This article was written by Mark J. Burns and published on Sport & State, a new media company founded by Clay Travis that is built around sports, culture, original voices, and live conversation.
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After Democrats swept the November midterm elections, time is of the essence for House Republicans to pass the Protect College Sports Act, though the bipartisan bill’s future still remains in serious jeopardy.
If it doesn’t get passed before the current congressional session ends Jan. 3, college sports might be waiting even longer for federal legislation.
A spokesperson for the Senate Commerce Committee, which is chaired by Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (Texas), told Sport & State on Thursday that “there is no realistic path to secure the same broad, bipartisan support for a new bill in 2027 and beyond.”
The spokesperson said: “Passing the Senate-approved bipartisan bill through the House and sending it to the President’s desk during the lame duck Congress gives House Republicans an opportunity to close out the 119th Congress with a significant win for President Trump, HBCUs, women’s sports, and student athletes. An attempt to amend it would be a surefire defeat for the colleges and fans counting on PCSA’s enactment.”
On Wednesday, multiple sports law attorneys painted a similarly bleak outlook as the PCSA — which passed in the Senate with a 77-22 vote on Sept. 28 — appears to be on life support ahead of the upcoming lame-duck session.
Sports law attorney Darren Heitner, founder of Heitner Legal, placed the odds at 80% that the federal bill doesn’t pass the House at this point, while college sports lawyer Mit Winter said its passage is “slim-to-none.”
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