Bill · 119th Congress
S. 4668
Protect College Sports Act of 2026
- 01 Introduced
- 02 Committee
- 03 Passed Senate
- 04 Passed House
- 05 To President
- 06 Law
Latest action · Oct 5, 2026
Held at the desk.
What this bill does
Protect College Sports Act of 2026
This bill establishes requirements for name, image, or likeness (NIL) agreements for college student athletes and provides a limited antitrust exemption for schools and conferences to pool and sell certain college sports media rights. The requirements address elements of the court-approved agreement to settle In re College Athlete NIL Litigation (i.e., House settlement).
First, the bill statutorily prohibits institutions, conferences, or interstate intercollegiate athletic associations (e.g., the National Collegiate Athletic Association [NCAA]) from restricting student athletes from entering NIL agreements (subject to specified limitations). Students must report to their institution NIL compensation greater than $600.
The bill requires agents to register with a state and caps agent endorsement contract fees at 5%.
The bill also provides student athletes with one transfer without losing athletic eligibility and restricts football personnel from becoming the head football coach at a different institution during the same season.
Further, the bill prohibits institutions, conferences, or specified entities acting for the benefit of an institution from providing athletes with compensation that circumvents the limit on sharing revenue with student athletes established under the House settlement. The bill also makes the limit permanent and provides for an annual inflation adjustment.
The bill generally prohibits Division I conferences from reducing the number of varsity or Olympic sports teams that a member institution must sponsor. Specifically, large institutions ($80 million or more in annual athletics revenue) must offer and maintain at least as many grant-in-aid opportunities and roster spots for sports that do not generate positive net revenue as the institution provided during academic year 2024-25. The bill provides for a waiver of this requirement under certain circumstances of financial hardship and the requirements expire nine years after the enactment of the bill.
Additionally, the bill establishes (subject to specified conditions) a limited antitrust exemption for institutions or conferences that form joint agreements to transfer their sports telecasting rights to a third party. Such an agreement requires participation from at least 75% of the institutions in the Football Bowl Subdivision.
Congressional Research Service · Reported to Senate · Jun 24, 2026
How Congress voted
Senate vote 250 · Sep 28, 2026
On Passage of the Bill
Passed 77 yes · 22 no
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Final count
| Senator | Party | State | District | Their vote |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Angela D. Alsobrooks | Democrat | MD | -- | No |
| Alan Armstrong | Republican | OK | -- | Yes |
| Tammy Baldwin | Democrat | WI | -- | Yes |
| Jim Banks | Republican | IN | -- | Yes |
| John Barrasso | Republican | WY | -- | Yes |
| Michael F. Bennet | Democrat | CO | -- | Yes |
| Marsha Blackburn | Republican | TN | -- | Yes |
| Richard Blumenthal | Democrat | CT | -- | No |
| Lisa Blunt Rochester | Democrat | DE | -- | No |
| Cory A. Booker | Democrat | NJ | -- | No |
| John Boozman | Republican | AR | -- | Yes |
| Katie Boyd Britt | Republican | AL | -- | Yes |
| Ted Budd | Republican | NC | -- | Yes |
| Maria Cantwell | Democrat | WA | -- | Yes |
| Shelley Moore Capito | Republican | WV | -- | Yes |
| Bill Cassidy | Republican | LA | -- | Yes |
| Susan M. Collins | Republican | ME | -- | Yes |
| Christopher A. Coons | Democrat | DE | -- | Yes |
| John Cornyn | Republican | TX | -- | Yes |
| Catherine Cortez Masto | Democrat | NV | -- | Yes |
| Tom Cotton | Republican | AR | -- | Yes |
| Kevin Cramer | Republican | ND | -- | Yes |
| Mike Crapo | Republican | ID | -- | Yes |
| Ted Cruz | Republican | TX | -- | Yes |
| John R. Curtis | Republican | UT | -- | Yes |
| Steve Daines | Republican | MT | -- | Yes |
| Tammy Duckworth | Democrat | IL | -- | No |
| Richard J. Durbin | Democrat | IL | -- | Yes |
| Joni Ernst | Republican | IA | -- | Yes |
| John Fetterman | Democrat | PA | -- | Yes |
| Deb Fischer | Republican | NE | -- | Yes |
| Ruben Gallego | Democrat | AZ | -- | Yes |
| Kirsten E. Gillibrand | Democrat | NY | -- | No |
| Darline Graham | Republican | SC | -- | Yes |
| Chuck Grassley | Republican | IA | -- | Yes |
| Bill Hagerty | Republican | TN | -- | Yes |
| Margaret Wood Hassan | Democrat | NH | -- | Yes |
| Josh Hawley | Republican | MO | -- | Yes |
| Martin Heinrich | Democrat | NM | -- | Yes |
| John W. Hickenlooper | Democrat | CO | -- | Yes |
| Mazie K. Hirono | Democrat | HI | -- | Yes |
| John Hoeven | Republican | ND | -- | Yes |
| Jon Husted | Republican | OH | -- | Yes |
| Cindy Hyde-Smith | Republican | MS | -- | Yes |
| Ron Johnson | Republican | WI | -- | Yes |
| James C. Justice | Republican | WV | -- | Yes |
| Tim Kaine | Democrat | VA | -- | No |
| Mark Kelly | Democrat | AZ | -- | No |
| John Kennedy | Republican | LA | -- | Yes |
| Andy Kim | Democrat | NJ | -- | No |
| Angus S. King, Jr. | Independent | ME | -- | Yes |
| Amy Klobuchar | Democrat | MN | -- | Yes |
| James Lankford | Republican | OK | -- | Yes |
| Mike Lee | Republican | UT | -- | Yes |
| Ben Ray Luján | Democrat | NM | -- | Yes |
| Cynthia M. Lummis | Republican | WY | -- | Yes |
| Edward J. Markey | Democrat | MA | -- | No |
| Roger Marshall | Republican | KS | -- | Yes |
| Mitch McConnell | Republican | KY | -- | Yes |
| David McCormick | Republican | PA | -- | Yes |
| Jeff Merkley | Democrat | OR | -- | No |
| Ashley Moody | Republican | FL | -- | Yes |
| Jerry Moran | Republican | KS | -- | Yes |
| Bernie Moreno | Republican | OH | -- | Yes |
| Lisa Murkowski | Republican | AK | -- | Yes |
| Christopher Murphy | Democrat | CT | -- | No |
| Patty Murray | Democrat | WA | -- | Yes |
| Jon Ossoff | Democrat | GA | -- | Yes |
| Alex Padilla | Democrat | CA | -- | Yes |
| Rand Paul | Republican | KY | -- | No |
| Gary C. Peters | Democrat | MI | -- | Yes |
| Jack Reed | Democrat | RI | -- | No |
| Pete Ricketts | Republican | NE | -- | Yes |
| James E. Risch | Republican | ID | -- | Yes |
| Jacky Rosen | Democrat | NV | -- | Yes |
| Mike Rounds | Republican | SD | -- | Yes |
| Bernard Sanders | Independent | VT | -- | No |
| Brian Schatz | Democrat | HI | -- | Yes |
| Adam B. Schiff | Democrat | CA | -- | No |
| Eric Schmitt | Republican | MO | -- | Yes |
| Charles E. Schumer | Democrat | NY | -- | No |
| Tim Scott | Republican | SC | -- | Yes |
| Rick Scott | Republican | FL | -- | No |
| Jeanne Shaheen | Democrat | NH | -- | Yes |
| Tim Sheehy | Republican | MT | -- | Yes |
| Elissa Slotkin | Democrat | MI | -- | Yes |
| Tina Smith | Democrat | MN | -- | Yes |
| Dan Sullivan | Republican | AK | -- | Didn't vote |
| John Thune | Republican | SD | -- | Yes |
| Thom Tillis | Republican | NC | -- | Yes |
| Tommy Tuberville | Republican | AL | -- | Yes |
| Chris Van Hollen | Democrat | MD | -- | No |
| Mark R. Warner | Democrat | VA | -- | Yes |
| Raphael G. Warnock | Democrat | GA | -- | No |
| Elizabeth Warren | Democrat | MA | -- | No |
| Peter Welch | Democrat | VT | -- | Yes |
| Sheldon Whitehouse | Democrat | RI | -- | No |
| Roger F. Wicker | Republican | MS | -- | Yes |
| Ron Wyden | Democrat | OR | -- | Yes |
| Todd Young | Republican | IN | -- | Yes |
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Members
Every recorded vote on this bill
- Senate 250On Passage of the Bill
- Senate 249On the Amendment
- Senate 248On the Amendment
- Senate 247On the Amendment
- Senate 246On the Amendment
- Senate 245On the Amendment
- Senate 243On the Cloture Motion
- Senate 242On the Amendment
- Senate 240On the Cloture Motion
- Senate 236On the Motion to Proceed
- Senate 235On Cloture on the Motion to Proceed
Timeline
- Oct 5, 2026Held at the desk.
- Oct 5, 2026Received in the House.
- Oct 5, 2026Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- Sep 28, 2026Passed Senate with an amendment by Yea-Nay Vote. 77 - 22. Record Vote Number: 250. (text: CR S5044-5063)
- Sep 28, 2026Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Yea-Nay Vote. 77 - 22. Record Vote Number: 250. (text: CR S5044-5063)
- Sep 28, 2026Considered by Senate. (consideration: CR S5021-5064)
- Sep 24, 2026The committee substitute tabled by Voice Vote.
- Sep 24, 2026Cloture on the measure, as amended, invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 74 - 25. Record Vote Number: 243.
- Sep 24, 2026Considered by Senate. (consideration: CR S4959-4962)
- Sep 23, 2026Considered by Senate. (consideration: CR S4885)
- Sep 22, 2026Considered by Senate. (consideration: CR S4851)
- Sep 22, 2026Motion by Senator Thune to recommit to Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation with instructions to report back forthwith with the following amendment (SA 6781) fell when cloture was invoked on amendment SA 6776 in Senate.
- Sep 17, 2026Cloture motion on the measure presented in Senate. (CR S4789)
- Sep 17, 2026Motion by Senator Thune to recommit to Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation with instructions to report back forthwith with the following amendment (SA 6781) made in Senate. (CR S4789)
- Sep 17, 2026Measure laid before Senate by motion. (consideration: CR S4777-4790)
- Sep 17, 2026Motion to proceed to consideration of measure agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 77 - 22. Record Vote Number: 236. (CR S4773-4774)
- Sep 17, 2026Motion to proceed to measure considered in Senate. (CR S4773-4774)
- Sep 16, 2026Motion to proceed to measure considered in Senate. (CR S4743)
- Sep 15, 2026Motion to proceed to measure considered in Senate.
- Sep 15, 2026Cloture on the motion to proceed to the measure invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 74 - 24. Record Vote Number: 235. (CR S4715-4716)
- Aug 5, 2026Cloture motion on the motion to proceed to the measure presented in Senate. (CR S4449)
- Aug 5, 2026Motion to proceed to consideration of measure made in Senate. (CR S4449)
- Jun 24, 2026Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 449.
- Jun 24, 2026Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cruz with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
- Jun 18, 2026Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
- Jun 2, 2026Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- Jun 2, 2026Introduced in Senate
Cosponsors
9 members
- Maria CantwellD-WA
- Christopher A. CoonsD-DE
- Eric SchmittR-MO
- Shelley Moore CapitoR-WV
- Peter WelchD-VT
- John W. HickenlooperD-CO
- Pete RickettsR-NE
- John HoevenR-ND
- Ben Ray LujánD-NM
Details
Related bills
Cost estimates · Congressional Budget Office
Subject tags · 12