[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 174 (Tuesday, October 6, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E933-E934]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    EMPOWERING OLYMPIC, PARALYMPIC, AND AMATEUR ATHLETES ACT OF 2020

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                             HON. TED LIEU

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 1, 2020

  Mr. TED LIEU of California. Mr. Speaker, I am glad that today the 
House is considering S. 2330, the Empowering Olympic, Paralympic, and 
Amateur Athletes Act, the Senate companion to legislation I introduced 
in the House along with Representatives John Curtis, Diana DeGette, and 
Susan Brooks. I am incredibly thankful for the courageous survivors who 
stepped forward and whose advocacy made this legislation possible, and 
to Senators Jerry Moran and Richard Blumenthal who authored this 
legislation.
  In 2016, I was shocked and angered when more than 300 brave gymnasts, 
including some from my congressional district, began to come forward 
with claims of sexual abuse against Larry Nassar, who had been the USA 
Gymnastics team doctor and a Michigan State University faculty member.
  I was similarly upset when only two years later, the Daily Breeze, a 
newspaper in my district, released the results of its investigation 
into USA Swimming. That investigation revealed, ``a culture within 
American swimming where the sexual abuse of underage swimmers by their 
coaches and others in positions of power within the sport was 
commonplace and even accepted by top officials and coaches.''
  The widespread and longstanding nature of the abuse as well as the 
knowledge that many allegations of abuse were brushed under the table 
have laid bare the deep systemic failures of the organizations charged 
with protecting athletes. The exposure of these abuses has necessitated 
immediate and aggressive reform of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic 
Committee and the National Governing Bodies.
  That is why I was proud to introduce H.R. 7881, the Empowering 
Olympic, Paralympic, and Amateur Athletes Act. This bipartisan 
legislation helped build broad support for the reforms in S. 2330 and 
ultimately usher them through the House of Representatives and onto the 
President's desk to become law.
  Our legislation seeks to protect amateur athletes from emotional, 
physical, and sexual abuse in numerous ways. To strengthen 
accountability, it imposes legal liability for the USOPC and the NGBs 
when coaches or employees sexually abuse athletes. In addition, it 
establishes mechanisms to allow Congress to dissolve the entities if 
necessary. To empower athletes, the bill requires the establishment of 
clear procedures and reporting requirements, imposes clear 
responsibilities to protect athletes, and bolsters the Office of the 
Ombuds to give athletes an independent resource if they have been 
abused or assaulted. Finally, the bill strengthens and provides a 
steady funding stream for the U.S. Center for SafeSport, which provides 
abuse prevention education and training and investigates allegations of 
sexual abuse.

[[Page E934]]

  We all owe a debt of gratitude to those survivors who bravely spoke 
up about the horrific abuses that they endured and then turned their 
grief into advocacy. It is my hope that their work and this legislation 
will bring lasting, positive change to the sports world.
  I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

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