Brief

Senate Nears Vote on Bill to Regulate College Athlete Payments and Transfers

A sweeping bipartisan bill could soon impose federal limits on name‑image‑likeness payments and transfer rules for college athletes.

By Felo News Desk · Published Mon, 28 Sep 2026 21:52:04 GMT

The U.S. Senate is poised to vote on a bipartisan bill that would establish national regulations on college athlete payments and transfer rules. The legislation, backed by more than 70 senators, would codify a 2025 lawsuit settlement that allowed schools to pay players and would give the NCAA new authority to enforce limits on name, image and likeness (NIL) compensation and transfer frequency. Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz, who negotiated the bill with Democrat Maria Cantwell, said the measure is a matter of federal law that only Congress can fix. Critics, including Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy, argue the bill does not adequately protect athletes or curb the large sums paid to coaches and conferences. President Donald Trump has expressed interest in the bill, and the White House formally endorsed it last month. The bill still requires House approval before becoming law.

Key facts

Bill would regulate college athlete NIL payments and transfer rules (bleacherreport.com)
Backed by more than 70 senators from both parties (bleacherreport.com)
Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz negotiated the bill (bleacherreport.com)
Critics say the bill does not protect athletes adequately (bleacherreport.com)
President Trump has expressed interest in the legislation (bleacherreport.com)