Congressional Black Caucus Withholds Support for Bipartisan Protect College Sports Act Over Southern Redistricting Dispute

The Congressional Black Caucus announced it is withholding its support from the bipartisan Protect College Sports Act over concerns about Southern redistricting that followed the Supreme Court ruling in Louisiana v. Callais. The caucus has spent weeks lobbying against the redistricting efforts in Republican-controlled states.

CBC Chair Rep. Yvette Clarke wrote a letter on Wednesday to Sens. Ted Cruz and Maria Cantwell, the sponsors of the bill. In the letter, Clarke stated that the caucus would seek to suspend the legislation as long as college athletic institutions remain silent on what she described as attacks on Black political representation.

Clarke wrote that for generations Black athletes have helped build college athletics into one of the most powerful and profitable industries in American life. She added that the success and cultural influence of major athletic conferences are inseparable from the talent, labor, and contributions of Black communities.

The letter said institutions that profit from Black talent have a responsibility to stand with those communities when their fundamental rights are under attack.

Clarke noted that states across the South have moved rapidly to redraw congressional maps in ways designed to dilute Black voting strength and weaken Black representation. Tennessee and Louisiana have already redistricted their congressional maps after the Louisiana v. Callais decision, eliminating a majority-minority district in each state.

Clarke wrote that many of the nation's most influential athletic institutions and conferences have remained largely silent following the Supreme Court ruling. The Congressional Black Caucus also opposed the GOP-led SCORE Act last week. The NAACP is encouraging Black athletes across eight Southern states to boycott college sports in response to the redistricting efforts.