Senator Eric Schmitt has pushed back against criticism of the Protect College Sports Act (PCSA), asserting that the bipartisan bill does not preempt Title IX and is designed to bring stability to Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) regulations in college athletics. Concerns that the PCSA could undermine Title IX were voiced by Riley Gaines and Senator Josh Hawley.
During an appearance on "Don't @ Me with Dan Dakich," Schmitt addressed these reservations directly. "No, I couldn't agree," he stated regarding the criticisms. "I think a further review or a deeper look into the language would show that that's just not true at all."
Schmitt emphasized that the bill contains specific language designed to protect state civil rights laws and explicitly states that it does not alter or modify Title IX. "There's no preemption there. And it specifically says this doesn't change or modify title nine at all," he said.
The PCSA aims to establish a framework for NIL in the NCAA, addressing issues such as unlimited transfers and age discrepancies among competitors in college sports. "This is a really important bill to kind of calm the chaos that we've got in college sports with unlimited transfers and 27-year-olds competing against 17-year-olds," Schmitt explained.
Senator Josh Hawley, along with other Republicans including Senator Tommy Tuberville, has introduced an amendment seeking to prevent the current bill from superseding state laws concerning women's sports. The debate highlights ongoing divisions within Congress regarding the structure and regulation of collegiate athletics.
Schmitt indicated that there is significant momentum behind the bill in Washington, with efforts to pass it potentially before the Senate's upcoming recess. The urgency stems from the long-standing issues surrounding NIL and the overall landscape of college sports. "We are looking to make a move as soon as this weekend," he noted.