Senators Cory Booker and Eric Schmitt, both former college athletes, are on opposite sides of landmark legislation that would impose a sweeping regulatory framework on collegiate sports. Booker, a New Jersey Democrat and former Stanford tight end, opposes the bill, calling the N.C.A.A. a "serial monopolist" controlling an industry worth over $15 billion. Schmitt, a Missouri Republican who played baseball and football at Truman State University, supports the measure as the only way to preserve college sports that teach valuable life lessons.

The bill has gained significant bipartisan momentum with more than 70 senators backing it, though some may ultimately vote against it without changes. Proponents argue the legislation is needed to stabilize college athletics, where top athletes now earn professional-level money through name, image, and likeness (N.I.L.) deals and can transfer schools multiple times. Without new rules, they warn less popular sports could be eliminated.

"There is a lot of pent-up demand to try to fix college sports. It is clearly broken," said Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a former college basketball player. The debate highlights how deeply sports run in Congress, with numerous senators including Shelley Moore Capito, Kirsten Gillibrand, John Fetterman, and Jon Husted drawing on their athletic backgrounds during floor debates.