1001 Connecticut Ave. NW, Suite 1100
Washington, DC 20024
The Honorable Cory Booker
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Senator Booker,
The National Center for Health Research thanks you for introducing the Securing Assistance for Victim Empowerment (SAVE) Act. We strongly support this legislation to end the tax-exempt status of major professional sports leagues and use the money saved for domestic abuse programs. We strongly agree with your statement that “stopping domestic violence is a national priority that requires long-term, meaningful investment.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Protection, more than 35% of women and 28% of men in the U.S. have experienced domestic violence in their lifetimes. Our nonprofit organization has written a free pamphlet to help young women recognize and avoid dating violence, and we’ve also written several articles to educate women and men of all ages about the risks of domestic violence. We also run a health helpline that offers support and information to people across the country, including those affected by domestic violence.
Although the National Football League (NFL) earns about nine billion dollars each year, it pays no income tax. As you state, ending the NFL’s tax-exempt status is simply a “common sense update to our tax laws.” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell recently promised to mandate abuse prevention trainings for all players and staff; however, there is no doubt that using the funds saved by your bill to fund prevention and treatment efforts outside the NFL would be more effective. Ending the NFL’s tax-exempt status would save 100 million dollars over ten years that would help domestic abuse victims in tangible ways.
We strongly support the SAVE Act and would welcome the opportunity to help you ensure its passage.
Sincerely,
Diana Zuckerman, PhD
President