Senate Passes the Protect College Sports Act 77-22. Now It's the House's Turn.

By faNILy Team · September 29, 2026

It's through the Senate. On Monday, Sept. 28, senators voted 77-22 to pass the Protect College Sports Act, according to the Senate Commerce Committee. It now heads to the House.

Sen. Ted Cruz, who chairs the Senate Commerce Committee, called it "a monumental day for college athletics."

What the bill would do

Based on the Senate Commerce Committee's summary and reporting from On3 and Forbes, the big pieces include:

NIL rights: A federal framework for NIL that replaces the state-by-state patchwork, with conflicting state laws on NIL, transfers and eligibility preempted.
Revenue sharing: Enshrines the House settlement's revenue-share cap and, per On3, raises the potential annual total to roughly $50 million per school, including a $22.5 million retention fund and $5 million for women's and non-revenue sports.
Agents: A registry and a 5% cap on agent fees.
Transfers and eligibility: One transfer without penalty, five years of eligibility and NCAA antitrust protection to enforce those rules.
Coaching moves: No in-season moves between FBS programs.
Conferences: Power conferences capped at 20 members, and a three-year independent period required before a school can join one, per Forbes and On3.
Health and academics: Division I schools would cover out-of-pocket medical costs during eligibility and for five years after, and scholarships would be guaranteed for 10 years after eligibility so athletes can finish their degrees, per Forbes.

Per the committee's section-by-section summary, the bill does not decide whether athletes are employees, and it contains no collective bargaining provisions.

How college sports reacted

All four power conferences put out statements. The SEC called the vote "an important step toward establishing a clear and durable national framework" and said it would stay engaged with the House. ACC commissioner Jim Phillips also called it an important step, while the Big Ten and Big 12 praised the sponsors and the bill's push for stability, per On3.

Not everyone's on board. Twenty-two senators voted no, and an amendment from Sens. Cory Booker and Chris Murphy to cap coach salaries at $5 million wasn't expected to be adopted, per On3's earlier reporting.

The House problem

Here's the catch: the House isn't expected to reconvene until after November's midterm elections, per On3, and Forbes notes its next scheduled legislative session begins Monday, Nov. 9. Both chambers must pass the same text before it can reach President Trump, who On3 reports would sign it.

Sen. Eric Schmitt pressed for quick House action, per On3. But Forbes expects the bill to encounter hurdles in the House, and any changes there would send it back to the Senate with the calendar running short.

What it means for athletes and fans

Athletes could see one national set of NIL rules, agent protections and a higher revenue-sharing ceiling.
Families would get a federal cap on agent fees and an agent registration system.
Fans could see more stable rosters, fewer courtroom eligibility fights and limits on conference realignment.

For now, nothing changes. The rules in place today still apply until a bill becomes law. But the bill is now halfway through Congress, and the next few months will decide whether it gets over the finish line.

Senate Passes the Protect College Sports Act 77-22. Now It's the House's Turn.

What the bill would do

How college sports reacted

The House problem

What it means for athletes and fans

Sources