Bill to set rules for college sports clears first procedural vote in US Senate

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate on Tuesday moved forward on a sweeping bipartisan bill that would set national standards for college athletes’ compensation.

The measure breezed through its first procedural vote that needed 60 senators to advance, 74-24. 

The legislation is the latest congressional push to overhaul the college sports landscape, which continues to wrestle with a patchwork of state name, image and likeness laws, gender inequity in compensation deals and the NCAA’s controversial transfer portal, among other major issues.

Supporters see the bill as the last chance to preserve a college sports world mired in chaos. 

Opponents argue the measure would strongly undermine the labor rights of athletes, as the bill stands neutral on whether athletes are classified as employees. 

The measure seeks to create a national NIL standard, provide certain antitrust protections to the NCAA, establish a five-year eligibility timeline for athletes and make clear that professional athletes cannot compete in college athletics. 

GOP Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell of Washington state — the top members of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, which has jurisdiction over the matter — introduced the legislation earlier this year. 

Republican Sen. Eric Schmitt of Missouri and Democratic Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware are original cosponsors of the bill. 

A competing bill remains stalled in the House after being yanked from the House voting schedule in May following unanimous opposition from the Congressional Black Caucus. 

The major voting bloc — which also opposes the Senate bill — rallied behind the NAACP’s call in May that urged pushback against GOP-led redistricting efforts in Southern states via college sports, including a boycott of public universities by athletes and supporters.