U.S. Senate votes, 77-22, to pass Protect College Sports Act
The federal bill aimed at reshaping the college sports industry took a major step toward becoming law Monday night when the U.S. Senate overwhelmingly voted, 77-22, to pass it.
The Protect College Sports Act moves next to the House of Representatives, where it will face some opposition from both sides of the political spectrum and a narrow window to garner support. House representatives are not scheduled to vote on any bills until after November's midterm elections. If it doesn't get through the House during a lame duck legislative session before a new Congress takes over in January, the full process would have to start from the beginning.
"This bill puts an end to the chaos plaguing college athletics," Ted Cruz said from the Senate floor Monday.
The bill provides the NCAA with an antitrust exemption designed to help the association enforce a cap on how much teams can pay their athletes as well as other rules that have deteriorated due to legal challenges in recent years. If the bill becomes law, athletes would be limited to transferring one time without penalty during their college career. It would reinforce new NCAA rules that limit athletes to a five-year window to compete in college that begins either when they finish high school or turn 19 years old.
