By Jenn Miller

Five of the 18-member Pennsylvania congressional delegation have asked the NCAA to overturn the unprecedented sanctions leveled against Penn State.

In a July 24 letter addressed to NCAA President Mark Emmert, Congressmen Glenn “GT” Thompson, Charles Dent, Jim Gerlach, Michael Doyle and Mike Kelly ask the NCAA to rescind the sanctions.

“Under your leadership, continuing these unprecedented sanctions harms innocent student-athletes and further erodes the increasingly specious credibility of the organization,” the politicians write. “By limiting scholarships and imposing a financial burden on Penn State, the NCAA has failed to live up to is mission statement.”

Specifically, the congressmen argue the NCAA should withdraw the sanctions in light of the April 9 ruling by Pennsylvania Commonwealth Judge Anne E. Covey, which said, in part, “high school student athletes who had no involvement in the criminal acts were prevented from obtaining a free college education.”

Additionally, the congressmen argue the $60 million fine creates a burden for the entire university, not just the football program.

“The impact of these sanctions directly contradicts your organization’s supposed goal of promoting education for student-athletes,” the letter states. “The continued enforcement of these questionable sanctions only harms innocent student-athletes who had nothing to do with Jerry Sandusky’s unspeakable crimes.”

NCAA Spokesperson Stacey Osborn said Monday the organization had not yet received the letter and did not have any comment.

Read the letter, which was tweeted by PS4RS, in full below.