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Reporter’s Notebook: Congress targets college sports ‘Wild West’ as NIL compensation fight heats up
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Some epic drama in the first two weeks of the college football season.
The defending national champion Ohio State Buckeyes shut down the then-No. 1-ranked Texas Longhorns at the goal line three times. Ohio State quickly curbed talk about the greatness of Texas quarterback Arch Manning. The Buckeyes are now the No. 1 team in the country. Especially after they shellacked Grambling State 70-0 in Week 2.
Florida State whipped Alabama. And we haven’t even talked about Bill Belichick’s coaching debut at North Carolina.
So settle in for quite a season between now and mid-January.
But there could be new rules off the playing field. Congress may attempt to referee what collegiate athletes can earn from their own name, likeness and image, better known as NILs.
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Carson Hinzman #75 and Emeka Egbuka #2 of the Ohio State Buckeyes celebrate after scoring a touchdown in the second quarter against the Indiana Hoosiers at Ohio Stadium on Nov. 23, 2024 in Columbus, Ohio. (Jason Mowry/Getty Images)
«Without clear rules and an enforcement mechanism, the NIL landscape has become akin to the Wild West,» said Rep. Russell Fry, R-S.C.
There are competing bills in the House and Senate to address compensation for student-athletes. The House bill, prepped over the summer by the Energy and Commerce Committee, sets a national standard for NILs and allows schools to directly pay athletes. That would supersede a bevy of differing rules which change from state to state.
«We’ve already seen states competing with one another to get a leg up. And that patchwork is threatening the values and the balance that makes college sports so special,» said Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich.
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Rep. Debbie Dingell speaks to reporters on June 11, 2024, in Washington, D.C. (Getty Images)
She has reservations about the current House bill.
The House legislation comes on the heels of a multibillion-dollar agreement approved by a federal judge earlier this summer. That agreement lets schools pay student-athletes up to $20.5 million per year.
That’s just a sliver of what most major schools in big conferences reel in annually. But the schools will likely fork out most of the money to football and basketball. Those sports generate the most revenue in college athletics.
But the score is far from settled.
«Whether or not we should allow student-athletes to be considered employees under the law, the ramifications of that would be pretty profound,» said Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind.
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Sen. Todd Young speaks at the Russell Senate Office Building on Nov. 1, 2023 on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. (Alex Wong)
He noted that a Senate bill to regulate pay in college sports is on «the proverbial one-yard line.»
Most House Democrats oppose the plan. They believe it inhibits the rights of college athletes – as workers.
«This bill bans student-athletes from First Amendment rights to form unions, also guaranteed by the National Labor Relations Act,» said Rep. Darren Soto, D-Fla. «They have basic rights. Like the right to organize.»
Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., is the top Democrat on the Senate Commerce Committee. She said the House Energy and Commerce Committee bill rolls back money for minor sports, women’s programs and only benefits major conferences like the Big 10 and SEC. She claims the bill will trigger «a conflict» between sports that earn money at schools and those that don’t.
Most Democrats argue that lawmakers should focus instead on problems in higher education, not the athletic field. Especially as some schools now face a threat from the federal government and the Trump administration.
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Then-President-elect Donald Trump speaks at a news conference at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort on Dec. 16, 2024 in Palm Beach, Florida. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
«You have to have a college to have college sports,» said Rep. Frank Pallone, D-N.J., the top Democrat on the Energy and Commerce Committee. «And the way we’re going with this administration, I don’t even know if there’s going to be any colleges or universities worth fighting for.»
Pallone added that the committee’s focus was misguided amid questions about education and healthcare.
«Yet Republicans are ignoring them. And instead would rather talk about college sports,» said Pallone.
Republicans on the Energy and Commerce panel supported the package, but Democratic support was limited. In addition, players associations for Major League Baseball, the NFL, NBA, NHL and Major League Soccer all oppose the legislation. They believe the bill inhibits college athletes from negotiating a fair wage.
The «pay» and «NIL» issues have vexed top collegiate athletic officials for years. The NCAA and many schools have long pushed for congressional intervention.
«We feel like there’s a better destination and a stabilization coming forward. But we need the help of Congress and national legislation,» said ACC commissioner Jim Phillips on Fox News earlier this year.
Former Alabama football coach Nick Saban echoed Phillips during an interview with colleague Bret Baier.
«Now we just have state legislation, and every state is different,» said Saban. «We need some kind of federal standard and guidelines that allow people to enforce their own rules.»
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Alabama coach Nick Saban reacts in the fourth quarter at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Sept. 11, 2010. (Robert Sutton/The Tuscaloosa News)
Pallone may have questioned the priorities of his committee focusing on paying student-athletes, but other lawmakers question why the NCAA itself couldn’t settle the pay-for-play fight.
«I think if they had had stronger management, if they made some decisions early on, we wouldn’t be in this position,» said Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C. «It’s unfortunate that Congress has to step in at all.»
However, the North Carolina Republican added he was «deeply concerned about the future of college sports if we don’t act.»
That’s why Rep. Yvette Clarke, D-N.Y., wants Congress involved – even if she opposes the current House plan.
«We simply cannot turn to the same entities that created the broken and inequitable system of the past to serve as the stewards of a new system,» said Clarke.
Attorneys general from Florida, Ohio, New York, Tennessee and the District of Columbia are worried about antitrust provisions in the House plan. The Big West Conference believes the legislation is skewed toward major conferences.
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So this fight may spill into overtime on Capitol Hill.
Congress could vote sometime on legislation refining NILs. Or lawmakers may again punt – as they’ve done for several years now.
But this is a lower priority for Congress. Lawmakers must avoid a government shutdown by Oct. 1, and they may need to wrestle with another government funding round later this fall.
The college football season just started, but the real challenge is whether Congress will address this issue before the National Championship Game on Jan. 19, 2026.
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Iran is rebuilding nuclear sites damaged in previous U.S. strikes and «preparing for war,» despite engaging in talks with the Trump administration, according to a prominent Iranian opposition figure.
Alireza Jafarzadeh, deputy director of the Washington office of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), said newly released satellite images also prove the regime has accelerated its efforts to restore its «$2 trillion» uranium enrichment capabilities.
«The regime has clearly stepped up efforts to rebuild its uranium enrichment capabilities,» Jafarzadeh told Fox News Digital. «It is preparing itself for a possible war by trying to preserve its nuclear weapons program and ensure its protection.»
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Reconstruction activity appears to be underway at Iran’s Isfahan nuclear complex. (Planet Labs PBC/Handout via Reuters)
«That said, the ongoing rebuilding of Iran’s uranium enrichment capabilities is particularly alarming as the regime is now engaged in nuclear talks with the United States,» he added.
New satellite images released by Earth intelligence monitor, Planet Labs, show reconstruction activity appears to be underway at the Isfahan complex.
Isfahan is one of three Iranian uranium enrichment plants targeted in the U.S. military operation known as «Midnight Hammer.»
The June 22 operation involved coordinated Air Force and Navy strikes on the Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan facilities.
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A satellite image shows tunnel entrances covered with soil at Isfahan nuclear complex. (Vantor/Handout via Reuters)
Despite the damage, the satellite images show Iran has buried entrances to a tunnel complex at the site, according to Reuters.
Similar steps were reportedly taken at the Natanz facility, which houses two additional enrichment plants.
«These efforts in Isfahan involve rebuilding its centrifuge program and other activities related to uranium enrichment,» Jafarzadeh said.
The renewed movements come as Iran participated in talks with the U.S. in Geneva.
On Thursday, President Donald Trump warned that «bad things» would happen if Iran did not make a deal.
While the talks were aimed at curbing Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief, Jafarzadeh argues that for the regime, talks would be nothing more than a tactical delay.
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Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei «agreed to the nuclear talks as it would give the regime crucial time to avoid or limit the consequences of confrontation with the West,» according to Jafarzadeh. ( Office of the Supreme Leader of Iran via Getty Images)
«Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei agreed to the nuclear talks as it would give the regime crucial time to avoid or limit the consequences of confrontation with the West,» he said.
Jafarzadeh also described the regime spending at least «$2 trillion» on nuclear capabilities, which he said «is higher than the entire oil revenue generated since the regime came to power in Iran in 1979.»
«Tehran is trying to salvage whatever has remained of its nuclear weapons program and quickly rebuild it,» he said. «It has heavily invested in the nuclear weapons program as a key tool for the survival of the regime.»
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Satellite imagery taken on January 30, 2026, shows a new roof over a previously destroyed building at Natanz nuclear site. (2026 PLANET LABS PBC/Handout via Reuters)
Jafarzadeh is best known for publicly revealing the existence of Iran’s Natanz nuclear site in 2002, which led to inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency and intensified global scrutiny of Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.
«The insistence of the Iranian regime during the nuclear talks on maintaining its uranium enrichment capabilities, while rebuilding its damaged sites, is a clear indication that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has no plans to abandon its nuclear weapons program,» he said.
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The National Council of Resistance of Iran, led by Maryam Rajavi, exposed for the first time the nuclear sites in Natanz, Arak, Fordow and more than 100 other sites and projects, Jafarzadeh said, «despite a massive crackdown by the regime on this movement.»
iran,nuclear proliferation,middle east,ali khamenei,sanctions,nuclear terror
INTERNACIONAL
El sector privado en Cuba empieza a importar combustible para uso particular, pese al asedio petrolero de Estados Unidos
Pequeñas empresas privadas cubanas han empezado a importar directamente combustible en pleno asedio petrolero de EE.UU., mientras firmas internacionales asentadas en la isla exploran esta vía.
La opción, una bocanada de aire frente a la asfixia energética inducida por Washington, está sin embargo amenazada tanto por la farragosa burocracia cubana, con sus múltiples condiciones y retrasos, como por la sombra ambigua de las sanciones estadounidenses.
Además, los volúmenes que se están contratando son en todo caso para necesidades empresariales concretas y no servirían de ninguna forma para atender las necesidades energéticas del país, de unos 110.000 barriles diarios (de los que 40.000 proceden de pozos propios).
Según confirmaron varias fuentes, el Gobierno cubano ha celebrado encuentros en los últimos días con empresarios extranjeros y emprendedores locales para explicarles cómo podría realizarse esa gestión, mientras la parálisis económica y social que atenaza progresivamente la isla.
Se trata de concretar el anuncio que hizo en noviembre pasado el ministro de Comercio Exterior e Inversión Extranjera, Oscar Pérez-Oliva, de que «en breve» iba a permitirse a empresas extranjeras y mixtas importar su propio combustible, «cuando sea necesario».
Hasta el momento el Estado cubano detentaba el monopolio de la importación de petróleo y combustibles -principalmente mediante tanqueros propios y rentados- y de la venta minorista de productos refinados dentro de la isla.
Varios participantes en estas reuniones con responsables del Gobierno explicaron que la importación de depósitos de combustible dentro de buques cargueros sería similar a la de cualquier otro producto en el exterior (a través de una importadora estatal), un proceso habitualmente lento.
Sin embargo, añadieron, habría que cumplir algunos requisitos extra de seguridad, por tratarse de material peligroso, y contar en destino con una localización segura también certificable o almacenarlos en empresas estatales ya acondicionadas para este uso.
Las autoridades cubanas recalcaron a los empresarios que el combustible que puedan importar particulares es exclusivamente para autoconsumo y no está permitida la reventa.
Según explicaron algunos interesados, la importación se realizaría en depósitos cilíndricos de acero inoxidable del tipo isotanque T11, que tienen capacidad para entre 21.000 y 26.000 litros. Estos dispositivos pueden instalarse en cualquier carguero porque se insertan en una estructura metálica de medidas estándar.
Varias empresas con sede en Estados Unidos tienen licencias específicas para exportar diésel en isotanques a Cuba, pero exclusivamente para clientes privados. No obstante, algunos empresarios en Cuba apuntan que están explorando opciones de compra en otros países de la región.
No es evidente que la importación de combustible por el sector privado en Cuba esté incluida dentro de la orden ejecutiva que firmó el pasado 29 de enero el presidente de EE.UU., Donald Trump.
El texto, específicamente, prevé aranceles «a los bienes importados a Estados Unidos que son productos de cualquier otro país que directa o indirectamente venda o provea de alguna forma petróleo a Cuba».
EFE solicitó a la Embajada de Estados Unidos en Cuba una aclaración formal, para confirmar si la expresión «a Cuba» incluía también a empresas privadas -locales o internacionales establecidas en la isla- que no estén controladas por el Estado cubano o su red de empresas.
La legación diplomática respondió escuetamente remitiendo al texto original de la orden ejecutiva.
Fuentes involucradas en este comercio indican a EFE a este respecto que han recibido «señales» de que la administración estadounidense está dispuesta a tolerar estos envíos.
En este mismo contexto, el semanario británico The Economist publicaba en su último número que la administración estadounidense contempla permitir la entrada a la isla de un cierto volumen de combustibles para atender necesidades básicas.
La presión de EE.UU. está paralizando progresivamente la economía cubana, que se encontraba ya en su peor crisis en décadas. Tan solo en los últimos cinco años, la isla ha perdido un 15 % de su producto interno bruto (PIB) y más de un 20 % de su población. La desigualdad y la pobreza se han disparado.
El Gobierno cubano ha puesto en marcha un duro plan de contingencia para tratar de subsistir sin petróleo importado, algo insostenible a medio plazo. Los hospitales están en servicios mínimos, el transporte público prácticamente desaparecido y el combustible severamente racionado.
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MANCHESTER, N.H. – Former Transportation Secy. Pete Buttigieg tops the list of potential 2028 Democratic presidential contenders in a new poll conducted in New Hampshire, which has traditionally held the first primary in the race for the White House for over a century.
Twenty percent of Democratic primary voters in New Hampshire said they would vote for Buttigieg if the 2028 presidential nomination contest was held today. California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York were tied for second at 15%, with former Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democrats’ 2024 nominee, and Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona each at 10%, with everyone else in single digits.
The University of New Hampshire Survey Center poll was released Thursday, a couple of hours before Buttigieg arrived in New Hampshire to campaign with Democrats running in this year’s midterm elections.
Asked about the survey by Fox News Digital, Buttigieg noted,» I’m not on any ballot right now.»
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Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg greets patrons during a stop at a restaurant in Manchester, New Hampshire, on Feb. 19, 2026 (Paul Steinhauser/Fox News )
«Obviously it feels good to be well received,» added Buttigieg, who made plenty of friends in the Granite State as he came in close second in the 2020 New Hampshire Democratic presidential primary, slightly behind Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont.
Buttigieg’s stop in New Hampshire was his third in an early voting state in the Democratic nominating calendar since stepping down as Transportation secretary following the end of former President Biden’s administration, following trips last year to South Carolina and Iowa. While he mostly avoids 2028 talk, Buttigieg has said he would consider what he brings «to the table» in regards to another White House run.
As he kicked off a three-day swing in key New England swing state, Buttigieg teamed up with Rep. Chris Pappas, the clear frontrunner for the Democratic Senate nomination in the race to succeed retiring Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, a fellow Democrat. Shaheen’s seat is a top GOP target in the midterms.
Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, center, and Rep. Chris Pappas of New Hampshire, a Democratic Senate candidate, campaign in Manchester, N.H. on Feb. 19, 2026 (Paul Steinhauser/Fox News)
Later Thursday, Buttigieg joined the state’s other Democratic House member, Rep. Maggie Goodlander. And he was scheduled to hold more events on Friday and Saturday, including a grassroots mobilization event that was expected to draw some top New Hampshire supporters from his 2020 presidential campaign.
Buttigieg is heading next week to battleground Nevada, and a source familiar told Fox News Digital Buttigieg has plans to campaign for candidates in Ohio, Georgia and Pennsylvania in the weeks ahead.
«I’m a big believer in going everywhere across the media landscape and geographically. Some are well known places on the political map. Some are a little bit off the beaten path. All of them deserve attention,» Buttigieg told Fox News Digital.
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He added that he’ll «continue to go wherever I think I can be useful in elevating attention to issues and working with candidates I believe in and Chris Pappas is a great example of a candidate I am proud to be supporting and speaking up for.»
Newsom will be next up in New Hampshire.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks during an election night press conference at a California Democratic Party office Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025, in Sacramento, Calif. (Godofredo A. Vásquez/AP Photo)
The California governor’s tour for his new book, «Young Man in a Hurry,» will bring him to Portsmouth, New Hampshire on March 5. It will be his first stop in the state in two years.
Newsom grabbed headlines this past weekend, as he was one of a handful of potential Democratic presidential contenders to speak at the high-profile Munich Security Conference in Germany.
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Ocasio-Cortez was among the other Democrats in Munich. But the progressive champion, who has long been laser focused on affordability and other domestic issues, has faced intense criticism for nearly a week over a gaffe in Munich, when she asked during a panel discussion whether the U.S. should send troops to defend Taiwan from a possible invasion by China.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., attends the Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (Liesa Johannssen/Reuters)
The four-term lawmaker appeared to stall for nearly 20 seconds before offering that the U.S. should try to avoid reaching a clash with China over Taiwan.
Social media posts on the right slammed her for offering up a world salad.
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But it wasn’t just Republicans who critiqued Ocasio-Cortez.
A veteran Democratic strategist who asked to remain anonymous to speak more freely told Fox News Digital, «It is abundantly clear that AOC is not ready for prime time given her remarks in Europe.»
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