Trump Urges Passage of Protect College Sports Act
President Donald Trump has called on lawmakers to pass the Protect College Sports Act as Congress approaches recess. Trump hosted over 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.
Trump emphasized how the collegiate athletic system fuels American Olympic success, highlighting that 88% of Team USA members from these games emerged from this system. He urged the House and Senate to pass the bill, which he stated he would sign immediately.
“I’m urging the House and the Senate to come together, bipartisan if possible and it looks like they have done, to send the bill to my desk and I will sign it,” Trump stated. “If we don’t, we’re very foolish. We’re in Never-Never Land. We’re not going to let that be happening.”
The President noted his administration’s efforts to protect longstanding American sporting traditions. Trump expressed concern that college sports resemble professional sports without rules and called for a bipartisan effort to enact the bill.
The Protect College Sports Act seeks to provide the NCAA with greater antitrust protections and establish a uniform framework for college athletics. This includes aspects like Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) compensation.
There are hurdles in the Senate, with three Republican senators filing an amendment. Senators Josh Hawley, Jim Banks, and Tommy Tuberville aim to prevent the bill from overriding state laws against biological males competing in women’s sports. They argue that the current bill language could impact state laws regarding athlete eligibility.
Senator Josh Hawley voiced his concerns, stating, “I’ve reviewed the current draft of the Senate NIL bill and I am very concerned it preempts Missouri’s law banning men in women’s sports.”
The Trump administration supports the bill, emphasizing the need for federal legislative action to resolve legal ambiguities and ensure fairness in college sports. A statement from the administration read:
The future of college sports, especially Olympic and non-revenue sports, faces legal and financial uncertainty. Federal legislative action is imperative to address these ambiguities, ensure liability protection, and maintain stability and fairness.
The Senate’s upcoming five-week recess adds urgency to passing the bill. While the Senate has other major tasks, Trump remains hopeful that the bill will progress to the House and ultimately his desk.