Senate Punts College Sports Bill to September

The Senate adjourned for its August recess without voting on the Protect College Sports Act, known as the PCSA. However, the bill is set to be voted on during the chamber's return in September, between September 15 and September 23. Senate Commerce Committee chairman Ted Cruz stated that the work was not over and that the PCSA would be among the first orders of business when the Senate returns in September.

The bill faced opposition from Democrats, including the Congressional Black Caucus and AFL-CIO, as well as concerns from Republican senators and interest groups over whether it would overturn state laws preventing transgender athletes from competing in women's sports. Three senators filed amendments, and the bill was cosponsored by eight senators by Thursday night.

The White House continued to lobby senators, with the President expressing support on social media. Despite the bill not being on the voting agenda for Friday, senators Cruz, Maria Cantwell, and Eric Schmitt worked to get it on the schedule for a late-night vote as part of a "global agreement" before adjourning. Senate leadership agreed to allow a cloture vote in September, acknowledging that time may have run out in August but that the challenges facing student athletes and universities were ongoing.