Maria Cantwell, Gonzaga's Mark Few urge Senate to pass 'Protect College Sports Act' before election

WASHINGTON – In an era when Republicans and Democrats seldom agree on anything, especially before a high-stakes election, Sen. Maria Cantwell hopes restoring order to college sports will be the rare issue that transcends partisan divisions in Congress. The Washington Democrat held a news conference Monday alongside Sen. Ted Cruz, a Texas Republican who authored the Protect College Sports Act with her. The legislation would give the NCAA an exemption from federal antitrust laws, letting the organization set rules governing players’ eligibility and transfers between schools without being challenged in court.

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Scoop News DeskGonzaga · Published Monday, September 14, 2026 at 7:32 PM UTCUpdated Tuesday, September 15, 2026 at 11:25 PM UTC

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Speaking in support of the legislation, Few recalled that he had testified before Cantwell’s committee in 2021, warning that Congress needed to act to protect college sports in the new landscape of NIL payments. “Now, five years later, I think you can sense the desperation in everybody’s voices.

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