from John Branch of the New York Times,

Four members of Congress want more answers from Gary Bettman, the commissioner of the N.H.L., about what the league is doing, or not doing, about concussions in hockey.

In July, Bettman denied the link between concussions and chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or C.T.E., in response to pointed questions from Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut. Last week, another letter was sent to Bettman saying, in part, that “the N.H.L. must do its part to reduce the risk of head injuries and to make hockey, at all levels, a safer game.”

In comparing N.H.L. concussion protocols unfavorably to those of the N.F.L., Major League Baseball and U.S. Soccer, the representatives from the Committee on Energy and Commerce asked a series of seven questions about concussion protocol, concussion statistics, the rationale for rules changes over the years and the league’s plans to make the game safer for players ranging from youth to professional.

They also questioned the role of fighting in the N.H.L., and noted that emails among Bettman and other league officials indicated that, privately, they acknowledged that fighting can lead to concussions and other long-term health problems.

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