Lawmakers attempt to tackle NIL, giving it the 'old college try'

Congress has done nil to fix NIL in college sports.

Lawmakers get another chance to tackle NIL in early 2026. 

Let's start with terms.

Translation: You'll probably make more from your NIL contract if you play for Ohio State and not North Dakota State.

James Madison, we're looking at you.

Good luck with that.

"People are asking the question, 'Why did you decide to bring this bill this week?' with all the other issues that the country is demanding that we focus on, led by the affordability crisis that they claim is a scam and a hoax," posited Jeffries.

The controversy created a maelstrom too challenging for the House to handle. So the GOP brass yanked the legislation off the floor.

House leaders hope to try again to regulate NIL and manage money in college sports in 2026.

"We need a national framework," said Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., at a House session to prepare a NIL bill over the summer. "One with clarity and real enforcement to bring fairness, transparency, and equity to the new NIL era."

Lawmakers are now revising the NIL bill to set national standards - and coax enough lawmakers to support it. It's possible Congress could vote around the same time the nation crowns the next college football champion.

"We want to get it right to really do what we can to save college sports," said Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla., the main author of the legislation.

The bill would cap money schools can use from athletic revenue to pay athletes at 22 percent. Most Republicans support the measure. But Democrats believe the plan favors schools. Not athletes. Especially when it comes to labor rights - and treating athletes as university workers. 

"Passing the SCORE Act as it stands would only eliminate students' abilities to collectively bargain," said Rep. Emilia Sykes, D-Ohio.

From a labor perspective, is a running back the same as a physics professor?

"I do not think they should be granted employee status," said Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., of student-athletes.

"You have to have a college to have college sports," said Pallone as that panel prepped the bill over the summer. "And the way we're going with this administration, I don't even know if there's going to be any colleges or universities left fighting for."

Pallone says lawmakers should focus instead on "very real threats to our nation's colleges and universities."

"We need to have a better structure around what is currently in NCAA. I think we need to have some reforms and some of the guardrails in what we're doing. These coaches are getting these massive buyouts," said Roy.

"We ought to give name, image and likeness rights to every single American. You should be able to control your image online. Control your data. Control your kids data," said Hawley. "[It would be a] great thing to do for parents."

If lawmakers fail, they can say they gave it the old college try.