WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, on Tuesday released the following statement on the U.S. Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Manufacturing, Trade, and Consumer Protection’s hearing on NCAA athlete compensation:

“Less than a year ago, I was a lonely voice in the Senate talking about the need to compensate college athletes and to address the massive inequities in the system. We now have growing bipartisan support in Congress and a number of states to actually do something about it. I hope that athletes’ voices are put first in today’s hearing,” said Murphy.

Last year, Murphy issued his first in a series of reports titled “Madness, Inc.” which considered the range of problems within college athletics. In December, Murphy and U.S. Senator Mitt Romney (R-Utah) met with Dr. Mark Emmert, President of the NCAA, for the inaugural meeting of the Senate bipartisan working group created to address college athlete compensation and related issues.

Coaches, former athletes, and advocates have spoken out in support of Murphy’s first report on athlete compensation. Murphy’s second report examined the ways in which colleges fail in providing athletes the education they deserve. This report similarly received praise from coaches, former athletes and advocates. Murphy released his third and final report last December that focused on the ways in which college and the NCAA neglect athletes’ health. This report received similar praise from key stakeholders and athletes themselves.

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