The Association's Washington, D.C., office is approaching the new year with a new professional staff, a new name and a familiar set of challenges.

Abe Frank, former vice-president and counsel of government relations at Citigroup Inc., and Lisa P. Kinard, former director of government relations for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, now make up the NCAA team that is primarily responsible for dealing with federal and state government relations. Because state issues will receive greater attention, the name of the office has been changed from "federal relations" to "government relations."

Kinard, deputy director of government relations, joined the staff in November and immediately assisted with NCAA Congressional testimony on stadium security issues. Frank, director of governmental relations, joined the staff in December.

In identifying goals for the office, Frank said he wants to educate decision-makers about how student-athletes can be affected by government policy, to enhance the NCAA's relationships with higher education associations and to work closely with the many university representatives who are located in Washington, D.C.

The issues facing the government relations staff are familiar to those who follow the NCAA:

Internet gambling. The House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime conducted a hearing November 29 on H.R. 556 (to prevent the use of certain bank instruments for unlawful Internet gambling) and 3215 (to amend Title 18 of the U. S. Code to expand and modernize the prohibition against interstate gambling.

Amateur Sports Integrity Act. S. 718 was reported out of the Senate Commerce Committee on May 14, 2001. No action has occurred since then.

Uniform Athlete Agents Act. The effort to establish a uniform state law for the control of athlete agents has been signed into law in 12 states. "We will aim to make this issue a priority for state legislators this year," Frank said. The Association is working with the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws to get the legislation approved.

* OCR appointment. The governmental relations staff is monitoring the nomination of Gerald Reynolds to serve as assistant secretary of civil rights for the Department of Education. The nomination is pending in the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pension Committee.

Frank and Kinard will attend the NCAA Convention January 11-14 in Indianapolis, at which time they are expected to meet with the Association's membership.

In addition to serving as vice-president and counsel of government relations at Citigroup, Frank also served as the director of the council of state's government Washington office.

Kinard headed government relations for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting for two years before joining the NCAA staff. She also served as legislative analyst at the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy and as legislative assistant to Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Maryland, where she handled domestic policy issues, including education. She also was legislative assistant to former Rep. Augustus F. Hawkins, D-California.