WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Senate Commerce Committee voted 19-9 on June 18, 2026, to advance the Protect College Sports Act. This legislation would grant the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) a limited antitrust exemption and establish new guidelines for college sports governance.

The Protect College Sports Act addresses one-time transfer limitations and five-year eligibility standards for athletes. Additionally, the legislation could permit Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) conferences to collectively manage media rights and restrict third-party Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) compensation directly to athletes. Lawmakers also amended an anti-expansion provision within the bill to apply to all power conferences.

Eight of the 19 votes in favor of the bill came from lawmakers representing states with Southeastern Conference (SEC) or Big Ten programs. Six Democrats voted in favor of the bill during the committee vote. Senators Roger Wicker and Todd Young voted against the legislation in the committee. Seven of the nine opposing votes originated from lawmakers representing states within the SEC or Big Ten footprints.

"People have to wake up," U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell said. "The politics of these conference commissioners moving around deck chairs with realignment and making millions of dollars themselves and not thinking about the broad interest to solve these problems has led us to this point," she said. "Athletic directors and presidents are going to face scrutiny from regents who are suddenly questioning why they sent letters opposing the bill," she said. "We are saying we are not going to let the most powerful and richest conferences dictate to the rest of America what is going to happen to 500,000 athletes," Cantwell said. "They need our help, they asked for it and today, we are giving it,"

U.S. President Donald Trump issued a statement supporting the bill while also encouraging congressional compromise on specific concepts. The SEC and Big Ten released a joint statement opposing the legislation shortly before the committee vote. Executives from these conferences argued that the anti-expansion provision should also prohibit third parties from poaching members from existing conferences.

"The bill has a big bipartisan vote that gives the bill real momentum ahead of a Senate floor vote," Cruz said. "Thune is committed and intends to bring the legislation to a floor vote in July," he added. "I believe this bill is going to pass."