Senate passes college sports bill backed by Washington Sen. Maria Cantwell

The U.S. Senate passed a sweeping bipartisan bill Monday that would impose new rules on college sports, including name, image, and likeness payments, athlete transfers, and eligibility.

The 77-22 vote advances the Protect College Sports Act, led by Washington Democrat Sen. Maria Cantwell and Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz, the top lawmakers on the Senate Commerce Committee.

The bill would codify college athletes’ ability to earn money while competing and give the NCAA and conferences limited antitrust protections to enforce certain rules.

“That is not what sports are about. It is about any given day, the competition,” Cantwell said on the Senate floor. “So, let’s get back to playing sports again, and let’s pass this legislation.”

It now heads to the House, where its future is uncertain. House lawmakers aren’t expected to return until after the 2026 midterm elections.

What the college sports bill would change

The legislation would allow athletes to transfer schools once without a penalty, with some exceptions, while capping total eligibility at five years.

It would also increase how much money schools can share directly with athletes. Under the bill, schools could distribute up to $21.5 million in revenue to athletes, with an additional $27.5 million available through a retention fund.

Up to $5 million could be directed toward women’s sports and Olympic sports, which generally generate less revenue than football and men’s basketball.

Cantwell has argued that the current college sports system has created significant financial pressures for universities and for NCAA Division 1 sports programs.

“Ninety-four percent of those D1 programs are in the red … and the reason why it’s so frustrating is there are four schools just in the state of Virginia that are putting exorbitant tuition fees on their students just to pay for college sports, ” Cantwell said.

The Senator shared the median debt for schools in the four most powerful athletic conferences is more than $120 million, according to figures cited in support of the legislation.

The bill aims to bring more stability to a college sports system transformed by NIL payments and the transfer portal.

College athletes earning millions

The changes come as some college athletes are reportedly receiving millions of dollars in compensation.

Miami quarterback Darian Mensah is reportedly earning about $6.5 million, while Oregon quarterback Dante Moore is reportedly making about $5 million. Those figures do not include potential endorsement deals.

Supporters of the Senate legislation said new federal rules are needed to give athletes, schools, and conferences greater certainty.

Critics argued the bill does not go far enough to protect athletes or address the amount of money flowing through college sports.

The Congressional Black Caucus and NAACP are among the groups opposing the legislation. Some critics also object to provisions that would give the NCAA greater authority while leaving questions unresolved about whether college athletes should be considered employed.

Cruz called the Senate vote a “monumental day” for college sports.

“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,” Cruz said.

The House will ultimately decide whether the proposed college sports regulations become law.

Follow Luke Duecy on X. Read more of his stories here. Submit news tips here.