Nevada’s Reid blocks McCain maneuver on sports betting

Benjamin Grove

Friday, May 5, 2000 | 11:02 a.m.

Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., blocked Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., on the Senate floor Thursday when McCain tried to introduce his bill that would ban gambling on college sports in Nevada casinos.

McCain tried to attach the betting ban bill as an amendment to an education spending bill, which the Senate has been debating this week. McCain joined a number of senators who have been trying to add amendments to the bill.

Reid objected, which effectively blocked McCain. McCain's party colleague, Majority Leader Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss., also stepped into the discussion to say he wanted to limit amendments to the bill.

Both Lott and Reid, the Senate Minority Whip, have said they were trying to limit amendments to pertinent education-related amendments.

"I don't want anyone from Sen. McCain's -- the people that are supporting Sen. McCain's amendment -- to think that I'm doing this simply because it deals with NCAA betting on college," Reid said on the floor. "It's because we're trying to move this education bill along."

The Senate did not meet today, but McCain could attempt to tack on his amendment again next week as debate on the education bill continues.

Reid promised to "put my view forward" if and when McCain again pushes his legislation.

McCain's Amateur Sports Integrity Act would make it illegal to wager on college sports, which is only allowed in Nevada. McCain and other bill supporters say the legislation would curb illegal gambling on college campuses by closing the "Las Vegas loophole" that allows campus bookies to make bets. They want to insulate college athletes from gamblers to prevent game-fixing.

The Senate Commerce Committee, chaired by McCain, approved the bill April 13. Since then McCain has said attaching his bill as an amendment to another bill might be his best chance of passing the legislation. The House has taken no action on the bill.

Nevada's four-member Congressional delegation opposes the bill, saying it will harm Nevada casinos and do nothing to put a crimp on illegal gambling. ASSOCIATED PRESS

contributed to this report.