Sports Legislation in the 106th Congress Page: 3 of 6
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Sports Legislation in the 106th Congress
Immigration. S. 262-The Baseball Diplomacy Act. Introduced by Representative
Jose E. Serrano on January 6, 1999, this legislation would waive current foreign
assistance, trade, and travel prohibitions against Cuba and allow Cuban nationals who
enter the United States on visas to play organized baseball and return to Cuba with their
baseball earnings. It would prohibit the President from denying visas to Cuban nationals
based on current authority under the Immigration and Nationality Act, which restricts any
entry of aliens or classes of aliens who would be detrimental to the interests of the United
States. The proposed legislation indicates its provisions would not be affected by the
current economic embargo requirements against Cuba, under the Cuban Liberty and
Democratic Solidarity Act of 1996. The bill has been referred to the House Committee
on International Relations and the Committee on the Judiciary (Subcommittee on
Immigration and Claims).
Boxing. S. 143-The Professional Boxing Safety Act Amendments of 1999.
Introduced by Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan on January 19, 1999, this legislation
would amend the Professional Boxing Safety Act of 1996 to standardize the physical
examinations that a professional boxer must take prior to each boxing match. It would
also require a brain computerized axial tomography (CAT) scan every two years as a
requirement for the licensing of a boxer. The bill has been referred to the Senate
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
S. 305-The Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act. Introduced by Senator John
McCain on January 25, 1999, this legislation would protect professional boxers from
exploitation by requiring that all contracts between boxers and promoters contain specific
terms regarding the length of time the contract covers and the minimum number of fights
per year, limiting "option contracts" to one year, prohibiting a promoter from forcing a
boxer to hire the promoter's associates or relatives, and prohibiting any conflicts of
interest between the manager of a boxer and the promoter.
This legislation would require professional boxing sanctioning organizations to
establish objective and consistent criteria for rating professional boxers; make public their
bylaws, ratings criteria, and roster of officials; inform boxers in writing that their rating
has been changed and why; and report to a state boxing commission the fees and expenses
they receive for sanctioning a bout. Fees would be limited to established sanctioning fees
and expenses.
The bill also would require that state boxing regulatory commissions be informed
by boxing sanctioning bodies of all charges and fees they impose on the boxer(s)
competing in an event, as well as all payments and revenues the sanctioning body
receives. Promoters affiliated with each boxing event would have to file, with the state
commission prior to the event, a complete and accurate copy of all contracts they have
with the boxer(s) pertaining to an event, and disclose in writing all fees and costs they will
assess on the boxer(s). The legislation would exempt club level boxing (less than 10
rounds) matches. The changes brought about by this legislation would be enforced
through civil and criminal penalties and would allow additional enforcement by state
Attorneys General. This bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation.
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Sports Legislation in the 106th Congress, report, January 29, 2003; Washington D.C.. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc821190/m1/3/: accessed April 24, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.