[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1085 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
107th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1085
To provide for the revitalization of Olympic sports in the United
States.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
June 21, 2001
Mr. Wellstone introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide for the revitalization of Olympic sports in the United
States.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Olympic Sports Revitalization Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.
(a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
(1) Chapter 2205 of title 36, United States Code (commonly
referred to as the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act),
requires the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) to obtain
for the United States ``the most competent representation
possible in each event of the Olympic Games''.
(2) A traditional route in the United States to
participation in the Olympic Games has been participation in
athletics at United States four-year colleges and universities.
(3) United States four-year colleges and universities are
producing a much smaller number of participants in certain
sports of the Olympic Games than they have in the past. A 2001
report of the General Accounting Office entitled
``Intercollegiate Athletics: Four-Year Colleges' Experiences
Adding and Discontinuing Teams'' reveals that, between 1981 and
1999, in five Olympic women's sports--gymnastics, fencing,
field hockey, archery, and badminton--and eleven Olympic men's
sports--wrestling, tennis, gymnastics, rifle/shooting, fencing,
outdoor track, swimming, skiing, ice hockey, water polo, and
archery--discontinuations of teams by such colleges and
universities have resulted in a net loss in the number of such
teams nationwide. The largest percentage loss in such teams
occurred in women's gymnastics (a 53 percent loss) and in men's
wrestling (a 40 percent loss). The report also indicates that
while the number of women participating in college athletics
increased between 1981 and 1999, the number of men
participating in college athletics in 1999 still significantly
exceeded the number of women participating in college athletics
in that year.
(4) According to the report, such discontinuations stem
from declining student interest in the Olympic sports referred
to in paragraph (3) and from administrative decisions of
colleges and universities regarding the allocation of
resources.
(5) While there has been a loss of teams at colleges and
universities in the Olympic sports referred to in paragraph
(3), three other Olympic sports, called ``Emerging Sports for
Women'' by the National Collegiate Athletic Association, have
yet to be fully established. These sports are team handball,
synchronized swimming, and equestrian. These sports merit
additional support if the USOC is to meet the basic requirement
referred to in paragraph (1).
(6) Because the Olympic sports referred to in paragraphs
(3) and (5) tend not to generate revenue for colleges and
universities, such sports have little leverage in decisions of
colleges and universities about the allocation of their
resources for sports programs.
(7) The discontinuation by colleges and universities of
teams in the Olympic sports referred to in paragraphs (3)
disrupts the amateur careers of athletes participating in such
sports and makes it more difficult for the USOC to fulfill one
of its primary missions.
(8) In addition to the basic requirement referred to in
paragraph (1), the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act
also identifies other objectives of the USOC, including--
(A) that it ``assist organizations and persons
concerned with sports in the development of amateur
athletic programs for amateur athletes'';
(B) that it ``encourage and provide assistance to
amateur athletic activities for women''; and
(C) that it ``encourage and provide assistance to
amateur athletes of racial and ethnic minorities for
the purpose of eliciting the participation of such
minorities in amateur athletic activities in which they
are underrepresented''.
(9) Due to a lack of public dissemination of data collected
by the Department of Education under the Equity in Athletics
Disclosure Act, prospective student-athletes often lack
information to determine what athletic opportunities colleges
and universities provide their students.
(10) According the report referred to in paragraph (3),
colleges and universities often discontinue sports teams in a
manner that gives student-athletes no advance notice of
consideration of such discontinuations and no opportunity for
appeal of the decision--thereby disrupting the amateur careers
affected by such discontinuations.
(b) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to encourage United States
representation in the events of the Olympic Games by--
(1) promoting the revitalization of amateur athletics; and
(2) encouraging amateur careers in athletics.
SEC. 3. GRANTS FOR SUPPORT OF CERTAIN AMATEUR ATHLETICS.
(a) Authority.--Chapter 2205 of title 36, United States Code
(commonly referred to as the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports
Act), is amended by adding at the end the following new subchapter:
``SUBCHAPTER III--MISCELLANEOUS
``Sec. 220541. Grants for support of certain amateur athletics
``(a) Authority To Make Grants.--The Secretary of Commerce may,
from funds authorized to be appropriated by subsection (d), make grants
to the corporation to provide funds for the purpose described in
subsection (b).
``(b) Purpose.--(1) The corporation shall use amounts received
under subsection (a) for the purpose of encouraging participation in
covered Olympic sports by individuals under 18 years of age, with
particular emphasis on the participation in such sports of such
individuals who have previously had limited opportunity for
participation in such sports.
``(2) The corporation may use amounts so received for the purpose
described in paragraph (1) directly or by making grants for that
purpose to national governing bodies of covered Olympic sports
recognized under subchapter II.
``(3) To the maximum extent practicable, participation in covered
Olympic sports shall be encouraged under paragraph (1) through the
establishment or support of appropriate community sports organizations.
``(c) Covered Olympic Sports.--For purposes of this section, a
covered Olympic sport is as follows:
``(1) Women's gymnastics.
``(2) Women's fencing.
``(3) Women's field hockey.
``(4) Women's archery.
``(5) Women's badminton.
``(6) Women's team handball.
``(7) Women's synchronized swimming.
``(8) Women's equestrian.
``(9) Men's wrestling.
``(10) Men's tennis.
``(11) Men's gymnastics.
``(12) Men's rifle/shooting.
``(13) Men's fencing.
``(14) Men's outdoor track.
``(15) Men's swimming.
``(16) Men's skiing.
``(17) Men's ice hockey.
``(18) Men's water polo.
``(19) Men's archery.
``(20) Any other Olympic women's or men's sport determined
by the Secretary of Education to be--
``(A) a sport in which the discontinuation of teams
in the sport by four-year colleges and universities in
the United States has resulted in a net decrease in the
number of college and university teams in the sport
nationwide; or
``(B) an emerging sport.
``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is hereby authorized
to be appropriated for the Department of Commerce for purposes of
activities under this section, $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years
2002 through 2006.''.
(b) Annual Report.--Section 220511 of that title is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)--
(A) by inserting ``of Quadrennial Report'' after
``Submission''; and
(B) by striking ``transmit'' and inserting
``submit'';
(2) by redesignating subsection (b) as subsection (c);
(3) by inserting after subsection (a) the following new
subsection (b):
``(b) Submission of Annual Report to President and Congress.--The
corporation shall, on or before January 31 each year, submit
simultaneously to the President and to each House of Congress a
detailed report on its activities under section 220541 of this title
during the preceding year.''; and
(4) in subsection (c), as so redesignated, by striking
``the report'' and inserting ``each report under this
section''.
(c) Conforming and Clerical Amendments.--(1) The section heading of
section 220511 of that title is amended to read as follows:
``Sec. 220511. Reports''.
(2) The table of sections at the beginning of that chapter is
amended--
(A) by striking the item relating to section 220511 and
inserting the following new item:
``220511. Reports.''; and
(B) by adding at the end the following:
``SUBCHAPTER III--MISCELLANEOUS
``220541. Grants for support of certain amateur athletics.''.
SEC. 4. EXPANSION OF OLYMPIC SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.
Title XV of the Higher Education Amendments of 1992 (Public law
102-235) is amended by inserting after part E the following:
``PART F--OLYMPIC SPORTS REVITALIZATION
``SEC. 1544. OLYMPIC SPORTS REVITALIZATION.
``(a) Olympic Sports Revitalization.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary of Education may provide
funds to the United States Olympic Committee, or the national
governing body of the sport concerned, for distribution to
institutions of higher education for disbursement to students
of such institutions who--
``(A) participate in an intercollegiate athletic
program in an Olympic sport described in paragraph (4);
and
``(B) are full-time students.
``(2) Distributions.--
``(A) In general.--The United States Olympic
Committee or the national governing body concerned
shall, from funds received under paragraph (1), make
distributions to institutions of higher education for
purposes of disbursements under paragraph (3) to
students of such institutions of higher education who
are described in paragraph (1). Each such distribution
shall be for purposes of students of the institution of
higher education concerned in one particular
intercollegiate athletic program described in paragraph
(1).
``(B) Amount of distribution.--The aggregate amount
of the distribution under this paragraph for a
particular intercollegiate athletic program may not be less than
$100,000 or exceed $200,000.
``(C) Allocation of distribution.--The amount of
the distribution under this paragraph shall be
allocated to the institution of higher education
concerned in equal portions over four years.
``(D) Limitation on number of recipient athletic
programs.--No more than three intercollegiate athletic
programs of an institution of higher education may have
a distribution in effect under this paragraph at any
one time.
``(E) Cancellation of athletic program.--
Notwithstanding subparagraphs (B) and (C), if an
institution of higher education receiving a
distribution under this paragraph for an
intercollegiate athletic program cancels the program,
no further portion of the distribution may be allocated
to the institution of higher education under this
paragraph for the program.
``(3) Disbursements.--
``(A) In general.--An institution of higher
education receiving a distribution under paragraph (2)
with respect to an intercollegiate athletic program
shall disburse the distribution among full-time
students of the institution of higher education who are
participating in the intercollegiate athletic program.
``(B) Limitation.--The amount of the disbursement
to a student under subparagraph (A) may not exceed the
cost of educational expenses at the institution of
higher education concerned.
``(4) Olympic sports.--An Olympic sport described in this
paragraph is--
``(A) women's gymnastics;
``(B) women's fencing;
``(C) women's field hockey;
``(D) women's archery;
``(E) women's badminton;
``(F) women's team handball;
``(G) women's synchronized swimming;
``(H) women's equestrian;
``(I) men's wrestling;
``(J) men's tennis;
``(K) men's gymnastics;
``(L) men's rifle/shooting;
``(M) men's fencing;
``(N) men's outdoor track;
``(O) men's swimming;
``(P) men's skiing;
``(Q) men's ice hockey;
``(R) men's water polo;
``(S) men's archery; and
``(T) any other Olympic women's or men's sport
determined by the Secretary to be--
``(i) a sport in which the discontinuation
of teams in the sport by four-year colleges and
universities in the United States has resulted
in a net decrease in the number of college and
university teams in the sport nationwide; or
``(ii) an emerging sport.
``(b) Application.--To be eligible to receive a distribution under
subsection (a), an institution of higher education shall prepare and
submit to the United States Olympic Committee or the national governing
body of the sport concerned an application at such time, in such
manner, and accompanied by such information as the Committee or such
body, as the case may be, may reasonably require.
``(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section, $10,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2002 through 2006.''.
SEC. 5. REPORTING OF EQUITY IN ATHLETIC DISCLOSURE ACT DATA.
Section 485(g) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1092(g)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (4)--
(A) by redesignating subparagraph (D) as
subparagraph (E); and
(B) by inserting after subparagraph (C), the
following:
``(D) The Secretary shall ensure that reports are
disseminated to the public under subparagraph (C) by means that
include the Internet and in a manner that is easily
understandable. Beginning in the year in which data for a 5-
year period is available, such reports shall include
information on the 5-year trends in the data reported.''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(F) There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out
this paragraph, $1,250,000 for each of fiscal years 2002 and
2003.''.
SEC. 6. TEAM TERMINATION NOTIFICATION AND APPEAL REQUIREMENT.
Part D of title I of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1018 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 144. TEAM TERMINATION NOTIFICATION AND APPEAL REQUIREMENT.
``Effective on the date of enactment of this section, an
institution of higher education that receives assistance under this Act
shall not terminate funding for any intercollegiate sport, or reduce
funding or participation levels to such an extent so as to effectively
terminate such a sport, unless such institution provides to the members
of the team participating in that sport--
``(1) a written statement of the justification for the
termination or reduction that includes the reasons relating to
why the termination is necessary; and
``(2) an internal process for appealing the termination.''.
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