Senate Passes Bill That Could Reshape How College Athletes Get Paid

The U.S. Senate passed a bipartisan bill on Monday that would create national rules for college athletes’ pay, transfers and eligibility, bringing Congress closer to changing how college sports operate.

The Protect College Sports Act passed 77-22 and now heads to the House of Representatives. The legislation would give the NCAA new authority to enforce rules governing athlete compensation and transfers, along with limited antitrust protections, according to ESPN and The Associated Press.

The bill follows a 2025 court settlement that allowed schools to share revenue directly with athletes. It would codify the agreement while adding restrictions around spending and transfers.

Here’s everything to know about the Protect College Sports Act, including what the bill would change, why it’s controversial and what will happen next as the House plans to vote on it.

What the bill would change

PCSA would keep the existing $21.5 million annual revenue-sharing cap but allow schools to provide up to an additional $27.5 million through a retention fund, benefiting two of the largest NCAA conferences, the Big Ten and the Southeastern Conference, per ESPN and AP.

Additionally, the bill seeks to prevent schools from using outside NIL deals to get around the spending limit.

Athletes would be allowed one “free” transfer within five years without losing or delaying eligibility. A second transfer would generally result in a one-year loss of eligibility, with exceptions, per ESPN, AP and the bill’s provisions.

It would also establish a five-year eligibility limit, with exceptions for pregnancy, religious missions and active-duty military service, among other circumstances.

PCSA also includes new protections for athletes, including caps on agent fees and guarantees for health insurance and certain scholarships. It would also require schools to maintain a minimum number of sports and roster spots, an effort to protect women’s and Olympic sports from being cut.

“It would be nice if college sports could somehow magically fix itself, but this is a matter of law, federal law, and only Congress can fix it,” Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said, according to AP.

Why the bill may be controversial

Despite support from more than 70 bipartisan senators and President Donald Trump, the bill has also drawn criticism over what it leaves unresolved.

Reuters reported that the legislation would override existing state NIL laws, even though more than 30 states already have their own NIL regulations. It also does not settle whether college athletes should be classified as employees, leaving collective bargaining unresolved.

The bill would allow athletes to sue to enforce its protections rather than requiring arbitration. Critics argue that could put too much responsibility on individual athletes to identify violations and take legal action.

“Student-athletes often have limited time, resources, and legal expertise,” Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester, D-Del., said in a statement obtained by Reuters. “They should not bear primary responsibility” for enforcing those protections.

Four Black Democratic senators, including Cory Booker of New Jersey, Raphael Warnock of Georgia, Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware and Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland, have opposed the bill, according to AP.

What happens next?

The bill now moves to the House, which is in recess until after the November elections.

However, Trump could pressure House members to pass the bill quickly. Still, some language in the legislation could flag several Republicans, including the provision not to refer to athletes as employees, per AP.

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