WASHINGTON – Today, Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee Chairman Bob Good (R-VA) delivered the following statement, as prepared for delivery, at a joint subcommittee hearing titled "Safeguarding Student-Athletes from NLRB Misclassification":
"Like most Americans, I love college athletics. I love supporting my alma mater, Liberty University, where I worked in athletics administration for 15 years, and, who I might add, had an undefeated regular season and played in the Fiesta Bowl.
"As is typical in the Biden administration, the National Labor Relations Board wants to take something we all love, hyper-regulate it, and make it more expensive.
"Today’s hearing will examine the consequences of the NLRB’s misguided efforts to classify student-athletes as employees of the university they attend.
"Already, an unelected bureaucrat at the NLRB deemed the men’s basketball team at Dartmouth College to be 'employees.' In another case, the NLRB General Counsel is pushing a theory that the NCAA and the Pac-12 Conference are joint employers of student-athletes. This is ridiculous, and will expose institutions to massive new liabilities and much higher costs.
"Employee status will hurt student-athletes too; as they will have less freedom, lower educational standards, and revoked or taxed scholarships if they become employees.
"I was fortunate to wrestle during my time at Liberty, so I know some of the benefits and challenges of being an NCAA student-athlete.
"Like 98 percent of NCAA student-athletes, at the end of my 5 years, I went 'pro' in something other than my sport. I retired from the wrestling mat, and embarked on a 17-year professional career in finance, using the degree I worked to obtain.
"Years later, I returned to Liberty University and served as the Senior Associate Athletic Director. Given my experience on both sides of this issue, I know that the majority of student-athletes and schools will be harmed by this proposed change. Student-athletes don’t want to deal with union dues and employment contracts. The last thing colleges need is to have to hire more administrators to deal with more federal regulations.
"I believe we can find ways to protect the interests of student-athletes and their universities, without distorting the relationship, and changing the nature of college athletics. I look forward to today’s discussion."
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