Congressional Tug-of-War Over College Sports Reform

Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) have been meeting on a bipartisan college-sports bill. The draft would codify NCAA rules, grant limited antitrust protection, set a $20.5 million NIL cap, and address the transfer portal and athlete employee status. A White House committee has issued a supportive letter, and President Trump has pledged executive action. The proposal is slated for committee hearings before the August recess.

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The House-originated SCORE Act, which would give the NCAA antitrust safeguards, pre-empt NIL laws, and bar athlete-employee classification, failed to win a floor vote. A May 2026 vote was cancelled after Freedom Caucus members withheld procedural support and Congressional Black Caucus announced a boycott, despite coach concessions.

As SCORE Act Fails Again, a New College Sports Bill May Emerge

Congressional Black Caucus warned the SCORE Act would “benefit major athletic institutions that continue to remain silent while Black voting rights … are being dismantled across the South.” NAACP urged Black athletes to “withhold athletic and financial support from public universities in states that have moved to limit, weaken, or erase Black voting representation.”

The Hill

Sen. Cruz warned of “a crisis in college sports” and said “we are going to see continued damage.” Sen. Cantwell highlighted provisions to protect athletes, expand revenue for all schools, and promote women’s sports. Scalise said “it’s taken months to build this coalition.” NCAA urges congressional NIL action. Critic Rep. Lori Trahan says SCORE Act “bails out the NCAA … and rolls back rights.”

Politico

College athletics generates multibillion-dollar revenues, while student-athletes now earn record NIL sums. The $20.5 million NIL cap and NAACP boycott of universities with $100 million-plus athletic budgets underscore financial pressure on smaller programs, especially women’s sports.

As SCORE Act Fails Again, a New College Sports Bill May Emerge

Sources differ on the Senate bill’s language, especially athlete employee status, which is expected to diverge from the SCORE Act’s blanket ban. No formal draft is public, and the House’s chance to revive the SCORE Act remains uncertain after the CBC’s boycott.

As SCORE Act Fails Again, a New College Sports Bill May Emerge

• “Both of us, I believe, want to get to ‘yes,’” — Sen. Ted Cruz, R-TX

Politico

• “It’s definitely not a companion bill,” — Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-WA

Politico

• “benefit major athletic institutions that continue to remain silent while Black voting rights and Black political power are being systematically dismantled across the South.” — Congressional Black Caucus statement

The Hill

• “bails out the NCAA and the Power Two conferences by silencing athletes and rolling back the rights that they fought so hard to win.” — Rep. Lori Trahan, D-MA

Politico

If the Senate draft is released as expected, it will face committee review before a floor vote before the August recess. Ongoing CBC and NAACP opposition may shape amendments, while White House backing could sustain bipartisan momentum. The outcome will determine whether college sports get a unified federal framework or stay fragmented by state NIL regimes.

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