In response to significant changes in college athletics, U.S. Senators Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) have proposed the Protect College Sports Act. This bipartisan bill aims to bring stability to intercollegiate sports by regulating the rapidly evolving landscape of athlete compensation and transfers. The legislation allows athletes to profit from their name, image, and likeness (NIL) but introduces dedicated negotiation windows and mandates reporting for NIL deals exceeding $600. Additionally, the bill guarantees one transfer without loss of eligibility, while subsequent transfers may require athletes to sit out for a year. The proposal also seeks to ensure that national broadcasts of college football and basketball games are available on free television in local markets and aims to prevent further consolidation among athletic conferences. Cruz emphasized that the legislation is designed to restore the connection between college athletics and education, countering the trend of college sports becoming a professional minor league. The bill is set to be reviewed by the Senate Commerce Committee before progressing to the full Senate.