Senate Moves to Restore Order in College Sports with Protect College Sports Act; House Hesitates
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The Senate voted 77-23 to advance the Protect College Sports Act, a crucial step toward bringing stability and common sense back to college athletics. While the House remains indecisive, the bill promises to rein in chaos and protect the integrity of college sports.
The U.S. Senate took decisive action Thursday, passing the second of three procedural votes for the Protect College Sports Act by a commanding 77-23 margin—far exceeding the simple majority required. This comprehensive 150-page legislation is a much-needed response to the growing disorder in college athletics, reinstating a sensible one-time transfer exception, establishing a five-year eligibility limit, increasing revenue-share payments to deserving athletes, and creating a robust agent certification system to prevent exploitation.
Lawmakers responsibly revised the bill’s expansion provision, shortening the independent probationary period for power-conference schools moving to another league from five to three years, and ending probation after six years. The cap on power-conference membership at 19 schools remains, ensuring that college sports do not spiral out of control.
Senators Tommy Tuberville and Alex Padilla, recognizing the bill’s improvements, switched their votes to support this vital reform. Senate co-author Eric Schmitt celebrated the strong bipartisan support, emphasizing that the bill will restore stability to college sports. Democratic co-author Maria Cantwell highlighted a report showing taxpayer funds being misused by athletic departments and hailed the legislation as 'historic.'
The Senate is expected to hold the final procedural vote as early as Tuesday, with a full vote on Thursday. However, the House of Representatives continues to drag its feet, with leaders suggesting they may delay consideration until after the November midterm elections. President Donald Trump has rightly praised the Senate’s action and urged the House to act before the election to protect the future of college sports.
Opponents, including Senator Cory Booker, continue to push for radical changes that would undermine the structure of college athletics and open the door to excessive compensation demands. Some ACC schools expressed concerns about the expansion provision, but the recent compromise won broad bipartisan support from those committed to preserving the integrity of college sports.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune has indicated that further amendments are unlikely, paving the way for this crucial bill to be finalized next week—a win for fairness, order, and the enduring values of college athletics.