AMERICAN INSTITUTION. WE CAN DO
04:05:43THAT, OR WE CAN FIND SOME REASON
04:05:46TO NOT SUPPORT IT. WE CAN
04:05:51GRANDSTAND AND TRY TO PRETEND THAT YOU'RE ADVOCATING FOR
04:05:53SOMEBODY THAT'S BEING LEFT OUT
04:05:55OF THIS. BUT THE TRUTH IS, THIS
04:06:00BILL WILL SOLVE A TON OF
04:06:01PROBLEMS THAT ARE SO OBVIOUS.
04:06:04YOU'D HAVE TO BE NOT PAYING
04:06:06ATTENTION OR NOT WANT TO NOTICE.
04:06:09AND SO I THINK THAT, UH, COLLEGE
04:06:11ATHLETES ARE PROTECTED. OUR
04:06:16SPORTS THAT FANS LOVE ARE
04:06:20PROTECTED. IT'S BECOME COLLEGE
04:06:21SPORTS HAS BECOME, IN SOME WAYS,
04:06:25A PROFESSIONAL LEAGUE. I DON'T,
04:06:28I DON'T THINK IT'S STRIPPED OF
04:06:29WHAT BEEN STRIPPED OF LOYALTY,
04:06:34CONTINUITY, THE MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN FANS AND
04:06:36THEIR TEAMS. THIS BILL REESTABLISHES THAT WITH STILL
04:06:40GIVING STUDENT ATHLETES A LOT OF
04:06:41OPTIONS. I ALSO WANT TO JUST SAY
04:06:47SOMETHING ABOUT. WHAT SPORTS
04:06:49MEANS TO OUR CONSTITUENTS I WOULD SAY, CULTURALLY, WE DO A
04:06:53LOT OF THINGS UP HERE THAT BACK HOME, PEOPLE WONDER, WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? WHAT ARE YOU
04:06:57DOING? I DON'T THIS IS A CULTURAL ISSUE. THIS IS
04:07:00SOMETHING THAT OUR FOLKS BACK
04:07:01HOME DO CARE ABOUT. AND I THINK
04:07:06THEY WANT TO KNOW. THEY WANT TO
04:07:08KNOW WHEN WE SEE IT, WHEN
04:07:11EVERYBODY SEES THE CHALLENGES AND THE CHAOS. THAT WE CAN WORK
04:07:15TOGETHER TO GET SOMETHING DONE. I THINK, I THINK AT THE HEART OF
04:07:17IT, RESTORING FAITH THAT THIS
04:07:20BODY CAN ACT IN A WAY THAT TAKES
04:07:25A LOT OF DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS FROM A LOT OF DIFFERENT GROUPS
04:07:28AND INDIVIDUALS, AND GET TO A PLACE WHERE A PIECE OF LEGISLATION LIKE THIS CAN GET
04:07:32ACROSS THE FINISH LINE. I WANT TO THANK, UM, YOU KNOW, LOOK,
04:07:36THE BILL IS BEFORE YOU, BUT SENATOR CANTWELL FROM THE STATE
04:07:40OF WASHINGTON HAS DONE A TON OF GREAT WORK ON THIS. UM, SENATOR
04:07:42CRUZ FROM TEXAS. I MEAN, THE THREE OF US HAVE SPENT A LOT OF
04:07:45TIME TALKING TO A LOT OF PEOPLE, GETTING INPUT, MAKING CHANGES,
04:07:49TRYING TO MAKE THE BILL BETTER.
04:07:51AND, UM, I JUST DON'T THINK WE
04:07:54CAN PRETEND INACTION, UM, IS A,
04:08:00IS A SATISFYING ANSWER HERE. SO
04:08:04WE'RE ALL GOING TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE ON THIS TO,
04:08:06TO PROCEED TO THIS BILL. AND I
04:08:11HOPE THAT WE DO IT. WE'RE GOING
04:08:13TO GET ONE SHOT AT THIS. WE'RE
04:08:15GOING TO GET ONE SHOT. AND I
04:08:20DON'T KNOW, I'M NOT NOSTRADAMUS. NOBODY IN HERE IS.
04:08:22I DON'T KNOW THAT WE EVER WILL
04:08:25AGAIN ANYTIME SOON. I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
04:08:28AND WHENEVER I DON'T KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO OTHER THINGS. BUT WE GOT A MOMENT
04:08:32HERE, LIKE I SAID, THAT WE CAN
04:08:36MEET AND ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANT TO
04:08:40PUT IT, YOU WANT TO TAKE A STEP
04:08:41BACK. I THINK THIS VOTE, THIS
04:08:44BILL, WILL DEFINE THE TRAJECTORY
04:08:48OF COLLEGE ATHLETICS FOR DECADES. AND THAT DOESN'T COME.
04:08:52THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN EVERY DAY THAT WE'RE CONFRONTED WITH,
04:08:56WITH THOSE KIND OF ISSUES, WITH A SOLUTION IN FRONT OF US THAT
04:09:00HAS BEEN WORKED ON IN A BIPARTISAN WAY TO TRY TO SOLVE
04:09:03THESE ISSUES, TO PROTECT AN AMERICAN INSTITUTION, COLLEGE
04:09:07SPORTS. WITH THAT, MR.
04:09:08PRESIDENT, I YIELD BACK.
04:09:12>> I RISE TODAY TO SPEAK ABOUT
04:09:17THE FUTURE OF COLLEGE ATHLETICS AND AMERICAN STUDENT ATHLETES.
04:09:20CONGRESS IS BEING ASKED ASKED TO
04:09:21TAKE ACTION TO SAVE COLLEGE
04:09:24SPORTS. WELL, AS WE CONSIDER WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO SAVE
04:09:28COLLEGE SPORTS, WE BETTER MAKE
04:09:31SURE THAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON SAVING IT FOR AMERICAN STUDENT
04:09:34ATHLETES FOR GENERATIONS,
04:09:37COLLEGE SPORTS HAVE BECOME A
04:09:39PART OF CULTURE, PARTICULARLY IN
04:09:41A STATE LIKE OHIO. A LOT OF STATES LOVE THEIR COLLEGE
04:09:45SPORTS. IT'S PART OF AMERICAN
04:09:49CULTURE. I. AND IT IS, AN
04:09:53IMPORTANT PART OF CAMPUS LIFE FOR MANY AMERICAN STUDENTS. AND
04:09:56WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT
04:09:58REMAINS THE CASE. BUT SPORTS
04:10:01MEANS SO MUCH MORE THAN THAT. SO
04:10:05MANY OF AMERICA'S LEADERS HAVE A SPORTS BACKGROUND, WHETHER THAT'S IN POLITICS, BUSINESS,
04:10:09OR WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE. FOR
04:10:13OBVIOUS REASONS. IT HELPS YOU
04:10:16BUILD CHARACTER, MAKES YOU TOUGHER. YOU LEARN DISCIPLINE,
04:10:20TEAMWORK, ALL OF THE THINGS THAT ARE VIRTUOUS, PARTS OF
04:10:23SUCCEEDING IN LIFE. I KNOW THIS
04:10:26FIRSTHAND. I GREW UP, UH, VERY
04:10:29RURAL AND WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL IN
04:10:32A SMALL TOWN. AND, UM, NO ONE IN
04:10:36MY FAMILY HAD ATTENDED COLLEGE
04:10:41NO ONE. AND, UM, THE ONLY THING
04:10:42I WANTED TO DO AS A KID IS THAT
04:10:45I WANTED TO PLAY COLLEGE FOOTBALL. I GOT TO WATCH THE
04:10:49OHIO STATE BUCKEYES AND, AND
04:10:53EVEN ONE OF, UH, THE NOTRE DAME
04:10:55FIGHTING IRISH WATCHED HIM WHEN YOU WERE A KID ON TV AND YOU
04:10:58SAID, HEY, YOU KNOW, I DON'T
04:11:00KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT COLLEGE, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO GO PLAY COLLEGE
04:11:04FOOTBALL. AND THAT'S WHAT GOT ME
04:11:06INTERESTED IN GOING TO COLLEGE,
04:11:09BECAUSE I WANTED TO PLAY COLLEGE
04:11:11FOOTBALL. I LITERALLY DIDN'T KNOW A PERSON WHO HAD GONE TO
04:11:15COLLEGE OTHER THAN MY TEACHERS
04:11:20AND COACHES. ANYBODY, BUT I
04:11:23WANTED TO GO TO COLLEGE BECAUSE
04:11:26I WANTED TO PLAY COLLEGE SPORTS.
04:11:29AND IF YOU WANT TO PLAY COLLEGE
04:11:33SPORTS, THE PATHWAY TO DEVELOPING YOU AS A HUMAN BEING
04:11:37STARTS LONG BEFORE YOU GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL, BECAUSE IF YOU
04:11:40WANT TO PLAY COLLEGE SPORTS, YOU
04:11:43GOT TO PREPARE. FROM THE TIME
04:11:47THAT YOU PLAY LITTLE LEAGUE
04:11:50BASEBALL, OR MAYBE NOW YOUTH
04:11:54SOCCER, YOUTH BASKETBALL, FOOTBALL, WHATEVER YOUR SPORT IS, YOU START TO DEVELOP
04:11:58YOURSELF, YOUR CHARACTER AS A
04:11:59YOUNG PERSON WITH THAT GOAL IN
04:12:02MIND THAT ONE DAY, MAYBE YOU CAN
04:12:06GO PLAY FOR THAT >> TEAM THAT YOU DREAMED OF WHEN
04:12:08YOU WERE A LITTLE KID. FOR ME, I
04:12:14ENDED UP PLAYING FOOTBALL AT THE
04:12:14UNIVERSITY OF DAYTON. I WAS A. I
04:12:19WAS A HIGHLY PRIZED RECRUIT. I WAS THE SEVENTH TEAM RUNNING
04:12:23BACK. WHEN I GOT THERE. I BET MOST PEOPLE DIDN'T KNOW THAT
04:12:26YOU COULD BE THAT LOW ON THE DEPTH CHART. I ACTUALLY ACTUALLY
04:12:30WAS THAT LOW ON THE DEPTH CHART
04:12:35AND, UM, AS A MATTER OF FACT, THE, THE EQUIPMENT MANAGER
04:12:38DIDN'T EVEN WANT TO GIVE ME A JERSEY NUMBER THAT I COULD BE A RUNNING BACK BECAUSE HE SAID I
04:12:41WAS NEVER GOING TO PLAY THERE
04:12:46BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS, IS THAT IF YOU DEVELOP THAT CHARACTER THAT
04:12:50YOU GET FROM SPORTS LIKE FOOTBALL, WHERE YOU GET KNOCKED DOWN AND YOU GOT TO GET BACK UP,
04:12:54YOU LEARN NEVER TO QUIT. THAT'S
04:12:58WHY SPORTS ARE SO SUCH AN
04:12:59IMPORTANT PART OF PEOPLE'S
04:13:03LIVES. AND FOR ME, UH, THAT
04:13:05RESILIENCE PAID OFF BECAUSE
04:13:08LATER I ENDED UP HAVING THE
04:13:10OPPORTUNITY TO BE A STARTING DEFENSIVE BACK, EVENTUALLY
04:13:13BECAME A NATIONAL CHAMPION. AND
04:13:16AN ALL AMERICAN. UH, I WOULD
04:13:20NEVER HAVE DEVELOPED THAT CHARACTER WITHOUT THE
04:13:23OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY SPORTS. AND
04:13:25I TELL YOU TODAY, THERE'S NO WAY I'D BE STANDING HERE AS A
04:13:28U.S. SENATOR IF IT WEREN'T FOR
04:13:31COLLEGE ATHLETES, ATHLETICS,
04:13:33GIVING ME THE CHANCE TO DEVELOP
04:13:36MYSELF FROM A KID WHO GREW UP WHERE THEY DIDN'T KNOW ANYBODY THAT WENT TO COLLEGE, TO
04:13:41SOMEBODY WHO NOT ONLY GRADUATED,
04:13:41BUT GOT A CHANCE TO SUCCEED IN
04:13:45ATHLETICS. AND, UM, I WANT THAT FOR EVERYBODY IN THIS COUNTRY. I WANT EVERY KID, LITTLE KID WHO
04:13:49HAS A DREAM OF GOING TO PLAY
04:13:54ATHLETICS. THAT'S ON THE TENNIS TEAM, THE GOLF TEAM, HOCKEY,
04:13:57WHATEVER IT IS THAT THEY HAVE
04:13:59THE CHANCE TO DO THAT. BUT
04:14:02INCREASINGLY, AMERICAN STUDENT
04:14:04ATHLETES ARE BEING DENIED THIS OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE MORE AND
04:14:07MORE ROSTER SPOTS ARE GOING TO
04:14:13STUDENT ATHLETES WHO, FROM OTHER
04:14:16NATIONS. WHILE THE PROTECT COLLEGE SPORTS ACT TAKES A
04:14:19MATERIAL STEP TOWARDS MAKING OUR
04:14:22NATION'S COLLEGE SPORTS LEAGUES
04:14:25COMPETITIVE AGAIN, ONE CRITICAL OMISSION EXISTS IN IT. IT
04:14:28DOESN'T LOOK OUT FOR AMERICAN
04:14:31STUDENT ATHLETES IN THEIR
04:14:34ACADEMIC AND ATHLETIC JOURNEYS
04:14:37AS I SAID, MORE SCHOLARSHIPS, AND IN THIS CASE, ROSTER SPOTS.
04:14:41I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT SCHOLARSHIP. I'M TALKING ABOUT
04:14:43A ROSTER SPOT, A CHANCE TO PLAY.
04:14:47ARE GOING TO NON-AMERICANS. AND
04:14:50THERE'S NO INCENTIVE FOR COLLEGES TO PRIORITIZE AMERICAN
04:14:53STUDENT ATHLETES. AND WITH THE
04:14:55NIL FUNDS THAT ARE COMING IN, IT'S GOING TO CREATE A BIGGER
04:14:59AND BIGGER INCENTIVE FOR PRO
04:15:02ATHLETES FROM OTHER NATIONS TO
04:15:04COME PLAY COLLEGE SPORTS IN AMERICA AND TAKE ROSTER SPOTS
04:15:08AWAY FROM AMERICAN CITIZENS.
04:15:10THESE TAXPAYER FUNDED
04:15:14INSTITUTIONS SHOULD PRIORITIZE AMERICAN STUDENTS. AND ADDITIONALLY, THE PROTECT
04:15:17COLLEGE SPORTS ACT FAILS TO
04:15:19ADDRESS THE GRAY AREA CREATED BY THE OVERLAP IN IMMIGRATION LAW
04:15:23AND REVENUE SHARING STRUCTURES. STUDENT ATHLETES OFTEN COME TO
04:15:27THE UNITED STATES UNDER F-1 VISA
04:15:27STATUS. THESE. VISA STATUS. THIS VISA STATUS HAS STRICT
04:15:32LIMITATIONS ON COMPENSATION
04:15:34COMPENSATION VIA EMPLOYMENT. BUT TO AVOID JEOPARDIZING VISA
04:15:38STATUS, COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES STRUCTURE PAYMENTS
04:15:42TO INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS AND ATHLETES AS PASSIVE INCOME. OUT
04:15:44OF REVENUE SHARING FUNDS AND GET
04:15:50AROUND THOSE PROHIBITIONS AGAIN,
04:15:53CREATING AN INCENTIVE FOR MORE ROSTER SPOTS AND MORE
04:15:54SCHOLARSHIPS TO GO TO STUDENT
04:15:58ATHLETES WHO ARE NOT AMERICAN
04:16:02CITIZENS. IT'S NOT RIGHT. IF
04:16:07YOU ASK CONGRESS TO PROTECT COLLEGE SPORTS, YOU SHOULD BE PROTECTING IT. FOR AMERICAN
04:16:11STUDENT ATHLETES. AND THAT'S
04:16:13WHY, MR. PRESIDENT, I INTRODUCED
04:16:15THE TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR
04:16:18AMERICA. AMERICAN MEMBERS AND UNIVERSITY SPORTS AND ATHLETICS
04:16:22ACT. THE TEAM USA ACT, WITH
04:16:25HOUSE EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE.
04:16:27CHAIR. WALBERG. THE TEAM USA ACT
04:16:30WOULD ENCOURAGE UNIVERSITIES TO
04:16:32PRIORITIZE AMERICAN STUDENTS WHEN RECRUITING THE BEST TALENT.
04:16:36AND. THE PROPOSAL PLACES A 20%
04:16:38CAP ON INTERNATIONAL STUDENT
04:16:42ROSTER SPOTS, PER SPORT. WITH DELAYED IMPLEMENTATION, SO THAT
04:16:45CURRENT STUDENT ATHLETES ARE NOT DISRUPTED. SO, UNDERSTAND, I'M
04:16:49NOT CALLING FOR A BAN WE WELCOME
04:16:54INTERNATIONAL STUDENT ATHLETES TO AMERICA. 20% OF THE ROSTER
04:16:57SPOTS. THAT'S FINE. BUT WE HAVE
04:16:59SOME ROSTERS IN WHICH THERE IS
04:17:03NOT A SINGLE UNITED STATES
04:17:05CITIZEN ON THAT ROSTER. AND SOME
04:17:08OF OUR NON-REVENUE SPORTS
04:17:11THAT'S NOT RIGHT. IT'S NOT THE WAY IT SHOULD BE. WE SUPPORT
04:17:15COMPETITION, BUT WE WANT TO MAKE
04:17:18SURE THAT IT'S A VALUABLE OPPORTUNITY FOR AMERICAN STUDENT
04:17:21ATHLETES, BECAUSE SPORTS WERE
04:17:24CREATED NOT TO MAKE BIG REVENUE
04:17:27AND BIG MONEY FOR COLLEGE
04:17:28ATHLETIC PROGRAMS. THEY WERE
04:17:32CREATED TO BUILD CHARACTER
04:17:35AMONGST OUR STUDENTS IN OUR
04:17:38SCHOOLS, WAS DESIGNED ORIGINALLY TO TEACH. YES, WE WANT TO HAVE
04:17:42ACADEMICS IN OUR SCHOOLS, BUT WE ALSO ARE GOING TO HAVE
04:17:45EXTRACURRICULAR ATHLETICS TO
04:17:48TEACH PHYSICAL FITNESS AND
04:17:52TOUGHNESS, LEADERSHIP AND CHARACTER. THAT'S WHAT IT'S ALL
04:17:56ABOUT. AND TO DENY,
04:18:00INCREASINGLY, THOSE OPPORTUNITIES TO AMERICAN
04:18:02STUDENT ATHLETES IS WRONG. AND
04:18:07SO. AS CONGRESS CONSIDERS THE
04:18:09FUTURE OF NIL AND COLLEGE SPORTS
04:18:13PROTECTING AMERICAN. OR PROTECTING OPPORTUNITIES FOR
04:18:16AMERICAN STUDENT ATHLETES MUST
04:18:19COME FIRST. AMERICAN COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES ARE INCREASINGLY GIVING
04:18:23SCHOLARSHIPS, AND. THESE LIMITED
04:18:25ROSTER SPOTS TO FOREIGN ATHLETES
04:18:28AND. THE GROWTH OF NIL MONEY ONLY CREATES MORE INCENTIVES FOR
04:18:32FOREIGN ATHLETES TO CASH IN ON
04:18:35THE AMERICAN SYSTEM AT THE
04:18:37EXPENSE OF STUDENT ATHLETES IN
04:18:40THIS COUNTRY. IF THE US CONGRESS
04:18:43IS BEING ASKED TO SAVE COLLEGE
04:18:45SPORTS, WE BETTER DARN SURE MAKE
04:18:48SURE THAT WE SAVE IT FOR
04:18:49AMERICAN STUDENT ATHLETES. I
04:18:57DON'T EXPECT GOVERNMENTS OF OTHER NATIONS TO LOOK OUT FOR
04:19:01AMERICAN STUDENT ATHLETES, BUT I
04:19:02SURE EXPECT THE UNITED STATES
04:19:05GOVERNMENT TO LOOK OUT FOR
04:19:07AMERICAN STUDENT ATHLETES. AND THAT'S WHY I'VE INTRODUCED THE
04:19:10LEGISLATION THAT'S WHY IT NEEDS
04:19:13TO BE PART OF THIS DISCUSSION,
04:19:15SO THAT AMERICAN STUDENT
04:19:18ATHLETES STILL HAVE THE
04:19:21OPPORTUNITY. LIKE LOTS OF LITTLE
04:19:22BOYS AND LITTLE GIRLS OUT THERE
04:19:26TODAY. WHO DREAM AND HAVE A DREAM OF BEING ABLE TO PLAY
04:19:29COLLEGE SPORTS ONE DAY,
04:19:31SHOULDN'T SEE THAT OPPORTUNITY
04:19:34GIVEN AWAY TO SOMEONE. WHO'S NOT
04:19:41AN AMERICAN CITIZEN WE CAN
04:19:44BALANCE BOTH. WE CAN FIND A WAY
04:19:46TO WELCOME THE BEST FROM OTHER
04:19:52NATIONS. AND ALSO PROTECT ROSTER SPOTS FOR AMERICAN STUDENT
04:19:55ATHLETES. THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. I YIELD THE FLOOR.
04:19:58>> THE SENATOR FROM NEW JERSEY.
04:20:01>> I WANT TO SPEAK FORCEFULLY AGAINST THE PROTECT COLLEGE
04:20:03SPORTS ACT. I KNOW THERE'S A HANDFUL OF US, LIKE MY COLLEAGUE
04:20:07WHO PLAYED COLLEGE SPORTS. I WAS A HIGH SCHOOL ALL-AMERICAN, A
04:20:11PLAYER OF THE YEAR FOR MY STATE, UH, ON THE SAME USA TODAY
04:20:14ALL-AMERICAN TEAM AS PEOPLE LIKE EMMITT SMITH, AND GOT A FULL
04:20:18SCHOLARSHIP IN SO MANY WAYS. LIKE MY COLLEAGUE, I AM HERE
04:20:21AFFORDED OPPORTUNITIES I
04:20:22PROBABLY WOULD NEVER HAVE HAD IF
04:20:26IT WASN'T FOR COLLEGE ATHLETICS. BUT WHILE A COLLEGE STUDENT AND
04:20:28A PLAYER, I SAW HOW UNJUST THE
04:20:30NCAA IS. IT IS A SERIAL
04:20:35MONOPOLIST CONTROLLING AN
04:20:36INDUSTRY OVER $15 BILLION,
04:20:42STRONG AND RAPIDLY GROWING. AND
04:20:43THE NCAA HAS A LONG RECORD OF
04:20:47IGNORING THE CRIES FOR JUSTICE
04:20:47FROM EXPLOITED COLLEGE ATHLETES.
04:20:51THE NCAA PROTECTS ITS MEMBERS.
04:20:55IT PROTECTS THE COLLEGES, AND IT HAS REPEATEDLY PUT COLLEGE
04:20:58ATHLETES IN HORRIBLE POSITIONS
04:21:01FOR GENERATIONS. BILLIONS OF
04:21:03DOLLARS WERE BEING MADE THAT
04:21:06WERE GIVING TO COACHES, AIDES.
04:21:10EVERYBODY WAS MAKING MONEY, BUT COLLEGE ATHLETES WEREN'T. IT
04:21:14WASN'T UNTIL COLLEGE ATHLETES
04:21:16WERE ABLE TO BEGIN TO WIN CASES
04:21:19IN COURT, AND STATES. SEEING THE INJUSTICES BEGAN TO CHANGE. THE
04:21:23LAW THAT STARTED TO SHIFT THE
04:21:24POWER TABLE. AND NOW THE NCAA IS
04:21:27COMING HERE TO THE UNITED STATES
04:21:29SENATE ASKING FOR SWEEPING
04:21:33POWERS THAT EXEMPT OUR ANTITRUST
04:21:36LAWS WELL, MY CONCERNS I'VE
04:21:42GROWN TO HAVE OVER THE YEARS ARE NOT ADDRESSED IN THIS BILL. THIS
04:21:46BILL DOES NOT ENOUGH TO PROTECT
04:21:50COLLEGE ATHLETES HEALTH AND
04:21:52SAFETY AND WELL-BEING. AND AS A RESULT OF THAT, THE NUMBERS OF
04:21:55GROUPS OPPOSED TO IT IS ALMOST
04:21:57TOO LONG TO READ. I'M GOING TO
04:22:00SUBMIT, FOR THE RECORD A FULL LIST, BUT LET ME JUST READ SOME
04:22:02OF THEM. EVERY COLLEGE SPORTS
04:22:08ATHLETES, PLAYERS ASSOCIATION, THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYERS
04:22:11ASSOCIATION, THE UNITED COLLEGE
04:22:15ATHLETES ASSOCIATIONS, ALL THE ASSOCIATIONS OF COLLEGE SPORTS,
04:22:19ALL OUR MAJOR UNIONS, THE
04:22:21AFL-CIO, THE UNITED STEELWORKERS, ALL OF OUR MAJOR
04:22:24CIVIL RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS, THE
04:22:27NC NAACP, THE URBAN LEAGUE, ALL
04:22:32OF OUR MAJOR LEGAL THINK TANKS THAT PROTECT THE HEALTH,
04:22:35WELL-BEING, AND JUSTICE, LIKE
04:22:36THE CENTER FOR LAW AND POLICY. I
04:22:40COULD GO ON AND ON ABOUT THOSE
04:22:42PEOPLE WHO OBJECT TO THIS BILL,
04:22:45BECAUSE IT IS NOT PROTECTING
04:22:49ATHLETES. AND THINK ABOUT THIS. IT IS DOING ALL KINDS OF THINGS
04:22:53TO STOP PLAYERS FROM EARNING
04:22:59MONEY, PUTTING BUREAUCRACY BETWEEN THEM, AND THE POSSIBILITIES. BUT IT DOES
04:23:03NOTHING TO AFFECT COACHES. SO,
04:23:05IN OTHER WORDS, IT'S TREATING
04:23:08COLLEGE ATHLETES AS A DIFFERENT CLASS. MEANWHILE, COACHES
04:23:12SALARIES, OFTEN IN MOST STATES, THE HIGHEST PAID PEOPLE IN THEIR
04:23:16STATE GOVERNMENTS ARE THE BASKETBALL OR THE FOOTBALL COACH. THEIR SALARIES CONTINUE
04:23:20TO SKYROCKET WITH CLOSE TO 15
04:23:24COACHES RIGHT NOW HAVE ALMOST A
04:23:26QUARTER OF $1 BILLION BUYOUTS
04:23:29FOR THEIR CONTRACTS. THIS IS AN
04:23:33UNJUST BILL, AND I WANT TO DEAL VERY QUICKLY WITH SOME OF THE
04:23:36TOP LINES. FIRST AND FOREMOST,
04:23:40WE HAVE A BILL THAT DOESN'T SOLVE THE PROBLEMS IT CLAIMS TO
04:23:42SOLVE. IT SAYS IT'S GOING TO FIX
04:23:45A SYSTEM THAT'S BROKEN. WELL,
04:23:48THE NCAA CONFERENCES AND SCHOOLS
04:23:50CONTINUE TO LOSE MAJOR COURT CASES. THIS BILL IS GOING TO
04:23:54TAKE AWAY THE POWER OF ATHLETES
04:23:57TO BE ABLE TO SUE FOR THEIR RIGHTS. IT SAYS IN THIS BILL
04:24:01THAT, OH, WE'RE PRESERVING AN
04:24:04INDIVIDUAL RIGHT OF ACTION FOR INDIVIDUAL ATHLETES. WELL, LET
04:24:06ME TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, ANY LAWYER WORTH THEIR SALT WILL
04:24:10TELL YOU THAT SOMEBODY COMPETING FOR THE STARTING PITCHER SPOT ON
04:24:13A SOFTBALL TEAM IS NOT GOING TO SUE THEIR COLLEGE IN HOPES
04:24:17THEY'RE GOING TO GET JUSTICE IF THEY'RE FACING SEXUAL ASSAULT,
04:24:20OR IF THEY'VE BEEN FORCED TO PLAY THROUGH AN INJURY, OR IF
04:24:23THERE'S A BREAKING OF ANY OF THE RULES AROUND THE NCAA THAT
04:24:26PURPORT TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS,
04:24:30IT'S CREATING A CARTEL FOR THEM, A MONOPOLY FOR THEM, AND
04:24:32NO INADEQUATE PROTECTIONS, EXCUSE ME, INADEQUATE
04:24:35PROTECTIONS FOR COLLEGE ATHLETES
04:24:39AND UNDERMINING THEIR ABILITY,
04:24:39SHOULD THEY EVEN CHOOSE TO SUE,
04:24:43UNDERMINING THEIR ABILITY TO HAVE A FAIR DAY IN COURT. IT'S
04:24:46NOT PROTECTING THE SPENDING
04:24:48PROBLEM. SCHOOLS INCREASINGLY
04:24:51CLAIM THAT ATHLETE COMPENSATION HAS CREATED UNPRECEDENTED
04:24:54FINANCIAL PRESSURE. AT THE SAME TIME THAT FOOTBALL COACHES AND
04:24:58BASKETBALL COACHES CONTINUE TO SEE HIGHER AND HIGHER SALARIES.
04:25:01THIS BILL RESPONDS BY PLACING
04:25:04FEDERALLY IMPOSED CEILINGS ON
04:25:07ATHLETE COMPENSATION, WHILE LEAVING EVERY OTHER MAJOR
04:25:09EXPENSE FREE TO CONTINUE TO
04:25:11INCREASE. HOW MUCH SCHOOLS ARE
04:25:14SPENDING ON THEIR FACILITIES,
04:25:15PAYING THEIR ADS, PAYING THEIR COACHES AND ASSISTANT COACHES.
04:25:19ALL OF THOSE PRICES CONTINUE TO GO UP, BUT IT'S THE COLLEGE
04:25:23ATHLETES THAT ARE GOING TO BE
04:25:25FACING THE CAPS WE SEE
04:25:28PROTECTIONS FOR WOMEN'S AND OLYMPIC SPORTS, WHICH I AGREE
04:25:31ON. THEY'RE IN THIS BILL, BUT
04:25:34THOSE PROTECTIONS EXPIRE WHILE
04:25:38THE ANTITRUST PROTECTIONS DO
04:25:39NOT. YOU GO TO SECTION 125 OF THE BILL. IT HAS PROTECTIONS FOR
04:25:43THOSE ROSTER SPORTS AND GRANT AND AID OPPORTUNITIES IN THOSE
04:25:46SPORTS. BUT THOSE PROTECTIONS
04:25:48EXPIRE AFTER 4 OR 9 YEARS. IT IS
04:25:51A LIE TO SAY THAT THIS BILL IS
04:25:55PROTECTING OLYMPIC SPORTS BECAUSE IT'S NOT. IT ONLY DOES
04:25:57SO FOR A HANDFUL OF YEARS.
04:26:00PERMANENT ANTITRUST EXEMPTION,
04:26:04TEMPORARY PROTECTION FOR COLLEGE ATHLETES COMPETING IN OLYMPIC
04:26:07SPORTS. WHY WOULD WE DO THAT?
04:26:09WHY WOULD WE DO THAT? WE SHOULD
04:26:11GIVE NOT PERMANENT EXEMPTION. IF
04:26:15WE'RE NOT DOING IT IN OTHER PARTS OF THE BILL, AND EVEN THAT
04:26:20IS QUESTIONABLE. THE NCAA'S
04:26:20RECORD OVER DECADES DOES NOT
04:26:24JUSTIFY GIVING IT MORE CONTROL.
04:26:28WE'RE GIVING THEM MORE AUTHORITY OVER A GROUP OF AMERICANS. AND
04:26:32YET WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR THE
04:26:35RIGHT THINGS IN RETURN.
04:26:39PROTECTIONS FOR ATHLETES, THEIR
04:26:40HEALTH, THEIR WELL-BEING, THEIR
04:26:43SAFETY, THEIR EQUALITY FOR
04:26:45OTHERS INVOLVED IN THE SPORT,
04:26:48THE BILL CLAIMS TO CODIFY INTO LAW ATHLETES ABILITIES TO
04:26:52BENEFIT FROM NIL ATHLETES
04:26:53ALREADY ENJOY THIS, RIGHT? THEY FOUGHT DECADES FOR IT. THE BILL
04:26:57JUST PUTS NEW RED TAPE THERE. THE BILL INCLUDES PROTECTIONS
04:27:00FOR ATHLETES, HEALTH AND SAFETY EDUCATION. YEAH, BUT YOU KNOW
04:27:03WHAT? WITHOUT A MEANINGFUL
04:27:07ENFORCEMENT MECHANISM, THESE PROTECTIONS ARE BASICALLY
04:27:09SUGGESTIONS. THIS BILL RELIES EXCLUSIVELY ON THAT PRIVATE
04:27:13RIGHT OF ACTION IN SECTION 119, PLACING THE BURDEN ON YOUNG
04:27:17ATHLETES AND YOUNG ATHLETES
04:27:20ALONE TO ENFORCE ANYTHING WITHIN
04:27:21THIS BILL. THEY CLAIM THAT
04:27:25SCHOOLS AND CONFERENCES AND NCAA COACHES SUPPORT THE PROTECT
04:27:28COLLEGE SPORTS ACT. OF COURSE, THEY SUPPORT IT. THEY'RE GETTING
04:27:32ALL OF THE FINANCIAL GAIN AND
04:27:34PUTTING ALL THE BURDEN AND
04:27:38COMPROMISES AND GIVE BACKS TO COLLEGE ATHLETES, INCLUDING
04:27:39THEIR ABILITY TO WIN IN COURT.
04:27:45OH, AND THERE'S A CYNICAL PART OF THIS. THEY SAY THAT THEY'RE GOING TO HELP HISTORICALLY BLACK
04:27:49COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES. I
04:27:51WANT EVERYONE LIKE ME THAT HAS
04:27:54BEEN FIGHTING FOR HBCUS, WHO SUPPORTS HBCUS, TO UNDERSTAND
04:27:57THE CYNICISM IN THIS BILL. THIS
04:28:01BILL AUTHORIZES MONEY. IT
04:28:03AUTHORIZES MONEY. IT DOES NOT
04:28:06APPROPRIATE ONE SINGLE DOLLAR.
04:28:09WHAT YOU GET IS A PROMISE FOR FUTURE FUNDS. BUT WE KNOW TIME
04:28:13AND TIME AGAIN, CONGRESS
04:28:16AUTHORIZES FUNDING, AND THAT
04:28:19FUNDING IS NEVER DELIVERED. THIS
04:28:22BILL INCLUDES PROVISIONS OF THE
04:28:26SAFE ACT THAT I SUPPORTED. WELL, THIS LEAVES OUT A CRITICAL
04:28:30DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE SAFE ACT
04:28:32AND ATHLETES PROTECTIONS WITH MEANINGFUL ENFORCEMENT. THE SAFE
04:28:36ACT INCLUDED THE STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL AND STATE ATTORNEY
04:28:39GENERALS BEING ABLE TO A FORCE ENFORCE IT. THIS BILL DOES NOT.
04:28:43THE SAFE ACT DIDN'T GIVE THE NCAA AND CONFERENCES SWEEPING
04:28:47NEW ANTITRUST SHIELD. THIS BILL
04:28:48DOES. SO, YES, THERE ARE SOME
04:28:51PROVISIONS FOR MY EARLIER WORK IN THIS BILL, BUT THEY'RE
04:28:54TOOTHLESS BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF
04:28:59ENFORCEMENT POWER. THIS IS A GROWING GRASSROOTS EFFORT, I
04:29:01HEAR, TO SUPPORT THIS BILL. WELL, I'M SEEING MILLIONS OF
04:29:05DOLLARS WORTH OF COMMERCIALS BEING FUNDED BY ALL THE FINANCIAL INTERESTS BEHIND THIS
04:29:09BILL. BUT WHO IS PROTECTING
04:29:12COLLEGE ATHLETES? I GAVE AN
04:29:16EXAMPLE, AND I'LL END WITH THIS, BECAUSE I KNOW TIME IS SHORT. I WANT TO MAKE SURE,
04:29:20THOUGH, THAT I CAN ENTER. FOR THE RECORD, I'M GOING TO ASK THE PRESIDENT, I'D LIKE TO
04:29:23ENTER INTO A RECORD, A SOME
04:29:26LETTERS. THIS LETTER IS FROM,
04:29:29UH, COLLEGE ATHLETES,
04:29:32ORGANIZATIONS. UM, THIS LETTER
04:29:38IS FROM. CIVIL RIGHTS
04:29:41ORGANIZATIONS AND FORMER
04:29:42ATTORNEY GENERALS. UH, AND THIS
04:29:46LETTER IS FROM COLLEGE ATHLETES,
04:29:47SAFETY ORGANIZATIONS, COLLEGE
04:29:51ATHLETES, SEXUAL ABUSE SURVIVOR
04:29:53ORGANIZATIONS, AND FAMILIES OF
04:29:55COLLEGE ATHLETES WHO DIED
04:29:58FOLLOWING ATHLETIC ACTIVITIES,
04:30:01ALL SPEAKING TO THE URGENCY TO STOP THIS BILL. >> WITHOUT OBJECTION.
04:30:04>> THANK YOU. I WANT TO END WITH
04:30:07THIS. I GAVE AN EXAMPLE OF THE
04:30:11LIES THAT THE NCAA TELLS, THAT THEY'RE ABOUT THE PROTECTION OF
04:30:14STUDENT ATHLETES. FIRST, AND THE
04:30:16EXAMPLE I GAVE WAS A CHANGE THAT
04:30:19THE NFL DID, THAT WE ALL KNOW ABOUT WHO WERE FOOTBALL FANS
04:30:23WHEN THEY SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE'RE GOING TO CHANGE THE KICKOFF RULES. WHY DID THEY
04:30:26CHANGE THE KICKOFF RULES? WELL, I KNOW FROM MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE OF SCREAMING DOWN A
04:30:30FIELD, TRYING TO BREAK UCLA'S
04:30:33WEDGE. I'VE LEARNED THIS FROM
04:30:35RUSHING DOWN THE FIELD TO TRY TO TACKLE A PEOPLE PLAYING AGAINST
04:30:39USC. I LEARNED THIS IN PLAYING
04:30:41NOTRE DAME, THAT ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS THINGS YOU COULD DO IS
04:30:44GET A FULL HEAD OF STEAM AND RUN DOWN ON A KICKOFF. WELL, THEY
04:30:47CHANGED THE KICKOFF RULES TO PROTECT NFL ATHLETES, AND IT'S WORKED. THERE ARE LESS INJURIES
04:30:51IN THIS AREA. IT'S WORKING. IS
04:30:54THERE A PEEP FROM THE NCAA?
04:30:57DON'T YOU THINK THAT COLLEGE SPORTS SHOULD HAVE MORE
04:31:01PROTECTIVE POLICIES THAN THE PROS? WELL KNOW THE PROS. IT'S
04:31:03A BUSINESS. WE ALL KNOW THAT. THEY INVEST MILLIONS OF DOLLARS
04:31:06IN THESE EMPLOYEES OF THEIRS,
04:31:10AND THEY'RE TAKING ACTIONS TO
04:31:10PROTECT THEIR. >> BENNET DULY CHOSEN AND SWORN,
04:31:14HAVING VOTED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE, THE MOTION IS AGREED TO THE
04:31:18CLERK WILL REPORT THE MOTION TO PROCEED. >> MOTION TO PROCEED TO CALENDAR
04:31:22NUMBER FOUR. FOUR NINE. S 4668.
04:31:23A BILL TO PROTECT THE NAME,
04:31:26IMAGE AND LIKENESS. RIGHTS OF AND PROVIDE PROTECTIONS FOR
04:31:30STUDENT ATHLETES AND TO PROMOTE
04:31:34FAIR COMPETITION AMONG INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS AND
04:31:37FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
04:31:55>> SENATOR FROM TEXAS. >> MR. PRESIDENT, I ASK
04:31:59UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT THE APPOINTMENT AT THE DESK APPEAR SEPARATELY IN THE RECORD, AS IF
04:32:01MADE BY THE CHAIR. >> WITHOUT OBJECTION.
04:32:05>> I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT WHEN THE SENATE COMPLETES ITS
04:32:08BUSINESS TODAY, IT STAND
04:32:11ADJOURNED UNTIL 10 A.M. ON WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16th, THAT.
04:32:13FOLLOWING THE PRAYER AND PLEDGE, THE JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS BE
04:32:17APPROVED TO DATE, THE MORNING HOUR BE DEEMED EXPIRED. THE TIME
04:32:20FOR THE TWO LEADERS BE RESERVED
04:32:22FOR THEIR USE LATER IN THE DAY
04:32:26MORNING BUSINESS BE CLOSED AND THE SENATE RESUME CONSIDERATION
04:32:30OF THE MOTION TO PROCEED TO S
04:32:324668. POST CLOTURE. FINALLY,
04:32:35THAT ALL TIME DURING RECESS, ADJOURNMENT, MORNING BUSINESS
04:32:38AND LEADER REMARKS COUNT POST
04:32:40CLOTURE ON THE MOTION TO PROCEED
04:32:44TO S FOUR, SIX, SIX EIGHT. >> WITHOUT OBJECTION, SO ORDERED.
04:32:47>> IF THERE IS NO FURTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THE SENATE, I ASK THAT IT STAND
04:32:50ADJOURNED. UNDER THE PREVIOUS
04:32:55ORDER. >> SENATE STANDS ADJOURNED UNTIL
04:32:5710 A.M. TOMORROW
04:33:01>> THANK YOU. >> AND THAT WRAPS UP TODAY'S SENATE SESSION. LAWMAKERS VOTED
04:33:04TO CONFIRM OHIO STATE JUDGE MATTHEW BYRNE TO BE A U.S.
04:33:07DISTRICT COURT JUDGE FOR SOUTHERN OHIO. THE SENATE ALSO
04:33:11BLOCKED CRYPTOCURRENCY LEGISLATION TO REGULATE DIGITAL ASSETS, BUT DID VOTE TO ADVANCE
04:33:14A BILL TO SET NATIONAL STANDARDS TO PAY COLLEGE STUDENT ATHLETES
04:33:18FOR THEIR NAME, IMAGE AND LIKENESS RIGHTS. WHEN THE SENATE
04:33:21RETURNS. WATCH LIVE GAVEL TO
04:33:23GAVEL COVERAGE HERE ON C-SPAN.
04:33:26TWO.
04:33:31>> [MUSIC] >> YOU'RE WATCHING C-SPAN 2
04:33:35DEMOCRACY UNFILTERED.
04:33:38>> [MUSIC]
04:33:40>> YOU LOOK BACK ON WHAT YOU'VE ACHIEVED IN YOUR LIFE. WHAT
04:33:43MAKES YOU THE HAPPIEST OF WHAT YOU'VE ACHIEVED SO FAR? >> THIS INTERVIEW IS THE
04:33:47ABSOLUTE APEX. >> LEADERS SEEM TO LIKE TO WEAR
04:33:49WIGS. HOW COME HE DIDN'T HAVE A WIG? PRESIDENT TRUMP SAID, I
04:33:52MADE A MISTAKE THE FIRST TIME. I
04:33:54SHOULD HAVE GIVEN IT TO YOU THE FIRST TIME >> THAT ISN'T WHAT HE SAID.
04:33:58>> YOUR FIRST BOOK WAS CALLED A TIME TO KILL. HOW MANY PUBLISHERS TURNED THAT DOWN?
04:34:01>> WELL, ALL OF THEM. >> IT'S VERY RARE TO SEE DONALD TRUMP LAUGH. HE DOESN'T LIKE TO
04:34:05SMILE IN PHOTOS. HE HAS WHAT THEY CALL THE STARE. HOW WOULD
04:34:09THE STARE WHEN YOU GO TO THE OSCARS THAT EVERYBODY SAY, OH, THERE'S THE AUTHOR.
04:34:11>> OF ALL THE BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE GO THIS WAY, AND THEN THEY HAVE ANOTHER LITTLE PATH IN THE
04:34:15OSCARS, WHERE THE PEOPLE ARE LIKE, I GO. >> SO YOU WROTE A BOOK ABOUT
04:34:18SOMEBODY WHO LIVED WITH WOLVES. >> I INTERVIEWED A GUY WHO LIVED WITH WOLVES.
04:34:21>> YEAH. AND IS THAT SAFE TO DO THAT? >> ABSOLUTELY NOT.
04:34:25>> SO I KNOW YOU ARE NOT COMPLAINING. YOU WERE OPINIONATED SITUATION, WHICH IS
04:34:28WHY WE LOVE YOU, DAVID
04:34:31>> [MUSIC]
04:34:39[MUSIC] >> TONIGHT AT 8:00 EASTERN ON C-SPAN 2.
04:34:41>> DO YOU PLEDGE THAT YOU WILL
04:34:44NOT IN ANY WAY INTERFERE IN THE WILL OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WHEN
04:34:47THEY GO TO THE POLLS IN NOVEMBER? I PLEDGE UNEQUIVOCALLY
04:34:51THAT I WILL NOT PARTICIPATE IN
04:34:56YOUR CHARADE OF LIES. >> FBI DIRECTOR KASH PATEL TESTIFIES BEFORE A SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE DURING A
04:35:00HEARING ON OVERSIGHT OF THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION.
04:35:03WATCH THE HEARING IN ITS ENTIRETY TONIGHT, STARTING AT
04:35:058:00 EASTERN ON C-SPAN. TWO.
04:35:08>> OUR CAMPAIGN 2026 COVERAGE
04:35:12CONTINUES WITH REPUBLICAN TEXAS
04:35:15ATTORNEY GENERAL KEN PAXTON SPEAKING TO VOTERS IN BEAUMONT,
04:35:18TEXAS, IN HIS CAMPAIGN FOR THE U.S. SENATE, HE TALKED ABOUT THE
04:35:21IMPACT OF THE FIRST EVER
04:35:23REPUBLICAN MID-TERM CONVENTION BEING HELD IN DALLAS, AND SAID
04:35:26IT WAS PROOF THAT TEXAS IS TRULY
04:35:29A BATTLEGROUND STATE. HE ALSO CRITICIZED HIS OPPONENT, JAMES
04:35:33TALARICO, CALLING HIM THE MOST RADICAL DEMOCRAT TO EVER RUN IN
04:35:36THE STATE. THE TWO CANDIDATES WILL FACE OFF IN THE NOVEMBER
04:35:403rd GENERAL ELECTION IN A RACE
04:35:41THE COOK POLITICAL REPORT RATES
04:35:45A TOSS UP.
04:35:46>> [APPLAUSE] [APPLAUSE]
04:35:53[APPLAUSE]