The Senate has passed the Protect College Sports Act, establishing national rules for college athletics, which includes standards for Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) deals, athlete compensation, recruiting, eligibility, transferring and more.
The bill, led by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., was passed by a vote of 77-22 on Monday night.
President Donald Trump has urged lawmakers to pass the bill, saying “we have to get that done” prior to Congress’ summer recess.
“I’m urging the House and the Senate to come together, bipartisan if possible and it looks like they have done, to send the bill to my desk and I will sign it,” he said the night he hosted members of Team USA from the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, who performed well earlier this year. “I think we have no choice. We have to get that done. If we don’t, we’re very foolish. Nobody knows what will happen. We’re in Never-Never Land. We’re not going to let that be happening. We’re not going to let that happen to these great people and others.”
The bill finally got pushed to the next phase earlier this month, giving the Senate the opportunity to advance the bipartisan bill. Now, the bill will go to the House of Representatives, and Trump may see it on his desk to sign into law if it goes through there.
