The NBA has defended its age limit to Congress, but a lawmaker was unmoved and is asking to meet with top league officials.

The rule states that players be at least 19 years old and a year out of high school before entering the league.

In June, Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., urged the NBA and the player's union to scrap the requirement in the next collective bargaining agreement, calling it unfair.

NBA president Joel Litvin told Cohen in a letter recently that the requirement promotes the league's business interests by "increasing the chances that incoming players will have the requisite ability, experience, maturity and life skills" to perform at a high level.

Cohen maintains that players should have "economic freedom" and that the "age discrimination" prevents players from supporting their families.