House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Illinois) is co-sponsoring a bill that purports to block the National Collegiate Athletics Association from carrying out its Indian mascot policy.

Hastert supports the "Chief Illiniwek" mascot of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The school is on NCAA's list of institutions with hostile and abusive mascots and can't host post-season tournaments or display Indian imagery at playoffs.

Hastert rarely signs onto bills, The Hill newspaper reports. But in 2001, he sponsored a measure that would have terminated all treaty and aboriginal rights in Illinois.

Get the Story:
Indian mascots get a powerful defender in Speaker Hastert (The Hill 5/23)

Mascot Bill:
Protection of University Governance Act of 2006 (H.R.5289)

NCAA Update:
Status of Indian Mascot Policy (April 28, 2006)

NCAA Policy on Indian Mascots:
NCAA Executive Committee Issues Guidelines for Use of Native American Mascots at Championship Events (August 5, 2005)

Relevant Links:
NCAA Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee - http://www1.ncaa.org/eprise/main/
membership/governance/assoc-wide/moic/index.html
National Coalition on Racism in Sports and Media - http://www.aimovement.org/ncrsm

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