WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade, delivered the following opening statement at today’s markup of the SCORE Act, a bipartisan piece of legislation that will standardize Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) for student-athletes. 

Subcommittee Chairman Bilirakis’ opening statement as prepared for delivery:

“Good morning, everyone, and welcome to our markup of the SCORE Act.

“I am proud to lead this bipartisan legislation alongside the full Committee chairs of Energy & Commerce, Education & Workforce, and Judiciary, and my other esteemed colleagues, especially Representatives Bynum, Figures, and Fry.

“This Committee has a rich history of thoughtful and bipartisan engagement in college sports and Name, Image, and Likeness policy. We’ve worked across party lines, not just to legislate, but to understand what is truly at stake: the health, safety, and future of student-athletes.

“Going back to the 114th Congress, we saw leadership from then-Chair Upton on concussion safety. In the 116th Congress, then-Chair Pallone and Ranking Member Walden jointly sought input on the emerging NIL landscape from stakeholders across the country – grounded in the idea that good policy begins with good listening. In the 118th Congress, then-Chair McMorris Rogers and I continued taking feedback from stakeholders with the intent of creating a national framework to protect our student athletes and create a sustainable future for college sports.

“Many of these inputs went into our first NIL legislative hearing last year on my draft bill, the FAIR College Sports Act. Since then, we’ve continued that spirit of listening and engagement this Congress.

“We hosted two subcommittee hearings, convened multiple bipartisan roundtables, and received input from hundreds of voices across the college sports ecosystem including from student-athletes, coaches, athletic directors, compliance officials, conference commissioners, and legal experts. We’ve also worked in close coordination with other Committees and Members on both sides of the aisle to craft a bill that reflects broad consensus. 

“The result of all this work is the SCORE Act, a comprehensive, bipartisan solution that upholds the integrity of college sports and strengthens protections for student-athletes who make it all possible.  

“It provides common-sense guardrails around the transfer portal and agent disclosure, ensuring students are supported, not exploited, as they navigate life-changing decisions. I am honored to lead an important, thoughtful, and carefully crafted bill along with Chairman Guthrie.  

“Thank you to my colleagues for their collaboration and commitment to student-athletes. I look forward to continuing our work as we move the SCORE Act forward.”

###