Key Takeaways from the House Energy and Commerce Committee Markup of the SCORE Act

July 23, 2025

The SCORE Act

Committee Chairman Brett Guthrie (R-FL-02):

“Following the critical House settlement last month, it's clear that this is the moment to act and support the new era of college athletics.”

“Without this bill, student athletes will be left to fend for themselves against bad actors; non-revenue generating sports will face devastating cuts; and legal uncertainty will continue to hang over all of college sports. The SCORE Act delivers exactly what is needed: student-athlete benefits, stability, and transparency.”

Representative Russ Fulcher (R-ID-01):

“The SCORE Act would create a much-needed national framework for college sports and offer stability, clarity, and transparency that stakeholders, including college athletes, need and have been calling for.”

“[I support] the newly formed College Sports Commission, which is not entirely dominated by the large power schools with the largest revenue stream. There’s a mix in there, and so the smaller, mid-size schools have a voice at the table…For those of us who have some of those schools that may not be the biggest revenue generators, there's still a voice.”

Representative Gus Bilirakis (R-FL-12):

“So far this year, we've had two subcommittee hearings, convened multiple bipartisan roundtables, and received input from hundreds of voices across the college sports ecosystem…This bill has a wide range of support from stakeholders across the landscape of college sports. We have the power conferences, the medium-sized conferences, such as the Sun Belt Conference, and the small conferences, such as the Big South and the Patriot League. We have a wide range of student athlete organizations.”

“We must protect our student athletes and ensure that we have a sustainable future for all college sports. We do this in the SCORE Act. I remain hopeful that continued dialogue will bring us closer to consensus on legislation that delivers for student athletes, institutions, and fans alike.”

Patchwork of State NIL Laws

Representative Russell Fry (R-SC-07):

“A patchwork of state laws is unsustainable and leads to competitive disadvantages between schools with preemption. Athletes in different states will face unequal opportunities, confusing standards, and enforcement gaps, undermining both competition and athlete protection."

Representative Scott Peters (D-CA-50):

“Currently, the patchwork of state legislation is causing confusion for both schools and athletes. From state to state, student-athletes have different rights on what deals they can make, and schools have different authorities and what rules they can set. So it's clear that we need to address this and provide students, schools, and conferences with the legal clarity they need to promote competition, the role of academics in our college athletics, and the health and safety of our student-athletes.”

College-to-Olympic Pipeline

Representative Diane DeGette (D-CO-01):

“The United States has a unique approach to developing Olympic athletes, having relied heavily on the collegiate sports system...Team USA [in 2024] was made up of 75% of US Olympians and 53% of US Paralympians who had college training, and affiliations for those who made it through the collegiate experience rose to 82% of US Olympians. These athletes’ success stories and the infrastructure behind them are only possible with sustained investment across a wide range of sports.”