INSTRUCTIONS:  We are now in the 117th Congress with numerous bills, originally filed last year during the 116th Congress, now being refiled.  (All bills that failed to be considered in the 116th Congress, officially die at the end of that Congress.)  Not all bills have received their official number and been assigned to their appropriate committee.  During this period, when you may not have decided which of the many athletics bills are ones that you support, it is still important to let your senators know what is important to you.  We are suggesting that you ask for strong support of a bill that addresses the rights of college athletes to earn compensation from marketing their own names, images, and likeness and engage in any form of employment outside their higher education institutions, includes health protection and other athletes’ rights.  Copy the following message or make up one of your own, then click on the “FIND YOUR SENATORS” link at the end, enter your ZIP CODE and the contact information of your Senators will be displayed.

I am asking my Senator to support the strongest possible bill during this session that would give college athletes the right to earn compensation from marketing their own names, images, and likeness and engage in any form of employment outside their higher education institutions short of becoming a professional athlete.  Further, I am very concerned that we are not protecting athletes from athletics-related injuries. College athletes are not receiving basic athletic injury insurance, long-term disability protection from traumatic brain injury, or other medical protections they require. It is only right that colleges and universities provide adequate insurance and cover the medical expenses for athletics injuries. Athletes also deserve the rights afforded non-athlete students like the right to transfer to another institution without being penalized with collegiate athletics ineligibility.  Further, college coaches and athletic departments who command extraordinary salaries when their college teams win, are demanding unreasonable time commitments from athletes who are not getting sufficient sleep or study time to fulfill their academic responsibilities.   I am asking my Senator to support the strongest possible athletes’ rights bill.  Please advise me of my Senator’s efforts to support legislation that accomplishes these ends. 

[Include your name, address, city, state and zip code]