The Protect College Sports Act has cleared another major hurdle in Congress, moving a sweeping overhaul of college athletics closer to a final Senate vote.

The Senate voted 74-24 to advance the legislation Tuesday, clearing a key procedural hurdle after months of negotiations over the future of college sports. The bipartisan measure is led by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash.

The bill would establish a national framework for college athletics, including federal standards governing name, image and likeness compensation, athlete transfers, eligibility and enforcement. It would also establish protections involving scholarships and health care while providing schools and conferences with some protection from antitrust lawsuits.

Supporters argue federal legislation is needed to replace the patchwork of rules and legal disputes that have reshaped college sports since athletes began earning money from NIL deals and schools began directly sharing revenue with players.

The debate has also expanded beyond NIL and revenue sharing.

Some senators have raised concerns about how the changing financial landscape of college athletics could affect opportunities for American athletes.

“The growth of NIL money only creates more incentives for foreign athletes to cash in on the American system at the expense of student-athletes in this country,” Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, said. “If the U.S. Congress is being asked to save college sports, we better darn sure make sure that we save it for American student-athletes.”

The legislation drew enough support from both parties to overcome the Senate's 60-vote procedural threshold. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., voted to advance the measure. The proposal has also received backing from prominent figures in college athletics, including coaches Deion Sanders and John Calipari.

But the 74-24 vote does not mean lawmakers agree on what the legislation would ultimately mean for college athletes.

Several senators spoke against the measure, with critics focusing in part on restrictions they say could limit athletes' ability to earn money and exercise their rights.

“It is not protecting athletes,” Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., said. “It is doing all kinds of things to stop players from earning money, putting bureaucracy between them and those possibilities but it does nothing to protect coaches. In other words, it’s treating college athletes as a different class.”

Opposition has also come from outside Congress, while supporters include athletic conferences, universities and sports organizations. The competing arguments underscore how difficult it has been for Congress to establish nationwide rules for an industry transformed by NIL compensation, the transfer portal and direct revenue sharing with athletes.

The procedural vote does not send the Protect College Sports Act to the House. The Senate must still debate the legislation and hold another vote before it can pass the chamber.

If the bill ultimately clears the Senate, attention would then turn to the House, where its level of support remains uncertain.

President Donald Trump has backed the legislation. His administration formally recommended passage of the Protect College Sports Act in August.

For now, the Senate vote represents one of the most significant steps yet toward federal regulation of college sports — and sets up another round of debate over how much authority schools, conferences and athletes should have in the rapidly changing business of college athletics.