Senator Coons statement on Senate vote to advance the Protect College Sports Act

WILMINGTON, Del. - U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) released the following statement after the Senate voted 74-24 to move forward on the Protect College Sports Act of 2026:

"The college sports that are beloved by millions of Americans are in a genuine crisis. The bipartisan Protect College Sports Act is a strong compromise that addresses transfer and eligibility issues. That's a real win for hundreds of thousands of student-athletes in every sport and at every level who will have new scholarship protections, stronger rights around contracts involving their name, image, and likeness, access to tens of millions of new dollars in direct payments from their schools, improved and lasting healthcare guarantees, and a better process to enforce their rights at school and in court. It's a win for teams, programs, student-athletes, conferences, and fans who want to know that both the schools and those who play for them are on stronger, more stable footing.

"I'm glad three-quarters of the Senate has recognized the urgency of this issue and moved our bill forward. I regret that primary elections in Delaware prevented me from casting my vote for the bill today, but I look forward to supporting it on the floor in the days to come. I urge my colleagues to keep up this strong, bipartisan support and swiftly pass this bill so we can send a clear message to the House of Representatives that the time for action is now."