Orrin Hatch: “today I offer on behalf of myself and Senator Leahy, the Ranking Member of the Judiciary Committee, an amendment in the…”

“today I offer on behalf of myself and Senator Leahy, the Ranking Member of the Judiciary Committee, an amendment in the nature of a substitute to S. 53, the Curt Flood Act of 1997. This bill, which was reported out of the Judiciary Committee on July 31, 1998, by a vote of 12-6, clarifies that the antitrust laws apply to labor relations at the major league level, but does not have any affect on any other persons or circumstances. In a baseball season that is likely to set records in a number of different categories, I am extremely pleased to be able to report that a truly historic milestone in the history of professional baseball has been reached. People said it would never happen, but today I can tell you that major league baseball players, along with both major and minor league club owners, have reached an agreement on a bill clarifying that the antitrust laws apply to major league professional baseball labor relations. With this historic agreement, I am confident that Congress will, once and for all, make clear that professional baseball players have the same rights as other professional athletes, and will help assure baseball fans across the United States that our national pastime will not again be interrupted by strikes.”