WASHINGTON, DC - Energy and Commerce Committee Republican Leader Greg Walden (R-OR), Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Republican Leader Brett Guthrie (R-KY), and Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Commerce Republican Leader Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) sent a letter to Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Chair Diana DeGette (R-CO), and Subcommittee on Consume Protection and Commerce Chair Janice D. Schakowsky (D-IL) requesting the committee hold hearings to continue the committee’s oversight of sexual abuse within the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) and the 48 National Governing Bodies (NGB).
In December 2018, the Republican committee staff issued a report entitled, “Nassar and Beyond: A Review of the Olympic Community’s Efforts to Protect Athletes from Sexual Abuse" detailing the findings of the committee’s year-long bipartisan investigation. The report also made a series of recommendations, many of which the USOC and NGBs have begun to act upon.
“During the bipartisan investigation, the Committee uncovered numerous failures and trends within the U.S. Olympic community that contributed to widespread instances of sexual abuse. The Republican staff report summarizes our findings and puts forth several recommendations aimed at not only improving athlete safety but also putting athlete safety at the center ofthe USOC and NGBs’ mission," Walden, Guthrie, and Rodgers wrote.
The leaders continued, “We therefore ask that you hold hearings to ensure the recommendations contained in the report are being considered throughout the U.S. Olympic community. As you know, it is critical that the USOC and NGBs put athlete safety at the center of their missions, and hearings on this topic will allow us to continue examining whether the U.S. Olympic community is taking the appropriate steps to improve the protection of athlete safety."
Background
In January 2018, bipartisan committee leaders opened their investigation into sexual abuse in organized sports by sending letters to USA Gymnastics, the U.S. Olympics Committee, Michigan State University, USA Swimming, and USA Taekwondo.
In March 2018, bipartisan committee leaders sent letters to the U.S. Olympic Committee, all 48 National Governing Bodies, and Michigan State University.
In May 2018, the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a hearing on sexual abuse within the U.S. Olympic Community.
In December 2018, the committee released a report summarizing its findings from the investigation and outlining recommendations of robust policies and procedures to put athlete safety first.
