The U.S. Senate voted Monday night to pass the Protect College Sports Act, the first bill addressing college sports to clear either chamber of Congress. The legislation now moves to the House of Representatives, where it faces further debate and possible changes.
The bill is the product of more than five years of lobbying by the NCAA, major conferences, universities and advocacy groups. It targets what supporters call an unstable period for college sports as the biggest programs shift toward a more professional model.
Sen. Maria Cantwell (D), a co-author of the bill, said the measure is about accountability. "This is about reining in the bad practices that are happening in college sports today, the runaway costs... [and] the runaway arms race in sports spending," she said.
The vote caps weeks of aggressive campaigning on both sides. Supporters argue that without congressional action, college sports as Americans know it will be permanently damaged. Opponents counter that the bill hands power back to the same administrators and conference leaders who have profited from athlete labor for decades.
Both camps have drawn criticism for exaggerated warnings and misleading claims during the push. The bill's passage marks a turning point after years of stalled federal efforts on name, image and likeness rules, athlete compensation and transfer policies.
The Protect College Sports Act covers a wide range of issues tied to the industry's transition. It does not become law yet. The House can rewrite the bill, and any changes would send it back to the Senate for another vote before it reaches the president's desk.
For now, the Senate vote stands as the furthest any college sports legislation has advanced in Congress. Schools, conferences and athlete advocacy groups are expected to intensify lobbying in the House in the coming weeks.
