Baumgartner Introduces House Companion to Bipartisan Protect College Sports Act of 2026
Baumgartner Introduces House Companion to Bipartisan Protect College Sports Act of 2026 June 04, 2026 | Press Releases WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Michael Baumgartner (WA-05), Chair of the Congressional College Sports Caucus, today introduced the House companion to the bipartisan Protect College Sports Act of 2026, following the introduction of the legislation in the Senate by Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA). The legislation would establish a comprehensive federal framework to stabilize college athletics, preserve opportunities for student-athletes, and protect the future of women’s and Olympic sports, smaller athletic programs, and historic rivalries. The bill comes as President Donald Trump endorsed the bill and called on Congress to act to address the growing instability in college sports. “President Trump is right: college sports are at a breaking point, and Congress needs to act,” said Congressman Baumgartner. “I commend Senators Cruz and Cantwell for putting forward a serious bipartisan proposal that recognizes what is at stake. I am proud to introduce the House companion to this legislation today and look forward to working with my colleagues in both chambers to advance this bipartisan measure and save college sports.” “The future of college sports cannot be reduced to a handful of wealthy programs building a second NFL while smaller schools, women’s teams, Olympic sports, and historic rivalries, like the Apple Cup are left behind. We need to make sure the future of college sports works for WSU, Eastern, and Gonzaga too,” Baumgartner continued. “Our North Star should be preserving opportunities for America’s sons and daughters to compete as student-athletes on college campuses across the country.” The Protect College Sports Act would address the rapidly changing landscape of college athletics by establishing clearer national rules for student-athlete compensation, strengthening protections for broad-based athletic participation, and promoting a more sustainable model for schools and conferences across the country. Baumgartner has made college sports reform a central priority in Congress. In addition to founding the Congressional College Sports Caucus, he has advocated for reforms that preserve broad-based participation, protect student-athletes, and prevent college athletics from becoming a professionalized system that serves only the wealthiest programs and conferences. Find Bill Text here . Section-by-section summary can be found here . Find our “Protect College Sports” one-pager here .
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Baumgartner Introduces House Companion to Bipartisan Protest College Sports Act of 2026 June 04, 2026 | Press Releases WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Michael Baumgartner (WA-05), Chair of the Congressional College Sports Caucus, today introduced the House companion to the bipartisan Protect College Sports Act of 2026, following the introduction of the legislation in the Senate by Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA). The legislation would establish a comprehensive federal framework to stabilize college athletics, preserve opportunities for student-athletes, and protect the future of women’s and Olympic sports, smaller athletic programs, and historic rivalries. The bill comes as President Donald Trump endorsed the bill and called on Congress to act to address the growing instability in college sports. “President Trump is right: college sports are at a breaking point, and Congress needs to act,” said Congressman Baumgartner. “I commend Senators Cruz and Cantwell for putting forward a serious bipartisan proposal that recognizes what is at stake. I am proud to introduce the House companion to this legislation today and look forward to working with my colleagues in both chambers to advance this bipartisan measure and save college sports.” “The future of college sports cannot be reduced to a handful of wealthy programs building a second NFL while smaller schools, women’s teams, Olympic sports, and historic rivalries, like the Apple Cup are left behind. We need to make sure the future of college sports works for WSU, Eastern, and Gonzaga too,” Baumgartner continued. “Our North Star should be preserving opportunities for America’s sons and daughters to compete as student-athletes on college campuses across the country.” The Protect College Sports Act would address the rapidly changing landscape of college athletics by establishing clearer national rules for student-athlete compensation, strengthening protections for broad-based athletic participation, and promoting a more sustainable model for schools and conferences across the country. Baumgartner has made college sports reform a central priority in Congress. In addition to founding the Congressional College Sports Caucus, he has advocated for reforms that preserve broad-based participation, protect student-athletes, and prevent college athletics from becoming a professionalized system that serves only the wealthiest programs and conferences. Find Bill Text here . Section-by-section summary can be found here . Find our “Protect College Sports” one-pager here .
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