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Category: On the Hill

Senate Passes Major College Sports Bill

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The Senate passed the Protect College Sports Act last night, legislation which will create the first federal framework governing college athletics and address major issues including eligibility, revenue-sharing, and NIL deals. The bill passed 77-22.

Senate Commerce Chair Ted Cruz and Ranking Member Maria Cantwell introduced the bill in May, alongside Senators Eric Schmitt (R-MO) and Chris Coons (D-DE). It has been at the center of intense negotiations between lawmakers, leaders of the Southeastern and Big Ten conferences, and numerous other college sports stakeholders.

Three amendments were adopted last night before final passage:

  • Requiring colleges and conferences to disclose amounts over $600 received from a foreign adversary, state-owned enterprise, or sovereign wealth fund (Tim Scott)
  • Raising the bill’s cap on conference size from 19 to 20 institutions (Ashley Moody and Richard Blumenthal)
  • Specifications that the bill would not preempt state laws related to certain injuries (Tammy Baldwin)

Sen. John Kennedy offered an amendment to cap ticket costs for college sporting events, which was defeated.

The bill now moves to the House, where the earliest it could be considered is November 9. Trump, who created a White House college sports task force last year, has said he would like to sign it before the end of the calendar year.

Click here for a section-by-section description of the bill. A fact sheet prepared by the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee is below:

Appropriators Push Back on Pocket Rescission

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Late Friday, the Trump administration announced plans to cancel $810 million in funds for health and education programs, only days before the new fiscal year begins on Thursday. This “pocket rescission” is a maneuver used shortly before the end of the fiscal year, which attempts to take back money that has already been appropriated by Congress. The same tactic was used last year by the administration to cancel $4.9 billion in foreign aid funds. The Government Accountability Office has called pocket rescissions illegal.

Top appropriators from both parties have accused OMB of acting illegally by intentionally withholding funds for months. In a statement, Chair of Senate Appropriations Committee Susan Collins said “any effort to rescind appropriated funds without congressional approval is a clear violation of the law. I will work with my colleagues to address these illegal actions.”

 

On the Hill this week:

  • The Senate is scheduled to vote on the Protect College Sports Act (S. 4668) at 5:30pm today, which will set new rules for name, image, and likeness issues. It is expected to pass with wide bipartisan support.
  • Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions pending nominations on September 30, including Nicole Saphier to be surgeon general, Timothy Westlake to be assistant HHS secretary for mental health and substance use, and Mary Lazare to be assistant HHS secretary for aging

Updates from the Hill

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House Members have returned to their districts for a full six weeks of campaigning ahead of the midterm elections, but plenty of activity continues in the Senate and executive branch.

  • President Trump banned CNN, Politico, and MS NOW reporters from the White House over the weekend. All three news outlets have announced they plan to file a lawsuit today.
  • Judge Postpones Effective Date of Rule Limiting International Student Visas: Last week, Judge F. Dennis Saylor of the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts issued a nationwide preliminary injunction postponing DHS from implementing their final rule ending the “duration of status” framework for F, J, and I visa holders.
  • White House Moves to Take Control of NIH Grants: In a White House meeting Friday, an executive order was discussed with plans to create a new external committee with the power to veto NIH awards. It’s the latest in reported clashes between OMB Director Russell Vought and NIH Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya over funding projects that conflict with administration priorities.

    • In a statement, Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), Chair of the Appropriations Committee said: “The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) should not be involved in agency decisions on the awards of grants. As I stated in my July 6 letter, a proposed OMB rule would politicize grantmaking. The Continuing Resolution — which passed the Senate, House, and was signed into law on September 2 – blocks OMB’s proposed rule or any substantially similar one. Any attempt to politicize grantmaking at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), or any other agency, by another means—whether an Executive Order or guidance—is contrary to congressional intent. Imposing a political review on awards that have already been selected through a rigorous scientific and merit-based process undermines the long-standing principle that the government funds awards based on scientific need and merit, rather than political ideology.”

In the Senate this week:

  • A final vote for the Protect College Sports Act could come as soon as this week. On September 17, the Senate voted 77-22 to move the bill forward to debate and final vote. It could be the last item Congress votes on before midterms, raising concerns for some Republicans who say they should be focusing on issues of affordability, the war in Iran, and other issues which are top of mind for voters.
  • Nomination Hearing (Thurs. Sept. 24): Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions for Dr. Heidi Overton to be FDA Commissioner

 

House and Senate Return, Briefly

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The House and Senate both return for a jam-packed week, but with a Trump-signed continuing resolution (PL 119-103) funding the government through December 11, Congress doesn’t have any pressing bills that are essential to pass before the November midterms. The House is expected to only be in session this week, before their members return to the districts to campaign for reelection.

On the Hill this week:

  • Senate Republican leadership hopes to line up a vote on the Protect College Sports Act. Commerce Chairman Ted Cruz and Ranking Member Maria Cantwell had been pushing for a vote before August recess.
  • FBI Director Kash Patel testifies in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee today.
  • Senator Mitch McConnell returned to the Senate on Monday, the first time he had been seen since his last vote in June. He continues to hold a seat on the influential Appropriations Committee, which has just a one-vote Republican majority. His lengthy absence meant Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins postponed scheduling any mark-ups of the 12 regular spending bills.
  • A procedural vote is expected on the cryptocurrency regulations CLARITY Act (HR 3633), which has been intensely debated for months, particularly over ethics provisions preventing elected officials profiting from crypto.

House Passes Stopgap Funding Bill

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This afternoon, the House passed a stopgap funding bill in a 370-48 vote, averting a government shutdown looming at the end of the month, and instead setting up a funding fight for after the midterm elections. The Senate already passed the bill before they left for recess, and it now heads to President Trump’s desk to be signed.

The continuing resolution will keep federal funding at its current levels through December 11. Both Democrats and Republicans were eager to avoid a repeat of extended government shutdowns which have shadowed over the past two years.

The bill continues to temporarily block OMB from implementing the uniform guidance changes, a key issue for many Democrats supporting the bill.