Reporter's Notebook: A guide to the college sports vote and Senate’s Ohio showdown

The Senate is on track to pass a bill this week that would overhaul money and eligibility rules in college sports, with a test vote set for Thursday. More than 70 senators back the measure, which caps how much schools can pay athletes for their name, image and likeness, limits transfers and sets eligibility standards. Passage could come as soon as Thursday if a time agreement is reached, potentially serving as the Senate's last major action before lawmakers leave for the midterms, according to Fox News.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., is also pursuing a bipartisan permitting reform bill covering data centers, drilling and environmental issues, though that measure remains aspirational and not ready for a vote. Thune indicated the Senate was likely to stay in session next week as already scheduled.

A separate fight has emerged over the Ratepayer Protection Act, which passed the House 417-3 and would offset utility costs for consumers living near data centers. Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, one of the most vulnerable Senate Republicans this fall and a target of criticism over his support for data centers, asked the Senate last week to pass the House bill immediately. Democrats blocked the request. Republicans may now push to use procedural maneuvers to pass the Ratepayer Protection Act before recess, viewing it as a stronger closing move than the college sports bill alone.

Summarized by PolitiKool from Fox News’s reporting. Read the full story at Fox News →