Claim: The U.S. Senate voted 74-24 to advance the Protect College Sports Act, a bipartisan bill that would set federal rules on NIL compensation, transfers, and athlete eligibility while giving the NCAA antitrust protection.
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The Protect College Sports Act emerged as a bipartisan effort to bring federal order to college athletics after years of upheaval. Following the 2021 Supreme Court decision opening the door to name, image, and likeness (NIL) compensation, state laws, lawsuits, and court rulings weakened long-standing NCAA rules on eligibility, transfers, and athlete pay.
By 2025, the House settlement had accelerated direct revenue-sharing between schools and athletes, while unrestricted transfers and conference realignment added to what supporters called chaos. Lawmakers and the NCAA had sought a national framework for years, but earlier bills stalled.
On June 2, 2026, Senators Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Maria Cantwell (D-Washington) introduced S.4668, aiming to codify federal NIL rights, establish uniform eligibility and transfer rules, set revenue-sharing parameters, provide limited antitrust protection to the NCAA and conferences, and protect non-revenue sports. Early cosponsors included Senators Eric Schmitt and Chris Coons.
The bill went to the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, chaired by Cruz, with Cantwell as ranking member. The sponsors held a June roundtable with coaches, athletes and university presidents. The committee later advanced the bill 19-9 and sent it to the full Senate, but momentum slowed by late July. Negotiations involving the White House and SEC and Big Ten commissioners revived the bill.
On July 31, the two conferences jointly backed it, followed by broader support from dozens of conferences, hundreds of schools, including HBCUs, and President Trump. Still, Senate leaders could not schedule a floor vote before the August recess. Cloture was filed, but the Senate adjourned without acting, delaying consideration until September.
After returning, Cruz and Cantwell held a September 14 Capitol news conference with athletes and coaches, including Gonzaga’s Mark Few, urging passage. Critics, including Senator Chris Murphy and members of the Congressional Black Caucus, argued the bill would shield the NCAA from accountability and restrict athlete compensation.
But according to NBC News, on September 15, 2026, the Senate voted 74-24 to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed, clearing the 60-vote threshold and advancing the bill to the next stage of Senate consideration.
Our Verdict: True
Following the September 15 cloture vote, the Senate continued its procedural work on the Protect College Sports Act through mid-to-late September. During this period, Senate Commerce Committee leaders negotiated and incorporated several significant amendments addressing conference realignment restrictions, foreign-financing disclosures, and the distribution of revenue-sharing caps.
After several hours of debate and votes on several amendments, the Senate passed the revised bill on the evening of September 28 by a decisive 77-22 vote. The measure thereby cleared the upper chamber and was transmitted to the House of Representatives. Once the bill left the Senate, its path forward grew less certain. The House of Representatives had already recessed and was not scheduled to return until after the November 3 midterm elections, with a planned reconvening date around November 9.
Although the legislation would require only a simple majority in the House, Republican leadership had given no firm commitment to bring it up promptly. And some members indicated they might seek further changes. President Trump had repeatedly voiced support for the measure and expressed interest in signing it before the end of the calendar year, yet the combination of the recess, election-year politics, and residual opposition meant that final enactment remained unresolved as of early October.
Our fact-checking sources:
- US Senate, September 28, 2026. Vote Summary
- NBC News, September 16, 2026. Senate votes to move forward with Protect College Sports Act
- USA Today, September 28, 2026. Senate passes major overhaul of college sports rules: ‘Bringing order to chaos’
- The Texas Tribune, September 28, 2026. U.S. Senate passes Ted Cruz’s college sports bill that seeks to rein in NCAA “chaos”
- Congress.Gov. S.4668 – Protect College Sports Act of 2026
- Commerce, Science, & Transportation, June 12, 2026. ICYMI: Chairman Cruz Hosts Roundtable on the Protect College Sports Act