By Tatum Mitchell | News Editor, Danika Young | LTVN Social Media Editor
Sen. Ted Cruz and Rep. Pete Sessions addressed a sold-out crowd about name, image and likeness legislation, Texas jobs and more Friday at the Baylor Club.
Prior to the State of the Nation, Cruz and Baylor President Linda Livingstone spoke briefly on the recent NIL bill draft codifying student-athlete rights. Cruz said a main goal of his discussion draft is to empower the NCAA to enforce rules, preserve the joys of college sports and prevent college athletics from becoming an “all-out bidding war” between larger-budget schools and smaller ones.
LTVN Social Media Editor Danika Young gives you an inside look at the State of the Nation.
“[College athletics] is the Wild West right now,” Cruz said. “It is chaotic, and there are real risks that if we do not see congressional action, what we know and love in college sports could be destroyed in a not terribly long, expensive time.”
Protecting the well-being and safety of college sports is important to focus on, given how special college athletics have come to be, Livingstone said.
“The landscape of college sports is changing pretty dramatically,” Livingstone said. “There are still more than 30 different state laws trying to govern that around the country. That’s caused a lot of consternation and chaos. That’s why we really need Congress to step in and provide a federal NIL standard so that our student-athletes and coaches have clarity, consistency and appropriate protections for our student-athletes, especially in the recruiting process.”
Cruz said the initial feedback on the discussion draft has been positive, and passing at the bipartisan congressional level is vital to reach a constructive consensus.
With a crowd of about 345 people, the variety of topics also included supporting Texas jobs and investing in improving Texas overall. Cruz said one of his No. 1 priorities is employment in every part of the state.
Sessions said 71% of people think the nation is “going in the wrong direction.” He said he hopes future generations of students from Baylor and other Texas schools have brighter opportunities for jobs despite current inflation.
“The Baylor and Waco community share a lot of commonalities, and that is the success that Texas will have many times … right outside our door,” Sessions said. “Not just [Interstate 35], but brand new jobs that are available here. We have to make sure Baylor University and Waco not only produce good housing for people to come here, but the education. Whether it’s college education or whether it’s technical training, it’s all available in Waco, Texas.”
Jacob Hogan, director of public policy and Chamber foundation at the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce, said a highlight applicable to the Waco community was Cruz’s point on creating and maintaining jobs. At the Waco Chamber, Hogan said they’re focusing on getting skilled workers into various industries and looking at what the community needs.
“We at the Waco Chamber say our role in public policy is to educate and to advocate,” Hogan said. “Having these relationships with our federally elected leaders, our state leaders, our local leaders is paramount … We put together events like this to educate our community on what is happening on a national level, what [are] the policies impacting [them].”
