WASHINGTON, D.C.— U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), the Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, today released the following statement after the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) moved to allow student athletes to profit off of their own Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL).

“Today’s decision from the NCAA is a welcome acknowledgment that college athletics must do more for college athletes,” Chair Cantwell said. “However, today’s interim action is no substitute for a national standard that not only gives our student athletes the ability to control their own Name, Image, and Likeness rights, but also includes health care, safety, scholarship, and transfer protections. I look forward to continuing to work towards a bipartisan plan that accomplishes those goals while setting one uniform standard across the country so all of our athletes and schools can safely compete on a level playing field.”

Chair Cantwell has been leading Congressional negotiations to establish a national standard for college athletics. In that role, she has convened hearings to explore the issue featuring representatives from student-athletes, the NCAA, individual schools, and coaches in an effort to find a consensus solution for college athletics around the country.  

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