President Donald Trump has once again urged Congress to pass the Protect College Sports Act, emphasizing the urgency as the congressional recess approaches.

On Thursday night, Trump hosted more than 120 athletes, coaches, staff, and representatives from Team USA at the White House to celebrate their achievements at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games. During the event, he highlighted the importance of the collegiate athletic system, calling it "the engine of American Olympic dominance," noting it produced 88% of the Team USA representatives at the Games.

Trump urged both the House and Senate to come together, ideally in a bipartisan manner, to pass the bill and send it to his desk, where he pledged to sign it immediately. "We have to get that done," he said, warning that failure to do so would be "very foolish" and could lead to uncertain consequences. He added, "We’re not going to let that happen to these great people and others."

The Protect College Sports Act is a bipartisan bill supported by NCAA officials that aims to provide the collegiate governing body with greater antitrust legal protections. It also seeks to establish a uniform framework for college athletics concerning Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) compensation, the transfer portal, and other key issues.

While details of potential amendments remain unclear and may influence Republican support, Trump expressed hope that the bill would reach the Oval Office soon with the necessary framework to protect college sports now and in the future.

The Senate's action on the bill remains uncertain, but Trump's remarks on Thursday night served as a clear push for the House to advance the legislation promptly.

Sources