Senate Votes on Bill to End College Sports ‘Chaos’

The Senate has overwhelmingly passed a bill that aims to “protect, save, and preserve college sports in America.”

The Protect College Sports Act, championed by Republican Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas and Eric Schmitt of Missouri, would place regulations on name, image, and likeness deals, known as NIL, set limits on athlete transfers, and ensure only college-age athletes are competing in college sports. If it becomes law, it will affect more than 500,000 college athletes playing collegiate sports in America every year

The bill passed the Senate late Monday night in a 77-22 vote. Of the 22 “no” votes, 19 were Democrats, such as Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. Sens. Bernie Sander, I-Vt.; Rick Scott, R-Fla.; and Rand Paul, R-Ky., also voted “no.”

Under the current NIL and transfer rules for college athletes, Cruz has described college sports as “chaos” and “the wild west.”

“Today is a monumental day for college athletics,” Cruz said upon passage of the bill. “The United States Senate voted to protect the hundreds of thousands of student-athletes currently competing in college sports, the millions who will follow in their footsteps, and every college sports fan who wants to preserve this great American tradition for generations to come.”

“After years of discussions and months of intense deliberations, we achieved what many said was impossible and succeeded in getting the Protect College Sports Act through the Senate with a huge bipartisan vote,” Cruz continued.

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Senate Majority Leader John Thune celebrated the passage of the bill and congratulated Cruz.

“I’m proud that the Senate passed the Protect College Sports Act, which will restore stability in college athletics and ensure South Dakota’s colleges and universities can continue to provide pivotal student-athlete experiences on our campuses,” Thune wrote on social media after it passed.

“By addressing some of the largest issues in college sports today, this bill will ensure the same opportunities that were available for student-athletes like my dad and my daughter will be available for the next generation,” he said.

Previously, the Republican-led bill faced conservative opposition because of language that critics claimed did not adequately keep men out of women’s sports. Senators fixed that language to protect women’s sports before Monday night’s vote.

The bill will now be sent to the House, though lawmakers in the lower chamber are not scheduled to return to Washington until after the November election. It is expected to face challenges in the House from the Congressional Black Caucus, which has announced opposition to the bill.

“I am proud of our success, and I trust the House of Representatives will remain focused on bringing stability to college sports by delivering the Protect College Sports Act to President [Donald] Trump’s desk without delay,” Cruz concluded.

The bill has received support from 32 collegiate athletic conferences and more than 380 colleges and universities across the country. It has received support from the White House, the National Basketball Association, the National Football League, Major League Baseball, the National Hockey League, and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee. It also has four Republican and four Democrat sponsors, including bipartisan support from the Senate Commerce Committee.