Donnelly, Young Call on Congress to Pass Protecting Young Athletes from Sexual Abuse Act

Donnelly, Young Call on Congress to PassProtecting Young Athletes from Sexual Abuse Act

Senators join former USA Gymnastics national team members urging action on bipartisan bill that would require amateur athletic organizations, members to immediately report sex abuse allegations

Washington, D.C.– Today, U.S. Senators Joe Donnelly and Todd Young joined a bipartisan group of Senators and former members of the USA Gymnastics national team in calling on Congress to pass bipartisan legislation that would require amateur athletics governing bodies to immediately report sex-abuse allegations to law enforcement and strengthen oversight of member gymnasiums and coaches. They participated in a press conference after the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on theProtecting Young Athletes from Sexual Abuse Act,the legislation that Donnelly, Young, and a bipartisan group of Senators introduced earlier this month.

Click here to watch Senator Young’s Comments.

The Protecting Young Athletes from Sexual Abuse Actstems from recent allegations of sexual abuse made against personnel involved with USA Gymnastics, which is headquartered in Indianapolis, USA Swimming and USA Taekwondo. The legislation would require amateur athletics governing bodies to immediately report sex abuse allegations to local or federal law enforcement, or a child-welfare agency designated by the Justice Department. The bill also would amend theTed Stevens Amateur and Olympic Sports Act, which governs amateur athletics governing bodies, to make it safe and easy for victims to report abuse and mandate oversight of member gymnasiums to ensure strong sexual-abuse prevention policies are implemented. For example, USA Gymnastics would implement and enforce policies to ensure coaches and personnel are trained in sexual abuse prevention.