Congress is considering legislation to establish national standards for name, image, and likeness (NIL) compensation for college athletes, as states and schools struggle to regulate the system independently. The bipartisan bill, known as the Protect College Sports Act, seeks to preserve parts of the athletic conference system and create clear eligibility rules.

Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz said the current version of the bill has the support of 28 collegiate athletic conferences and more than 370 individual schools. The legislation was advancing through the Senate in early August but stalled before the summer recess. Supporters are now aiming for a vote in September, with the start of the college football season expected to bring the issue back to the Senate agenda.

Data from NIL platform Opendorse shows that while top college football players are earning millions, 66.5% of players receive less than $10,000 annually.

However, the Congressional Black Caucus has announced its opposition to the bill, arguing that Black athletes and coaches—who play a central role in major college sports—were excluded from negotiations. Critics warn that without the bill, millions of young athletes could be harmed, programs canceled, women’s and Olympic sports eliminated, fans deprived, and universities financially strained.

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Attribution

Reporting by Mary McCue Bell and Stephen Dinan, Washington Times News, August 25, 2026.