Curt Flood Act of 1998
Public Law 105-297 · S. 53 · 105th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Bill Clinton (D) on Oct 27, 1998 · Commerce
Sponsor: Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT)
Cosponsors (3): Sen. Patrick Leahy, Sen. Strom Thurmond,
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Curt Flood Act of 1998 - Amends the Clayton Act to declare that the antitrust laws apply to the conduct, acts, practices, or agreements (conduct) of persons in the business of organized professional major league baseball relating to or affecting employment of major league baseball players to play baseball at the major league level to the same extent that such laws apply to such conduct of any other professional sports business affecting interstate commerce.
Grants standing to sue under this Act only to a major league baseball player, as defined by this Act.
Specifies that in cases involving conduct that directly relates to or affects both employment of major league baseball players to play baseball at the major league level and any other aspect of organized professional baseball, only those components, portions, or aspects of such conduct that directly relate to or affect employment of major league baseball players to play baseball at the major league level may be challenged under this Act.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 15 actions.
- Oct 27, 1998Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 105-297.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Oct 15, 1998PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Oct 7, 1998FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Hyde moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
- Jul 31, 1998CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Judiciary Committee
- Jul 30, 1998FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- FloorFloor · The committee substitute as amended agreed to by Unanimous Consent.
- FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- Oct 29, 1997CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Judiciary Committee
- Jul 31, 1997CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Judiciary Committee
- Jun 17, 1997CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Senate Judiciary Committee
- Jan 21, 1997CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.