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Congress looks to end 'pay for patriotism' at American stadiums
New legislation now before Congress would block so-called "pay for patriotism" at sporting events, where the U.S. government paid teams to hold flag-waving on-field "hometown heroes" ceremonies.
As noted by NJ Advance Media, the National Defense Authorization Act, which sets the defense budget for the next 12 months, would prevent the government from paying money to underwrite patriotic celebrations. The U.S. Department of Defense paid $5.4 million to 14 teams for such events from 2011 to 2014.
"Thanking our troops ought to be something more than a marketing gimmick, so I'm glad that Congress has agreed to put an end to these taxpayer-funded salutes," U.S. Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) said.
"In the thick of football season, I applaud my colleagues for recognizing and agreeing that demonstrating appreciation and standing in patriotic solidarity with our military should not come with a price-tag," U.S. Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-N.J.). "It is my absolute belief that those sports teams and organizations who accepted taxpayer dollars for 'paid-for patriotism' now donate an equal sum to charitable groups that truly support our men and women in uniform."
The NFL took exception to the idea that the agreement was "pay for patriotism." "The NFL has had a long and charitable relationship with our military that we are excited to continue with this year's Salute to Service campaign this fall," NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said. "We agree that no one should be paid to honor our troops, and the league and its 32 clubs are fully committed to that. Military spending on recruiting efforts should not be confused with community programs."
The bill containing the provision, which also mandates a review of all government involvement in sporting events, now goes to the full House and Senate for approval.
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Jay Busbee is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Contact him at jay.busbee@yahoo.com or find him on Twitter.
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