College sports bill faces uphill battle in post-midterms House

Bipartisan legislation to regulate the growing business behind college sports appears primed to clear the Senate this week, but it faces a much tougher road in the House when lawmakers return in the fall.

The Protect College Sports Act, championed by Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), cleared its first major congressional tests last week, winning the backing of more than 70 senators on two procedural votes, including a group of key Democrats and conservatives who had held out support for weeks.  

Cruz had insisted a big bipartisan vote was key to gaining enough momentum to win over skeptical House members, and in private conversations, he urged Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) to keep members in town last week to take up his bill.  

But Johnson decided to send House members home early, meaning the legislation will not reach President Trump’s desk until November at the earliest.

“We remain pretty optimistic the House is going to make this a priority when they come back. The only reason you wouldn’t do that is because of sour grapes,” said one lobbyist who has worked extensively on the Senate bill. “They owe it to the American people, and especially for Republicans, to the expectations of the president on top of that.”  

Trump endorsed the act and last week called out a pair of GOP senators from Florida who joined Democrats in voting against the measure over its provisions relating to conference realignment.  

The legislation would grant student athletes a new federal right to earn compensation for their name, image and likeness. It caps agent fees at 5 percent, guarantees scholarships for 10 years after eligibility and allows athletes to transfer once without having to sit out a year.  

The bill would also prevent coaches from leaving midseason to coach or otherwise effectively take over another program during the same competitive season, a major point of contention this fall in the wake of Louisiana State University football coach Lane Kiffin’s departure from Ole Miss last year. 

Critics of the bill call it a gift to the NCAA and top conferences, which they argue would more easily be able to stifle the earning potential of athletes and protect wealthy coaches and administrators.  

“The Protect College Sports Act sells out athletes and bails out the NCAA,” said Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), one of the bill’s most vocal critics and a lawmaker who played football at Stanford University.

“If this bill becomes law, the same actors who exploited college athletes for decades will emerge with more power, and college athletes will emerge with less,” he said.........

© The Hill