SUMMARY:  The Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee favorably approved, by voice vote, S. 718, the Amateur Sports Integrity Act, as amended.  Also, the Committee approved, by voice vote, the nominations of Brenda L. Becker to be Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs, Theodore W. Kassinger to be General Counsel of Commerce and Michael P. Jackson to be Deputy Secretary of Transportation.  Also, the Committee approved by voice vote, S. 127, U.S Cruise Vessel Act and H.R. 1098, Maritime Policy Improvement Act of 2001.

Chairman McCain stated that he introduced S. 718 last month with Senators Brownback, Jeffords, Edwards and Fitzgerald and it is nearly identical to legislation introduced last session and passed by the Commerce Committee 18 - 2.  S. 718 would amend the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act to ban gambling on Olympic, college and high school sports throughout the country and it would authorize NIST to conduct a grants and research program on the detection and prevention of athletic performance-enhancing drugs.  Gambling and the use of performance-enhancing drugs threaten the integrity of amateur sports.  This bill would implement a recommendation made by the congressionally created National Gambling Impact Study Commission that betting on collegiate and amateur athletic events be banned..

Senator Ensign said that banning legalized college sports wagering in Nevada will not affect the illegal gambling on college campuses nor will it prevent future college point-shaving scandals.  It will only serve to drive more money underground.  Legislation would strengthen organized crime while doing nothing to impact illegal gambling on campus.  He said that the majority of betting in the United States as a whole is illegal and closing down the Las Vegas legal betting on amateur sports would do little to stop illegal betting and criminal influences on athletes.

Senator Brownback said that legal gambling in Nevada fuels more gambling and urged closing the Las Vegas loophole.

Senator Boxer said the bill would solve none of the problems of fixing of games and point shaving and that to bet on games in Las Vegas you have to be 21 years old and physically present to place the bet.  The bill would not affect illegall gambling.

A Breaux (D-LA) amendment, adopted by voice vote, would require colleges to submit annual reports on gambling enforcement information and policies.  The amendment would require colleges to submit information to the government on the incidence of illegal gambling, including Internet gambling and a statement of its policies on student gambling.  Senator Allen opposed the amendment stating that it would impose an undue burden on universities. A Breaux (D-LA) amendment, adopted by voice vote, would provide an exception to the prohibition on gambling on high school and college athletics and the Olympics for certain betting pools.  Amendment would not outlaw office pools as long as all the money is paid to the winners of the pools.  To take a percentage of the winnings would still be illegal.

A Breaux (D-LA) Amendment, adopted by voice vote, would prohibit certain forms of funding for internet gambling.  The amendment would forbid financial institutions from knowingly accepting or extending credit involved in unlawful Internet gambling.  An Inouye (D-HI) amendment, adopted by voice vote, would clarify the definition of internet gambling with
respect to Indian tribes.

An Ensign (R-NV) amendment, adopted by voice vote, would amend the Children's Online Protection Act to require institutions of higher education to monitor the use of its internet facilities for illegal gambling activities.

An Ensign (R-NV) amendment, adopted by voice vote, would provide for expedited judicial review of the provisions of S. 718.

An Ensign (NV) amendment, failed by vote of 10 yeas to 10 nays, would improve athletic programs by excluding college athletics from the bill.  The amendment would have allowed sports gambling to continue in Las Vegas.

A Boxer (D-CA) amendment, failed by voice vote, would have established a national minimum gambling age at 21.

A Breaux (D-LA) amendment, failed by voice vote, would have provided student-athletes who attend NCAA member institutions the same rights and privileges afforded to all citizens.

Prepared by: Relda Nacos

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