S. 4668Protect College Sports Act of 2026

11 recorded actionsWhat the measure does Read on Congress.gov

Sponsor: Ted Cruz [R-TX]
Cosponsors: 9 · 5 Democrats · 4 Republicans
Policy area: Sports and Recreation
Committee: Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
Latest action: Oct 5, 2026 · Held at the desk.

IntroducedJun 2, 2026
Passed the SenateSep 28, 2026
Passed the HouseNot yet reached
Sent to the PresidentNot yet reached
Became lawNot yet reached

What the measure doesCRS summary

This bill establishes requirements for name, image, or likeness (NIL) agreements for college student athletes and provides a limited antitrust exemption for schools and conferences to pool and sell certain college sports media rights. The requirements address elements of the court-approved agreement to settle In re College Athlete NIL Litigation (i.e., House settlement).

First, the bill statutorily prohibits institutions, conferences, or interstate intercollegiate athletic associations (e.g., the National Collegiate Athletic Association [NCAA]) from restricting student athletes from entering NIL agreements (subject to specified limitations). Students must report to their institution NIL compensation greater than $600.

The bill requires agents to register with a state and caps agent endorsement contract fees at 5%.

The bill also provides student athletes with one transfer without losing athletic eligibility and restricts football personnel from becoming the head football coach at a different institution during the same season.

Further, the bill prohibits institutions, conferences, or specified entities acting for the benefit of an institution from providing athletes with compensation that circumvents the limit on sharing revenue with student athletes established under the House settlement. The bill also makes the limit permanent and provides for an annual inflation adjustment.

The bill generally prohibits Division I conferences from reducing the number of varsity or Olympic sports teams that a member institution must sponsor. Specifically, large institutions ($80 million or more in annual athletics revenue) must offer and maintain at least as many grant-in-aid opportunities and roster spots for sports that do not generate positive net revenue as the institution provided during academic year 2024-25. The bill provides for a waiver of this requirement under certain circumstances of financial hardship and the requirements expire nine years after the enactment of the bill.

Additionally, the bill establishes (subject to specified conditions) a limited antitrust exemption for institutions or conferences that form joint agreements to transfer their sports telecasting rights to a third party. Such an agreement requires participation from at least 75% of the institutions in the Football Bowl Subdivision.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service, describing S. 4668 as reported to Senate on Jun 24, 2026. It is not the text of the measure; a later amendment may have changed what it does.

Roll calls on S. 466811 roll calls on this measure

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Sep 15, 2026Each bar: ✓ Yea from the bottom, ✕ Nay aboveSep 28, 2026

How every member votedSenate roll call 250

Senate Sep 28, 2026 · the primary vote

On Passage of the Bill

S. 4668, as amended

Bill Passed

77 Yea 22 Nay 1 not voting

Crossed both parties 21 of 99 voting members broke with their own party: 19 Democrats, 2 Republicans.

Open the official roll call

How the chamber split

One dot per member. Select a seat or a bar to filter the list.

DemocratsIndependentsRepublicansFilled: YeaRing: NayGrey: not voting or present

By party select a segment to filter

All members100 members

Democratic45 members

Independent2 members

Republican53 members

marks half of the votes cast. A party’s majority is the side most of its voting members took.

Cosponsors9 · 5 Democrats · 4 Republicans

Signing on is not a vote: a member can cosponsor S. 4668 and vote against it. 3 signed when it was filed.

Loading the public record

All recent votes 119th CongressSenate

S. 4668Protect College Sports Act of 2026

11 recorded actionsWhat the measure does Read on Congress.gov

Sponsor: Ted Cruz [R-TX]
Cosponsors: 9 · 5 Democrats · 4 Republicans
Policy area: Sports and Recreation
Committee: Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
Latest action: Oct 5, 2026 · Held at the desk.

IntroducedJun 2, 2026
Passed the SenateSep 28, 2026
Passed the HouseNot yet reached
Sent to the PresidentNot yet reached
Became lawNot yet reached

What the measure doesCRS summary

The bill requires agents to register with a state and caps agent endorsement contract fees at 5%.

Roll calls on S. 466811 roll calls on this measure

Choose a roll call

Sep 15, 2026Each bar: ✓ Yea from the bottom, ✕ Nay aboveSep 28, 2026

How every member votedSenate roll call 250

Senate Sep 28, 2026 · the primary vote

On Passage of the Bill

S. 4668, as amended

Bill Passed

77 Yea 22 Nay 1 not voting

Crossed both parties 21 of 99 voting members broke with their own party: 19 Democrats, 2 Republicans.

Open the official roll call

How the chamber split

One dot per member. Select a seat or a bar to filter the list.

DemocratsIndependentsRepublicansFilled: YeaRing: NayGrey: not voting or present

By party select a segment to filter

All members100 members

Democratic45 members

Independent2 members

Republican53 members

marks half of the votes cast. A party’s majority is the side most of its voting members took.

Cosponsors9 · 5 Democrats · 4 Republicans

Signing on is not a vote: a member can cosponsor S. 4668 and vote against it. 3 signed when it was filed.

Who lobbied on S. 4668117 organizations

Organizations that named S. 4668 in a lobbying disclosure. Only those that cited the bill by number appear, so this is a floor, not a full list.

SAVING COLLEGE SPORTSfiled by INVARIANT LLC, JUDD LLC, RESOLUTION PUBLIC AFFAIRS, LLC, FIERCE GOVERNMENT RELATIONS

Sports/Athletics8 filings · 3rd Quarter (July 1 - Sep 30) 2026Filing

AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR JUSTICEfiled by AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR JUSTICE, NVG, LLC, CUNEO GILBERT FLANNERY & LADUCA (FORMERLY KNOWN AS CUNEO GILBERT & LADUCA), CUNEO GILBERT & LADUCAIts PAC: American Association for Justice PAC

Consumer Issues/Safety/Products · Financial Institutions/Investments/Securities · Government Issues · Labor Issues/Antitrust/Workplace +16 more6 filings · 3rd Quarter (July 1 - Sep 30) 2026Filing

STANFORD UNIVERSITYfiled by STANFORD UNIVERSITY, FIERCE GOVERNMENT RELATIONS, AKIN GUMP STRAUSS HAUER & FELD

Budget/Appropriations · Education · Science/Technology · Immigration +3 more5 filings · 3rd Quarter (July 1 - Sep 30) 2026Filing

BAYLOR UNIVERSITYfiled by BAYLOR UNIVERSITY, ARNOLD & PORTER KAYE SCHOLER LLP

Budget/Appropriations · Education · Agriculture · Science/Technology +2 more4 filings · 3rd Quarter (July 1 - Sep 30) 2026Filing

DUKE UNIVERSITYfiled by DLA PIPER LLP (US), DUKE UNIVERSITY

Education · Taxation/Internal Revenue Code · Communications/Broadcasting/Radio/TV · Defense +4 more4 filings · 3rd Quarter (July 1 - Sep 30) 2026Filing

NATIONAL ATHLETIC TRAINERS' ASSOCIATIONfiled by NATIONAL ATHLETIC TRAINERS' ASSOCIATION, CROSSROADS STRATEGIES, LLCIts PAC: National Athletic Trainers' Association Inc PAC

Health Issues · Sports/Athletics4 filings · 3rd Quarter (July 1 - Sep 30) 2026Filing

NATIONAL COLLEGIATE ATHLETIC ASSOCIATIONfiled by BROWNSTEIN HYATT FARBER SCHRECK, LLP, NATIONAL COLLEGIATE ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION

Sports/Athletics · Education4 filings · 3rd Quarter (July 1 - Sep 30) 2026Filing

UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUTfiled by ACTUM I, LLC, UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT

Defense · Budget/Appropriations · Health Issues · Science/Technology +5 more4 filings · 3rd Quarter (July 1 - Sep 30) 2026Filing

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

Budget/Appropriations · Science/Technology · Medicare/Medicaid · Sports/Athletics +5 more4 filings · 3rd Quarter (July 1 - Sep 30) 2026Filing

VANDERBILT UNIVERSITYfiled by ATLAS CROSSING LLC, VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY

Education · Budget/Appropriations · Science/Technology · Defense +4 more4 filings · 3rd Quarter (July 1 - Sep 30) 2026Filing

229 disclosures name this measure. Retrieved from LDA.gov on 2026-10-27. Senate Office of Public Records cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from LDA.gov.