Congress has a hard time passing big laws this year.

So it waits on talks about money, defense, crypto and AI.

But the Senate found one thing it agrees on: college sports.

The Senate voted two times this week.

It voted to move a bill forward.

The bill would change the rules and money in college sports.

Supporters say the goal is to stop big spending.

They want to stop many court fights.

They want order in sports programs.

They call it "chaos."

More than 70 senators back the bill.

The bill still needs to pass the House.

Final votes could come next week.

Some Senate critics say the bill is not the most urgent task.

Republican Sen. Rick Scott is from Florida.

He said lawmakers should focus on cost issues first.

He said the bill puts the federal government too far into college sports.

He said it could make new problems.

Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy is from Connecticut.

He said the Senate should focus on other things.

He said there is a war and a growing cost crisis.

He called the college sports bill "a fake crisis."

He said it does not do enough to protect athletes.

Backers say the bill would keep college costs down.

They say it would give many student athletes new health and work protections.

They say it would make one set of rules for all colleges.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune is a Republican from South Dakota.

He promised the bill's top sponsors a vote in September.

He said there is "pent-up demand" to fix college sports.

He called them "clearly broken."

The bill would cap the money colleges can share with players.

It would add a pool to keep current players.

It would let conferences pool TV media rights.

It would also limit player transfers.

It would make the NCAA rule law.

That rule lets players have no more than five years of eligibility.

It would cap agent fees.

It would give the NCAA limited antitrust protections.

Labor and civil rights groups oppose the bill.

All four Black Democrats in the Senate voted against it.

Sen. Cory Booker said it gives too much power to the NCAA.

He said there is not enough accountability for players.

But Democrat Chris Coons of Delaware said the bill should give Americans hope.

He said college sports can be stabilized.