Senate approves Protect College Sports Act establishing federal NIL framework

The U.S. Senate voted 77-22 on Monday to pass the Protect College Sports Act, a bipartisan measure that would create a federal framework for name, image and likeness (NIL) compensation for college athletes. The legislation, introduced by Senate Commerce Committee Chair Ted Cruz and Ranking Member Maria Cantwell, would give athletes a federally protected right to earn NIL income, cap agent fees at 5%, limit transfers to one without loss of eligibility, and set a five-year eligibility maximum. It also requires Division I schools to cover medical expenses for injuries incurred during competition for the duration of the athlete’s eligibility and for five years thereafter, and grants the NCAA and conferences a limited antitrust exemption to enforce certain rules and negotiate television rights collectively.

"Compensation on revenue sharing is probably the most important thing we could possibly enshrine in federal law today," Cantwell said on the Senate floor, highlighting the bill’s provision that athletes receive a share of media, ticket and sponsorship revenues.

Support for the bill comes from the NCAA, all 32 major collegiate athletic conferences, more than 380 colleges and universities, and major professional leagues including the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, as well as the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee. Opposition includes the Congressional Black Caucus, the NAACP, the AFL-CIO, and several senators who argue the bill gives the NCAA excessive power without adequate athlete protections.

The House of Representatives is in recess ahead of the November elections, and lawmakers are not expected to consider the measure until a possible lame-duck session. If the bill does not reach the president’s desk by Jan. 3, 2027, the legislative process would have to restart.