NFL on Capitol Hill lobbying lawmakers for RFK stadium funding
What does the United States Congress have to do with football? Well for one NFL team, their future is tied directly to legislation on Capitol Hill.
The team in question is the Washington Commanders who currently play their football games in Maryland. The team’s owner Josh Harris has made no secret he wants a new stadium and leaders in the District of Columbia want the team to return to D.C.
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However, there is one hiccup.
The land where a new stadium could be built is the same land where the Commander’s old home — RFK Stadium — is located. But the federal government and congress currently control that land and need to sign off on transferring the land to D.C. in order for the city to launch a possible bid.
This week NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was on Capitol Hill to discuss this issue, which has not been an easy process for the Commanders or the NFL.
Initially, Republican Sen. Steve Daines of Montana blocked legislation because he wanted the Commander’s name to go back to what it used to be.
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And then there are Maryland lawmakers, who are less inclined to support a stadium leaving their states. And it appears they want something in exchange for their votes.
The Washington Post reports that “Maryland seeks D.C.’s Air National Guard squadron in RFK deal.” However, it remains unclear if the District of Columbia would be willing to give up one of their Air National Guard squadrons.
Meanwhile, there is a bit of a deadline here for the NFL, the Commanders and Congress. While legislation to give the land to D.C. has already passed the House, if the Senate doesn’t pass it before January 3rd when the new Congress takes over, the entire process would have to start over.
