USMMA Athletics Act of 2025

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Bill ID: 119/s/3266
Last Updated: February 13, 2026

Sponsored 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

Transportation & Infrastructure Federal Budget & Appropriations Small Business & Entrepreneurship Government Operations & Accountability National Security & Intelligence State & Local Government Affairs Criminal Justice & Law Enforcement Congressional Rules & Procedures Civil Rights & Liberties
Generated using Llama 3.1 70B (Dr. Haus personality)

💰 Campaign Finance Network

Sen. Wicker, Roger F. [R-MS]

Congress 119 • 2024 Election Cycle

Total Contributions
$682,800
21 donors
PACs
$0
Organizations
$44,500
Committees
$0
Individuals
$638,300

No PAC contributions found

1
EASTERN BAND OF CHEROKEE INDIANS
1 transaction
$25,000
2
MISSISSIPPI BAND OF CHOCTAW INDIANS
1 transaction
$15,000
3
WT CONSULTANTS LLC
1 transaction
$2,500
4
WAYPOINT CONSULTING, LLC
1 transaction
$1,000
5
HEDERMAN BROTHERS, LLC
1 transaction
$1,000

No committee contributions found

1
HALE, ROBERT T. JR.
2 transactions
$150,000
2
CHOUEST, GARY
1 transaction
$100,000
3
DUFF, THOMAS M.
2 transactions
$75,000
4
BLUE, J. NEAL
1 transaction
$50,000
5
GOLDING, STEPHEN D.
2 transactions
$50,000
6
ELLIOTT, MAC
1 transaction
$25,000
7
GOLDING, MELODY
1 transaction
$25,000
8
YATES, WILLIAM G. JR.
1 transaction
$25,000
9
ACKERMAN, FORREST
1 transaction
$25,000
10
VAN DEVENDER, WILLIAM J.
2 transactions
$25,000
11
TURNAGE, BEN O.
1 transaction
$19,900
12
MCRAE, DAVID
1 transaction
$18,400
13
GREEN, JOHNSON M.
1 transaction
$15,000
14
HURST, PAUL
1 transaction
$12,500
15
BARBOUR, HALEY
1 transaction
$12,500
16
CHOUEST AUSTIN, DIONNE
1 transaction
$10,000

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

1
REPUBLICAN MAINSTREET PARTNERSHIP PAC
PAC WASHINGTON, DC
$1,000
Nov 30, 2023
2
PASCUA YAQUI TRIBE
Organization TUCSON, AZ
$3,300
Oct 23, 2023
3
THE CHICKASAW NATION
Organization ADA, OK
$2,500
May 23, 2024
4
GILA RIVER INDIAN COMMUNITY
Organization SACATON, AZ
$1,000
Jun 15, 2023
5
SHAKOPEE MDEWAKANTON SIOUX COMMUNITY
Organization PRIOR LAKE, MN
$1,000
Aug 12, 2024
6
SYCUAN BAND OF THE KUMEYAAY NATION
Organization EL CAJON, CA
$3,300
Dec 31, 2024
7
MASHANTUCKET PEQUOT TRIBE
Organization LEDYARD, CT
$3,300
Oct 23, 2023
8
MORONGO BAND OF MISSION INDIANS
Organization BANNING, CA
$3,300
Mar 24, 2023
9
MORONGO BAND OF MISSION INDIANS
Organization BANNING, CA
$3,300
Sep 30, 2024
10
SANTA YNEZ BAND OF MISSION INDIANS
Organization SANTA YNEZ, CA
$3,000
Sep 30, 2024

Donor Network - Sen. Wicker, Roger F. [R-MS]

PACs
Organizations
Individuals
Politicians

Hub layout: Politicians in center, donors arranged by type in rings around them.

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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

5 Orgs16 Individuals