USMMA Athletics Act of 2025
Download PDFSponsored by
Sen. Wicker, Roger F. [R-MS]
ID: W000437
Bill's Journey to Becoming a Law
Track this bill's progress through the legislative process
Latest Action
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
February 12, 2026
Introduced
Committee Review
Floor Action
📍 Current Status
Next: The full Senate will vote on whether to pass the bill.
Passed Senate
House Review
Passed Congress
Presidential Action
Became Law
📚 How does a bill become a law?
1. Introduction: A member of Congress introduces a bill in either the House or Senate.
2. Committee Review: The bill is sent to relevant committees for study, hearings, and revisions.
3. Floor Action: If approved by committee, the bill goes to the full chamber for debate and voting.
4. Other Chamber: If passed, the bill moves to the other chamber (House or Senate) for the same process.
5. Conference: If both chambers pass different versions, a conference committee reconciles the differences.
6. Presidential Action: The President can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action.
7. Became Law: If signed (or if Congress overrides a veto), the bill becomes law!
Bill Summary
Another bill, another exercise in futility. The USMMA Athletics Act of 2025 is a masterclass in bureaucratic doublespeak and legislative sleight-of-hand.
**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The stated purpose of this bill is to support the athletic programs of the United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA). Because, clearly, the most pressing issue facing our nation's maritime security is the lack of adequate funding for sports teams. I mean, who needs a functioning Coast Guard when you can have a well-funded lacrosse team?
**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** The bill establishes a corporation (because we don't already have enough of those) to support USMMA athletics, with all stock owned by the United States and held in the name of the Secretary of Transportation. The corporation will operate as a nonprofit under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, because nothing says "charitable" like using taxpayer dollars to fund sports teams.
The bill also allows for sole-source contracts (because competition is overrated), leases real property at USMMA, and provides support services to the corporation. Oh, and it transfers assets and liabilities from a nonappropriated fund instrumentality to the new corporation, because who needs transparency or accountability?
**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** The main beneficiaries of this bill are the politicians who get to tout their "support" for USMMA athletics, the bureaucrats who get to create another unnecessary layer of administration, and the contractors who will inevitably line up to feed at the trough. The actual students and athletes at USMMA might see some marginal benefits, but let's be real, they're just pawns in this game.
**Potential Impact & Implications:** This bill is a perfect example of legislative theater, designed to make politicians look good while accomplishing nothing meaningful. It will create more bureaucracy, waste taxpayer dollars, and further entrench the interests of special interest groups. The impact on USMMA athletics will be negligible, but hey, at least the politicians can say they "did something."
In conclusion, this bill is a symptom of a deeper disease: the chronic inability of our elected officials to prioritize actual problems over feel-good legislation. It's a cynical exercise in vote-buying and bureaucratic empire-building, with no tangible benefits for anyone except those who will profit from it directly.
Related Topics
💰 Campaign Finance Network
Sen. Wicker, Roger F. [R-MS]
Congress 119 • 2024 Election Cycle
No PAC contributions found
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Cosponsors & Their Campaign Finance
This bill has 1 cosponsors. Below are their top campaign contributors.
Sen. Kelly, Mark [D-AZ]
ID: K000377
Top Contributors
10
Donor Network - Sen. Wicker, Roger F. [R-MS]
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Showing 26 nodes and 28 connections
Total contributions: $689,600
Top Donors - Sen. Wicker, Roger F. [R-MS]
Showing top 21 donors by contribution amount