Methods for Congress and Sports

Jul 10

In “A Birds-Eye View of Congress and Sports,” I examined every bill and resolution on sports introduced in Congress from 1973-2022.

I first went to congress.gov (and formerly used Thomas.gov) and entered various search terms on sports (see Subject #1 in the Appendix). I then coded the bill by:

· The highest stage reached in the legislative process (Process)

· The issue the bill or resolution pertained to (Bill Type)

· The type of bill or resolution (Collapse Bill Type)

· The vote in the House or Senate, if any (House/Senate Vote)

· How much of the bill dealt with sports (Length)

Appendix

Process

1. Introduced

2. Referred to Committee

3. Reported by Committee

4. Passed House

5. Passed Senate

6. Agreed To (Simple Resolution)

7. Passed Senate with Changes

8. Agreed To (Concurrent Resolution)

9. Enrolled Bill

10. Signed by the President

11. Failed Under Suspension

12. Failed Cloture

13. Vetoed (No Override Attempt)

14. Vetoed & Override Failed in House

15. Failed Floor Vote House

Bill Type

1. commemorative/ congratulations

2. anti-trust

3. steroids

4. media broadcast

4.1 ads / Marketing

5. gambling / lottery

6. Sense of Congress

7. Copy of hearings / subpoena

8. Appropriations [defense]

9. Appropriations [general… previously 8, 10, 12.1, 29.1]

9.1 Tax

9.2 Revenue – Voluntary check-off

10. Appropriations [Anti-doping] now 9 & 3

11. Trade

11.1 Tax [duty] exceptions / deductions

11.2 Marketing ?

11.3 Trademark/Intellectual Property

12. Transportation

12.1 Transportation Appropriation

13. Defense

13.1 crime

13.2 terrorism

14. Organization

15. Hosting of Games

15.1 Stadiums

15.2 Facilities [Golf Courses]

16. Boycott/Rebid

16.1 Prohibitions on facilities

16.2 Bans

16.3 embargos

17. Violence

17.1 Domestic violence

18. Human rights (collapse all human rights)

18.1 Human rights [gender]

18.2 Human Rights [freedom of press]

18.3 Human rights / political

18.4 Human Rights [Labor]

19. Fitness / Medical

19.1 health

19.2 tobacco

19.3 alcohol & drugs

20. Women / Title IX

21. Player safety / concussions

22. Rules of the Game [e.g., BCS]

23. Relocation

24. Labor / Pay

24.1 strikes

24.2 pensions / retirement

24.3 Arbitration

25. Tickets

26. Education

26.1 Youth programs

27. Land [may merge with 15.2]

28. Agents

29. DC

29.1 DC Appropriations (moved to 9)

30. Immigration / Visa / Restrictions

31. Athletic training / Medical Doctors

32. Information disclosure

33. Liability exemption

34. Prayer

35. Diversity/race/racism

36. Amateur athletics

37. Environment/Global Warming

38. Special Olympics

39. Adaptive/Para games

40. Mascots

41. National Anthem/Patriotism

42. Coins, Stamps Commemorative

43. Misc

44. Volunteer

45. Sex abuse/sexual assault

46. COVID / P.P.P

47. NIL

48. International

49. Transgender

50. LQBTQ

51. Hazing

52. Congressional Gold Metal

53. Post Office

54. Trump

Collapse Bill Type

1. Commemorative

2. Resolution/Sense of Senate or House

3. Substantive

4. Appropriation

Subject #1 [use this for search terms as well]

1. Steroids/performance-enhancing drugs/anti-doping

2. Olympics

3. Fitness

4. Basketball

5. Football

6. Baseball

7. Hockey

8. Track and field

9. Boxing and MMA

10. Sport

11. Athletics

12. Golf

13. Title IX [only pertaining to athletics] / women

14. Multiple subjects [use this code if the bill refers to multiple sports]

15. Horseracing

16. Wrestling

17. Gambling [sports]

18. Soccer / World Cup

19. Tennis

20. Swimming

21. Skiing

22. Cross-country

23. Softball

24. Water polo

25. NCAA

26. Field Hockey

27. Ultimate fighting / MMA

28. Gymnastics

29. Volleyball

30. Lacrosse

31. Rowing

32. Auto racing / NASCAR / automobile racing / motorsports

33. Cycling / cyclist / tour de France

34. Yachting America’s cup

35. Sports subject guide

36. Champion

37. Coach

38. Game

39. Guide (same as 35)

House/Senate Vote

1. Voice Vote

2. Unanimous consent agreement

3. Without objection

Length

1. Entire bill deals with sports

2. Medium [not entire, but substantial]

3. Small portions deal with sports

Bill/Hearing Type_R

1. Commemorative/Congratulations

2. Anti-trust

3. Steroids

4. Media/Ads

5. Gambling

9. Appropriations

9.1. Tax

11.3. Trademark/Intellectual Property

12. Transportation

13. Defense

14. Organization

15. Hosting of Games

15.1. Stadiums/Relocation/Tickets

15.2. Facilities

16. Boycotts/Rebids/Bans

19. Fitness/Medical

19.2. Tobacco, Alcohol, Drugs

20. Gender

21. Player Safety

22. Rules of the Game

24. Labor