WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) added their names as cosponsors to the Protect College Sports Act, bipartisan legislation introduced by Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Ranking Member Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), and Senators Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) and Chris Coons (D-Del.).
The bill aims to end the disorder facing college sports with nationwide standards governing NIL, transfers, eligibility, and enforcement. Last month, the Commerce Committee advanced the bill with an overwhelming bipartisan vote of more than two thirds (19-9) in support, propelling its advancement to the Senate floor.
Support for the legislation includes 24 collegiate athletic conferences, 280 colleges and universities across 49 states and Washington, D.C., including historically black colleges and universities, and current student athletes. Additional endorsements for the bill include: the National Football League (NFL), Major League Baseball (MLB), the National Hockey League (NHL), the National Basketball Association (NBA), United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC), Team USA Athletes’ Commission (Team USA AC), and National Governing Body Council (NGBC).
To view the full list of supporters, click HERE.
Upon announcing her support Senator Capito said: “I am proud to cosponsor the Protect College Sports Act and support this effort to bring structure and stability back to college athletics. This legislation serves as an updated playbook to repair a fractured system by preventing the exploitation of student athletes, holding agents and coaches accountable, providing certainty through needed guardrails, and putting education first. It also includes an amendment I authored to preserve both women’s and Olympic sports’ visibility and media rights, helping these sports continue to grow and inspire the next generation of athletes. With the landscape of college athletics rapidly evolving, I believe we all agree that something needs to be done, and this bill puts those needed steps into action.”
Senator Welch said: “This bipartisan bill will level the playing field for college athletics, support schools in Vermont, and allow fans to enjoy college sports for generations to come. Everyone agrees that the current system is broken. I’m proud to support the Protect College Sports Act and thank my colleagues Chairman Cruz and Ranking Member Cantwell for their leadership on this urgent, important issue.”
Chairman Cruz said: “College sports are at a breaking point, and Congress is the only entity with the authority to help fix the current chaos. The Protect College Sports Act is a landmark, bipartisan bill that will preserve and strengthen our uniquely American system of college athletics. It is a bipartisan plan to restore order and the only train leaving the station. I applaud Senators Capito and Welch for joining as cosponsors, and I look forward to passing this legislation through the Senate and the House and sending it to President Trump’s desk.”
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