Cruz and Cantwell Push Bipartisan Bill to Overhaul College Sports and Athlete Pay
The Protect College Sports Act of 2026 has been approved by a Senate committee and is now waiting for a vote by the full Senate. It is currently placed on the legislative calendar and is actively moving through the process. There are no specific dates set for a final vote at this time.
The bill has top leaders from both parties as sponsors and has already cleared a major committee. While college sports bills are often debated, this bipartisan push makes it a strong contender.
Scores run from -100 (strongly harmful) to +100 (strongly beneficial) for each group, combining impact, certainty, scope, and duration ratings of 1-5. How impact scoring works
Athlete agents who work with college athletes face new registration requirements and fee caps of 5% per endorsement deal. The bill creates stricter rules for agents but also provides a clearer legal framework for doing business. Agents who violate the rules can be decertified and barred from contacting student athletes.
“charge a student athlete a fee in connection with an endorsement contract that exceeds 5 percent of the value of the endorsement contract”
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 449.
The bill is now on the schedule for the full chamber to consider. It's in line for debate and a vote.
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cruz with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
The committee approved this bill and is sending it to the full chamber for a vote. This is a significant step — most bills never get this far.
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
The committee approved this bill and is sending it to the full chamber for a vote. This is a significant step — most bills never get this far.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.
Introduced in Senate
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
The Protect College Sports Act proposes a national NIL framework, a one-time transfer rule, and a five-year eligibility cap. It also grants the NCAA a limited antitrust exemption to enforce these rules while codifying revenue-sharing caps from recent legal settlements.
Former Alabama coach Nick Saban testified before the Senate in support of the new bill, arguing that a national framework is necessary to create legal certainty and protect the education-based model of college athletics from becoming a 'mini-NFL.'
The bill includes a provocative plan to allow schools to pool media rights, potentially reshaping the economics of college sports. It also expands the protected window for college games, keeping the NFL off Friday and Saturday nights for a longer period each season.
No votes recorded for this bill yet.
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Protect College Sports Act of 2026
Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.