Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) celebrated the Senate’s passage, by unanimous consent, of the bipartisan Empowering Olympic and Amateur Athletes Act. Senator Cortez Masto is a proud cosponsor of this legislation that will improve oversight and accountability at the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee so that athletes are better protected against sexual abuse and intimidation.
“The passage of this legislation will help hold the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic national governing bodies accountable for the harm and trauma they’ve caused some of our nation’s athletes, and ensure that they’re taking the necessary steps to protect those men and women from abuse and intimidation in the future. I’ll continue to advocate for strong Congressional oversight of the Olympic movement that will empower athletes to reach for their dreams without fear.”
BACKGROUND:
The bipartisan Empowering Olympic and Amateur Athletes Act of 2019 was led by Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.). This legislation was the culmination of an 18-month investigation of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science
and Transportation, Subcommittee on Manufacturing, Trade and Consumer Protection, jointly conducted by Senators Moran and Blumenthal. Senator Cortez Masto took an active role in questioning during those hearings. The investigation included committee oversight hearings with governing body officials, interviews with Olympic athletes and survivors, and the retrieval of over 70,000 pages of documents. Click here to read the senators’ full investigative report, findings and recommendations; here for a one-page summary of the bill; and here for full bill text.
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