U.S. Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz said on July 23 that Congress must act to address the instability facing college athletics, highlighting bipartisan legislation aimed at restoring order and protecting opportunities for student athletes. In an op-ed published in USA Today, Cruz outlined the risks of inaction, warning that without legislative intervention, college sports could become dominated by a handful of wealthy schools and lead to the loss of athletic scholarships and non-revenue sport programs.
Cruz said, “For hundreds of thousands of student athletes, college sports are an opportunity. Sports are a means to a better life because they teach young men and women the traits that are necessary to succeed as adults – grit, work ethic, self-discipline and teamwork.” He described current challenges such as out-of-control spending by schools trying to compete financially, legal disputes over eligibility rules being decided by local judges rather than consistent national standards, and professional athletes attempting to return to play at the collegiate level.
The Protect College Sports Act was introduced by Cruz along with Ranking Member Maria Cantwell. The bill seeks not only to clarify name, image and likeness issues but also aims for broader reforms including uniform national rules around fair competition, recruiting practices, transfer policies and eligibility requirements. “After hundreds of difficult conversations and hard-fought compromises,” Cruz said in his op-ed, “we produced the Protect College Sports Act – a bipartisan bill designed not only to address issues around name, image and likeness deals but also to stabilize college athletics for future generations.”
The legislation has received support from more than 290 schools as well as coaches, student athletes and stakeholders such as the President’s College Sports Commission. President Donald Trump has called on Congress “to send a bill… before it’s too late.” During committee discussions of the bill—overseen by the Senate Commerce Committee—the proposal was amended based on stakeholder feedback before advancing with strong bipartisan backing.
The Senate Commerce Committee is responsible for reviewing legislation related to commerce—including sports—and is directed by a chairman with members from both parties; its main office is located in Washington D.C., according to the official website.
Cruz concluded his argument, saying that swift congressional action is needed: “We cannot wait until the system completely collapses… If we want to preserve [college sports] for future generations, the Senate and House of Representatives must act now.”