Cantwell takes aim at NFL's NFP status

Bill Lucia Jul 10, 2025

Feb 6, 2018

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                <h1>Cantwell takes aim at NFL's NFP status</h1>
                <h2><p>Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Washington, introduced a bill on Thursday that would revoke the tax-exempt status of sports leagues that allow teams to use the name "redskins." Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, and Senator Tim Johnson, D-South Dakota, who also represent states with large Native American populations co-sponsored</p></h2>
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               <p>By <a href="/author/bill-lucia-crosscut-com/">Bill Lucia</a></p> 
              <p><time datetime="2025-02-04T05:00:00-08:00">Feb 6, 2018</time></p>
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            <p>Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Washington, introduced a bill on Thursday that would revoke the tax-exempt status of sports leagues that allow teams to use the name "redskins." Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, and Senator Tim Johnson, D-South Dakota, who also represent states with large Native American populations co-sponsored the bill. The NFL's D.C. franchise has come under increasing pressure to stop using the name. “American taxpayers should not be forced to subsidize a $9 billion league that promotes a dictionary-defined racial slur,” Cantwell, a member of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, said in a statement. “It’s time to end the special tax breaks for the National Football League.” — B.L.</p>
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Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Washington, introduced a bill on Thursday that would revoke the tax-exempt status of sports leagues that allow teams to use the name "redskins." Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, and Senator Tim Johnson, D-South Dakota, who also represent states with large Native American populations co-sponsored the bill. The NFL's D.C. franchise has come under increasing pressure to stop using the name. “American taxpayers should not be forced to subsidize a $9 billion league that promotes a dictionary-defined racial slur,” Cantwell, a member of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, said in a statement. “It’s time to end the special tax breaks for the National Football League.” — B.L.

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By Bill Lucia

Bill Lucia writes about Seattle City Hall and politics for Crosscut. He can be reached at bill.lucia@crosscut.com and you can follow him on Twitter @bill_lucia.