Senate Pushes Protect College Sports Act Vote to September After Overnight Standoff

Protect College Sports Act·Latest event August 8, 2026

6 hours ago

Senate Pushes Protect College Sports Act Vote to September After Overnight Standoff

The Senate adjourned for recess without holding a floor vote on the Protect College Sports Act. This followed an overnight showdown where disagreements over conference realignment and NCAA liability stalled the legislation. Senators will not revisit the bill until at least September 14. The delay occurs as Florida officials lobby for stricter regulations on name, image, and likeness deals. These rules would build upon the SCORE Act, which previously sought to establish national standards for athlete compensation. Senator Ted Cruz introduced the bill to restrict transgender participation in women's college sports. However, former swimmer Riley Gaines argued the bill contains a fatal flaw that could undermine state-level eligibility rules. Supporters claim the act is the only federal legislation that preserves state laws regarding gender in sports. Critics maintain that Congress must fix the language before the bill proceeds to a final vote.

H.R. 4312SCORE ActProtect College Sports Act stalls in overnight Senate showdownCongress punts Protect College Sports Act to SeptemberCongress must fix the Protect College Sports Act

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The Senate's Protect College Sports Act and the House's SCORE Act (H.R. 4312) are separate efforts to regulate college sports. The SCORE Act focuses on medical benefits and keeping athletes as students, while the Senate bill adds rules for transgender athlete eligibility and conference expansion.

House Committee Advances SCORE Act to Set National Rules for College Athlete Pay

H.R. 4312