Bill · H.R. 6961· House(119-HR-6961)
USMMA Athletics Act of 2026
- Introduced
- 1/7/2026
- Last activity
- 1/7/2026 — Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.
- Sponsored by
- Andrew Garbarino
- Cosponsors
- - 2 - 1
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The USMMA Athletics Act of 2026 proposes the establishment of a corporation to support the athletic programs of the United States Merchant Marine Academy. The Secretary of Transportation is authorized to create this corporation, which would be owned by the United States and operate as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. This corporation would manage various functions, including entering into contracts, acquiring property, and managing trademarks. The Act also allows for the transfer of certain assets from the Department of Transportation to this new entity. Ultimately, the goal is to provide a structured way to fund and support academy athletics through diverse revenue streams and organizational management.
Yes· 3 of 7
Would students be better off under this?+5
The bill directly funds and supports the athletic programs for students at the USMMA.
Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this?+3
Enhanced athletic programs can improve the student experience for young adults at the academy.
Is this likely to create jobs?+2
The establishment of a new corporation to manage athletics may lead to auxiliary employment opportunities.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Support for Athletic Programs: The creation of a dedicated corporation is intended specifically to support the athletic programs of the United States Merchant Marine Academy (Section 2(a)(3)).
-
Revenue Generation for Recruitment: Licensing fees from trademarks and service marks can be used for recruiting activities for the United States Merchant Marine Academy (Section 2(k)(3)(ii)).
-
Organizational Efficiency: The Secretary is granted the authority to enter into sole-source contracts and cooperative agreements to acquire property, services, or travel for the direct benefit of the Academy (Section 2(d)(2) and (3)).
-
Resource Management: The Secretary may lease real property located at the Academy to the corporation to support athletic programs (Section 2(e)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
-
Board Compensation Restrictions: While board members serve without compensation, they are limited to receiving reimbursement only for reasonable travel and related expenses (Section 2(c)(1)).
-
Employment Status Clarification: Employees or personnel of the corporation are explicitly defined as not being employees of the United States (Section 2(h)(2)).
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Liability Limitations: The provision of support services by the Secretary to the corporation may not result in any liability for the United States (Section 2(f)(2)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Students+5Good For Young Adults+3
- Economy And Finance
- Increases Job Creation+2Improves Economic Growth+1
- Governance And Ideology
- Increases Federal Power+2Improves Government Transparency+1
- Education And Technology
- Improves School Choice+2
- 3/17/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 3/9/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 3/3/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 1/7/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Addison McDowellRepublican · North Carolina
Austin ScottRepublican · Georgia
Thomas SuozziDemocrat · New York