[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 6]
[House]
[Pages 8547-8549]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




         PROTECTING YOUNG VICTIMS FROM SEXUAL ABUSE ACT OF 2017


                             General Leave

  Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on the bill, H.R. 1973.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Lance). Is there objection to the 
request of the gentleman from Virginia?
  There was no objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 352 and rule 
XVIII, the Chair declares the House in the Committee of the Whole House 
on the state of the Union for the consideration of the bill, H.R. 1973.
  The Chair appoints the gentleman from Maine (Mr. Poliquin) to preside 
over the Committee of the Whole.

                              {time}  0918


                     In the Committee of the Whole

  Accordingly, the House resolved itself into the Committee of the 
Whole House on the state of the Union for the consideration of the bill 
(H.R. 1973) to prevent the sexual abuse of minors and amateur athletes 
by requiring the prompt reporting of sexual abuse to law enforcement 
authorities, and for other purposes, with Mr. Poliquin in the chair.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The CHAIR. Pursuant to the rule, the bill is considered read for the 
first time.
  The gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Goodlatte) and the gentleman from 
Michigan (Mr. Conyers) each will control 30 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Virginia.
  Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Today, we are able to continue our efforts in protecting children by 
passing legislation to protect young athletes from abuse. The country 
was shocked at the revelations in recent years concerning the ongoing 
abuse endured by young athletes at the hands of their coaches and 
trainers in USA Gymnastics and USA Swimming. These children were 
betrayed by people they trusted, by people they looked up to, and by 
people who had a duty to protect them.
  That is why I am pleased to be on the floor here today in support of 
the Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse Act. This bill imposes a 
requirement to report child abuse for those authorized by U.S. sport 
national governing bodies, such as USA Gymnastics and USA Swimming, to 
work with minor athletes or members of these governing bodies.
  As is the case with existing Federal mandatory reporting 
requirements, these individuals will be required to make a prompt 
report to law enforcement when they learn of facts that give reason to 
suspect that a child has suffered an incident of child abuse. This 
provision will ensure that the malfeasance on the part of national 
governing bodies, like USA Gymnastics, in failing to report allegations 
of abuse to law enforcement, never occurs again.
  The bill further strengthens existing civil remedies for victims of 
sexual abuse who wish to seek civil damages from their abusers. The 
bill clarifies that once a victim has established a harm occurred, the 
court will presume damages of $150,000. It relaxes the statute of 
limitations for victims. The 10-year period will now begin when the 
victim reasonably discovers the violation or harm, not when it accrues. 
It also extends the statute of limitations to 10 years after a legal 
disability is lifted. In other words, minors who are victims will have 
10 years from the time they reach adulthood to file.
  Finally, the bill expands the authority of the national governing 
bodies to develop practices, policies, and procedures to prevent sexual 
abuse, and clarifies the duties of the bodies in developing these 
practices.
  Sports have always been a central aspect of American life. Sports 
teach our children about focus, teamwork, and leadership, and we should 
encourage our children to participate, to be a part of healthy 
competition; but, in doing so, we need to assure we keep these 
competitive atmospheres safe.
  I am pleased to see that the U.S. Olympic Committee has helped to 
establish a new organization called the Center for Safe Sport, to 
prevent and respond to emotional, physical, and sexual abuse of young 
athletes.
  I want to commend the gentlewoman from Indiana (Mrs. Brooks) for 
introducing this important legislation, and I urge my colleagues to 
support it.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Chair, I rise in support of H.R. 1973, the Protecting Young 
Victims from Sexual Abuse Act, for several reasons.
  Most importantly, this is a reasonable bill and is intended to help 
protect young athletes from abuse and preserve the sanctity of sports 
associated with the U.S. Olympic Committee, the organization 
responsible for preparing and training young athletes who might one day 
represent their country competitively all over the world.
  Children deserve to fully enjoy the innocence of their youth--by 
exploring the curiosities of the world, taking pleasure in the arts, 
and participating in sports--free from hurt, harm, or danger.
  Involvement in sports, and instruction and guidance from adult 
coaches, can positively influence a young person's growth and 
development, as well as his or her potential for future success into 
adulthood.
  The sexual abuse of children and youth is intolerable in any text, 
and we must take appropriate measures to eliminate it from youth 
sports. Such exploitation betrays and harms young people, sometimes 
severely and irreparably.
  Young people look to adults to protect them and keep them safe. We 
all have a responsibility to do so.
  With H.R. 1973, we have an opportunity to ensure that individuals 
abide by this duty. Existing Federal law requires certain 
professionals, such as doctors, dentists, social workers, 
psychologists, teachers, and daycare workers, who regularly interact 
with children, to report suspected abuse to law enforcement.
  While our discussion of this legislation today may focus primarily on 
sexual abuse, H.R. 1973 will require adults who interact with young 
athletes, in connection to national governing bodies of various sports, 
to report suspected abuse of any kind.
  The need for this legislation is best illustrated by an ongoing 
scandal of widespread abuse and exploitation of young gymnasts over the 
course of 20 years within USA Gymnastics, a prominent governing body of 
the U.S. Olympic Committee.
  Many complaints of sexual and emotional abuse went unreported, 
allowing coaches, instructors, and doctors to repeatedly victimize 
gymnasts as young as 6 years old. The shocking failure of anyone to 
report accusations through law enforcement, or even keep track of

[[Page 8548]]

complaints internally, made it possible for some of these predators to 
commit horrific acts at several gyms in several states.
  For example, a cloud of allegations of abuse surrounded one 
particular physician in Michigan going back as far as 1997. 
Regrettably, allegations against him were not reported to law 
enforcement until recently. Following the first public complaint 
against him in 2015, more than 100 women have filed complaints accusing 
him of sexual abuse, and he now faces more than 20 criminal charges in 
both Federal and State courts.
  While the USA Gymnastics scandal is unfortunate, let it be an example 
and incentive to prevent such pervasive abuse elsewhere.
  Accordingly, I encourage my colleagues to join me and my chairman in 
supporting this important legislation.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Chair, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Indiana (Mrs. Brooks), the chief sponsor of this legislation.
  Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Chair, I rise today in strong support of 
H.R. 1973, Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse Act.
  Since my time as U.S. attorney in the Southern District of Indiana, I 
have been committed to battling child exploitation and abuse.
  Last year, I was shocked, along with much of the country, when The 
Indianapolis Star published an investigative piece that exposed 
troubling allegations of sexual abuse at USA Gymnastics programs across 
the country.
  According to their report, over the last 20 years, at least 368 young 
people, most Olympic hopefuls, were the victims of sexual abuse at the 
hands they trusted--coaches, trainers, doctors, and other adults 
associated with USA Gymnastics. They reported the abuse to USA 
Gymnastics, but, unfortunately, USA Gymnastics failed, in many cases, 
to report those allegations of abuse to law enforcement authorities.
  The article shed light on their stories and inspired the legislation 
that is before us today. According to more than 5,600 pages of USA 
Gymnastics records, released by The Indy Star, some of the 54 coaches, 
who had been accused of sexual abuse by young athletes in their care, 
weren't banned from gymnastics until years after their history of abuse 
had been reported to and kept in complaint files by USA Gymnastics.
  One USA Gymnastics doctor already referenced, Dr. Nassar, stands 
accused of having abused young women and girls for more than 20 years. 
More than 100 women have come forward today to share their stories of 
abuse at his hands.
  I understand how challenging it is to share painful stories of sexual 
abuse, and I am proud of these brave gymnasts who shared their stories: 
stories that never should have happened, and stories that went 
inexcusably unanswered.
  Their stories demand our action and our attention, not only to 
provide victims with the justice denied to them for so long but also to 
protect future generations of Olympic hopefuls.
  I want to acknowledge the work of Senator Feinstein of California, 
who is leading this bill in the Senate, and my colleagues in the 
bipartisan Women's Caucus, specifically Representative Frankel of 
Florida. I want to commend the chair and the ranking member of the 
Judiciary Committee, and other members of the committee, for taking the 
lead in protecting young victims from sexual abuse. Our legislation is 
an important step forward toward protecting these young athletes.
  It addresses that dangerous silence that, as The Indy Star 
investigative piece showed, plagued USA Gymnastics and other governing 
bodies of our Olympic sports--a silence that led to more girls being 
abused, hurt, and harmful coaches, and others, who faced little or no 
repercussions for their heinous actions.
  The abuse should have been, first and foremost, prevented. The system 
utterly failed when the abuse was not detected and not promptly 
reported. The U.S. Olympic Committee failed and must do better, and I 
commend them for their work now in working to do better.

                              {time}  0930

  Our bill makes sure that national governing bodies entrusted with the 
health and well-being of athletes and future Olympians promptly report 
allegations of sexual abuse and other abuse to law enforcement 
authorities and implement much stronger policies and procedures to 
prevent this from happening again.
  Most importantly, I want to applaud the victims who shared their 
story to protect others. I really thank them for their courage and for 
changing the lives of not only young athletes today, but those in the 
future.
  I urge passage of the bill, and at this time, I thank the chairman 
and, again, the ranking member for their leadership.
  Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Chair, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the 
gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Frankel).
  Ms. FRANKEL of Florida. Mr. Chair, I thank my colleague for yielding.
  Today, I rise as the proud cosponsor of this important legislation 
with my friend and colleague from Indiana, Susan Brooks. I want to 
thank her for her work on this, the Judiciary leadership, and, of 
course, Senator Diane Feinstein.
  Mr. Chair, imagine you are a 10-year-old girl and you have a dream. 
Your dream is to stand on the podium at a summer Olympics with a medal 
around your neck, and you are saluting the American flag. You are 
willing to do a lot for that. You are willing to give up all the kinds 
of things that little girls like to do in their youth. You are willing 
to spend hours practicing your skills, to get bumps and bruises, but it 
doesn't stop you. Your parents trust your dream to a coach you call 
``Grandpa.''
  Here is the thing: Your dream becomes a nightmare. The Protecting 
Young Victims from Sexual Abuse Act comes after devastating reports 
that at least 368 gymnasts have been sexually abused by their coaches 
and trainers over the course of 20 years. It is almost unimaginable.
  Although USA Gymnastics received allegations of abuse, they turned a 
blind eye. Why? Because it was more important to them to win medals and 
protect their star coaches.
  We have read and heard lots of stories. I am going to give you an 
example of one, while trying to protect the confidentiality.
  By the time she was in seventh grade, our gymnast has developed an 
eating disorder, coping with the fact that the coach she called Grandpa 
made her hate her body. By the time she got to college, she had 
difficulty maintaining relationships, believing that she would never 
like being touched or physically embraced by others.
  Here is a postscript. Over more than a decade, the coach we call 
Grandpa was able to move from gym to gym abusing girls and recording 
videos of them. He installed secret cameras in changing rooms and 
recorded 469 videos of gymnasts, many of whom were naked.
  The CHAIR. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
  Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Chair, I yield the gentlewoman an additional 2 
minutes.
  Ms. FRANKEL of Florida. Mr. Chair, to continue this, we have to ask 
this question: Could these young girls have been spared this trauma had 
proper procedures been in place? And, of course, today our answer is, 
hopefully, yes.
  This legislation is a step in a long journey to change the culture 
around sexual abuse. Too often institutions, whether they are our 
colleges, our military, or, here, in this case, an athletic 
organization, prioritize preserving their reputations and their brands 
over the people they protect.
  This legislation will require national sports bodies like USA 
Gymnastics to file reports of abuse as soon as possible. It will 
establish mandatory training and require the enforcement of policies 
preventing, reporting, and addressing these kinds of allegations 
because protecting our athletes must be a priority. Let their dreams 
come true.

[[Page 8549]]


  Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Meehan).
  Mr. MEEHAN. Mr. Chair, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I want 
to express my admiration and deep appreciation for the gentlewoman from 
Indiana for her leadership on this most important bill.
  This gives us a chance to do something, which is to give a voice to 
those victims who have suffered in silence and yet had the courage to 
come forward and allow others to appreciate the depth of the impact 
that they have suffered, as well as an opportunity for us to assure 
that this kind of pattern doesn't repeat itself again.
  We know it is a pattern because we have, as has been aptly 
demonstrated by the speakers before me, stories of young women who have 
been victimized because they enter a trusting relationship--one between 
a coach and a person in which that power dynamic is so unique, the 
young person putting their future in the hands--which is exploited by 
that person superior in the relationship.
  So we now have chance to assure that that trust is not further 
impacted. But it is not just that relationship; it is the long-term 
implications of it which are so damaging.
  Working with the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape, we have come to 
appreciate victims and how the psychological impacts, including things 
like substance abuse and other kinds of psychological disorders, last 
for years, and by the courage of coming forward, it does not 
necessarily end that impact on them.
  In fact, it is not just situations like coach and athlete. All kinds 
of trusting relationships can create a dynamic--one including something 
that I am currently working on, massage parlors--in which individuals 
who put themselves in a compromising position find themselves 
assaulted.
  Most recently, I introduced the Duty to Report Act, addressing that 
kind of a violation of that trusting relationship.
  These are examples of opportunities for us to address, once and for 
all, the implications of people who are allowed to move from one 
situation to another when reports come forward and stop. We call that 
pass the trash.
  Today, it is time for our body to put forward the kind of legislation 
that will assure that there is a duty to report so, along with due 
process, there can be an internal investigation to assure and reporting 
requirements so that these individuals are not able to victimize future 
young athletes, future people who put themselves in the position of 
trust.
  Mr. Chair, I applaud my colleagues who support this legislation, and 
I ask that we do so with a strong voice from this House.
  The CHAIR. The Committee will rise informally.
  The Speaker pro tempore (Mr. Paulsen) assumed the chair.

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