The U.S. Senate took no action on the Protect College Sports Act, adjourning for summer recess early Saturday with a promise the Senate will consider the bill next month.
Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) have been leading the bipartisan move in Washington, D.C., to try to rein in the havoc that has ensued in college sports since the evolution of name, image and likeness and revenue-share money for student-athletes.
“College sports is something that needs to be fixed. They have a good solution,” said John Thune (R-S.D.), the Senate majority leader. “We got it teed up for next month.”
The Senate is scheduled to return Sept. 14.
The all-encompassing bill addresses legislating player pay but also includes provisions to save women’s and Olympic sports. It also addresses major issues such as health care, the transfer portal and conference alignment.
Cruz and Cantwell introduced the bill in May, and it was met with immediate disdain from the NCAA’s biggest and most influential conferences — the Big Ten and SEC, who ultimately signed off on a revised bill.
The extended confirmation hearing for Todd Blanche, voted in as the next attorney general, was among the time-consuming issues that forced the Senate to adjourn early Saturday with items left on the docket.
In their statements after adjournment, Cruz and Cantwell said they remain optimistic about its passage in September.
“The Protect College Sports Act is an opportunity to preserve one of America’s greatest traditions: college sports,” Cruz said. “My colleagues and I have worked hard to end the chaos that is causing schools to cancel Olympic and women’s sports, programs to fall behind, and fans to pull out their hair in frustration.
“Our work is not over. The good news is that when the Senate returns in September, the Protect College Sports Act will be one of our first orders of business.”
“I look forward to its passage in September,” Cantwell said.
Should the Senate approve the bill, it then must get the OK from the House of Representatives, where a close vote is expected.
If both chambers agree to pass the Protect College Sports Act, it will go to President Donald Trump for his signature.
Trump, an avid sports fan, has said he would sign the bill to make it law.