Cruz, Cantwell Craft Bipartisan College Sports Bill as 5-Year Eligibility Fight Intensifies
Updated
Updated · Fox News · May 15
Cruz, Cantwell Craft Bipartisan College Sports Bill as 5-Year Eligibility Fight Intensifies
4 articles · Updated · Fox News · May 15
Ted Cruz and Maria Cantwell have developed a bipartisan Senate bill on college athletics, with final legislative text expected next week and backers arguing it has a realistic path through Congress.
The proposal targets the sport’s biggest pressure points: NIL rules, transfer limits without penalty, the athlete-employment debate, and enforcement of NCAA eligibility standards.
Sources say it would also create a governing body to issue and enforce clearer rules, police third-party NIL deals, and uphold the revenue-sharing cap approved in the House settlement.
Donald Trump’s recent executive order and advisory committee have added momentum, but supporters say only legislation—not an order likely to face court challenges—can impose durable nationwide standards.
The push comes as college programs face financial strain and legal conflicts over state NIL laws, with midterms and a congressional recess narrowing the window for action.
As Washington steps in to regulate college sports, will athletes' earning potential be capped?
With multiple governing bodies emerging, who will ultimately control the future of college sports?
Could the new revenue-sharing model intended to pay athletes end up eliminating women's and Olympic sports?