{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.ricketts.senate.gov/news/press-releases/ricketts-supports-the-protect-college-sports-act/", "Ricketts Supports the Protect College Sports Act", "2026-08-13", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "Senate", "NE", "Pete Ricketts", "R000618", "www.ricketts.senate.gov", "ricketts", "https://www.ricketts.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list&pagenum=", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Recently, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE) joined the Protect College Sports Act. This legislation would end the disorder facing college athletics by establishing nationwide standards for name, image, and likeness (NIL), transfers, eligibility, and enforcement.\n\n\u201cThe Protect College Sports Act is a good step forward for athletics,\u201d said Senator Ricketts. \u201cThis bipartisan bill addresses issues that were causing chaos in college sports, like eligibility requirements and NIL. These improvements will better support student athletes while preserving the tradition of college sports.\u201d\n\nIn addition to Senator Ricketts, this bipartisan legislation is supported by Senators Cruz (R-TX), Cantwell (D-WA), Schmitt (R-MO), Coons (D-DE), Capito (R-WV), Hickenlooper (D-CO), and Welch (D-VT).\n\nA national survey found that 81% of Americans believe the Protect College Sports Act would do more to protect student-athletes and preserve women\u2019s and Olympic sports programs.\n\nWith the recent endorsement from the Big Ten, the Protect College Sports Act now has the backing of 28 collegiate athletic conferences, more than 370 colleges and universities across all 50 states and Washington, D.C, historically black colleges and universities, hundreds of thousands of student athletes, and President Trump.\n\nTo view a fact sheet on the legislation, click HERE.", 1, "2026-08-14T06:13:05Z", "2026-08-14T06:14:08Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.ricketts.senate.gov/news/press-releases/ricketts-supports-the-protect-college-sports-act/"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.1452969629317522, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}