Mr. Speaker, I am a proud cosponsor of H.R. 361, the "Sports Agent Responsibility and Trust Act" (SPARTA). This legislation will hold unscrupulous sports agents responsible for their actions by authorizing the Federal Trade Commission and State Attorneys General to enforce common sense protections for amateur athletes. I commend the chief sponsor of this bill, the gentleman from Tennessee; for his hard work on this bill.

This legislation empowers students with the ability to decide when and where they become professionals and protects them from the underhanded tactics that have become all too common in this field. Under this legislation, student athletes can no longer be tricked into signing contracts through the deception or bribery of a sports agent. And agents must clearly disclose to students that they will no longer be amateurs if they sign an agency contract, before they sign the contract.

SPARTA enjoys wide support in the academic community and has been endorsed by the NCAA and over thirty colleges and universities, including the University of Michigan. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation and send a strong message to the unprincipled sports agents who prey on our youth.