U.S. Senators Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) and Jon Husted (R-OH) introduced the “Training and Education for American Members in University Sports and Athletics” (TEAM USA) Act on Monday which will attempt to prioritize American college athletes over international ones.

The proposal comes as the Senate moves toward a final vote on the bipartisan Protect College Sports Act, a sweeping overhaul of NIL, transfers and eligibility.

Tuberville, who initially opposed the legislation, voted to advance it after changes.

Sen. Tommy Tuberville has switched to a "yes" on the second procedural vote on the Protect College Sports Act.

He told me he previously voted against it to show his "disapproval" of the federal government getting involved, but ultimately said, "Something has to be done." pic.twitter.com/0OIIxD2kEc

— Alex Angle (@alexangle_) September 17, 2026

The current version says colleges should prioritize domestic athletes but does not impose TEAM USA’s proposed 20% cap on international players.

“Playing sports on the collegiate level in America is an honor athletes spend years working toward,” said Sen. Tuberville. “Universities should be prioritizing AMERICAN students when giving out scholarships and building their rosters. Sadly, this is often not the case. NIL is continuing to incentivize foreign students to come to America and capitalize on our system. Saving sports should start and end with American athletes.”

The Protect College Sports Act’s latest text says universities should prioritize domestic student-athletes, but it does not impose a specific limit on international players. Husted has described that as a “critical omission,” raising the question of whether TEAM USA could be considered as an amendment or follow-up measure as Congress works to finalize the broader college sports legislation.

Tuberville’s office says the bill would do the following:

• Amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require colleges and universities participating in Title IV federal student aid programs to limit ISA participation to no more than 20% of each varsity team’s roster. Schools would also be required to report ISA participation on each team annually to the U.S. Department of Education and the applicable athletic association.
• Aim to strengthen the American Olympic development pipeline. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, 65% of Team USA were current, former or incoming NCAA student-athletes. However, of the 1,036 NCAA-affiliated athletes who competed in Paris, only 385 represented the United States, with the other 63% competing for other nations.
• Ensure that every team can roster at least 1 ISA if they so choose.
• Take effect beginning with the 2029-2030 academic year, to minimize disruption to current student athletes already on campus and to give schools and athletic programs time to adjust recruiting practices.

The full text of the bill can be read here.

Since 2001, the number of ISA’s in American collegiate sports has tripled from approximately 8,945 to roughly 25,000 today with ISAs accounting for more than a third of participants in several Division I sports.

Tuberville’s bill aims to help more young American athletes get their chance to earn a scholarship rather than athletes from around the world.