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Washington,
DC
—
In
a
joint
press
conference
today
in
the
U.S.
Capitol,
U.S.
Senator
Tim
Scott
(R-SC)
joined
a
group
of
his
colleagues,
including
Senators
Jeanne
Shaheen
(D-NH)
and
Joni
Ernst
(R-IA),
to
unveil
their
resolution
and
growing
bipartisan
support
to
establish
a
special
committee
in
the
Senate
to
investigate
the
U.S.
Olympic
Committee
(USOC)
and
USA
Gymnastics
regarding
how
team
doctor
Larry
Nassar
was
allowed
to
sexually
abuse
female
gymnasts
over
decades.
At
the
press
conference,
Senator
Scott
said,
“The
Olympics
start
in
just
a
couple
of
days,
and
every
single
athlete
should
know
that
we
care,
and
that
we’re
paying
attention.
We
take
great
pride
in
our
Olympic
athletes,
and
they
should
know
that
as
they
sacrifice
so
much
to
train
and
represent
the
United
States
of
America
on
the
world
stage,
they
should
be
safe.
In
this
regard,
USOC
and
the
USA
Gymnastics
have
clearly
failed
our
athletes.
My
heart
goes
out
to
the
women
affected
and
their
families.
This
investigation
is
so
important
because
we
should
know
what
happened,
to
make
sure
it
doesn’t
happen
again.
Every
single
person
should
be
respected.
Every
single
woman
should
be
respected,
and
it
did
not
happen.
It
cannot
happen
again.
Because
of
Senators
Ernst’s
and
Shaheen’s
leadership
we
are
in
a
better
position
to
ensure
it
doesn’t
happen
again.”
The
text
of
the
resolution
can
be
read
here.
The
resolution
is
also
cosponsored
by
Senators
Kirsten
Gillibrand
(D-NY),
Thom
Tillis
(R-NC),
Debbie
Stabenow
(D-MI),
Johnny
Isakson
(R-GA),
Bernie
Sanders
(I-VT),
Steve
Daines
(R-MT),
Maggie
Hassan
(D-NH),
Chris
Van
Hollen
(D-MD),
Richard
Burr
(R-NC),
Catherine
Cortez
Masto
(D-NV),
Tammy
Baldwin
(D-WI),
Elizabeth
Warren
(D-MA),
Amy
Klobuchar
(D-MN),
Ron
Wyden
(D-OR)
and
Tina
Smith
(D-MN).
It
also
has
the
endorsement
of
the
National
Alliance
to
End
Sexual
Violence.
Specifically,
the
resolution
establishes
a
special
committee
of
the
Senate
that
is
tasked
with:
- Investigating
the
USOC
and
national
sports
governing
bodies,
including
USA
Gymnastics,
and
determining
the
extent
to
which
these
organizations
were
complicit
in
the
criminal
or
negligent
behavior
of
their
employees
relative
to
sexual
abuse;
- Identifying
and
recommending
solutions
to
the
systemic
failures
at
the
USOC
and
national
sports
governing
bodies,
including
USA
Gymnastics,
that
allowed
for
pervasive
sexual
abuse
to
continue
for
decades;
- Identifying
actions
that
must
be
taken
by
the
USOC
and
national
sports
governing
bodies,
including
USA
Gymnastics,
to
ensure
increased
transparency
and
protections
for
children,
athletes
and
their
families;
and
- Making
findings
and
recommendations
on
any
additional
actions
that
may
be
necessary
to
hold
the
USOC
and
USA
Gymnastics
accountable.
On
Friday,
members
of
this
group
called
on
USOC
CEO
Scott
Blackmun
to
step
down
in
light
of
press
reports
that
Blackmun
was
aware
of
sexual
abuse
allegations
against
ex-team
USA
Gymnastics
doctor
Larry
Nassar
in
2015.
This
news
came
a
week
after
Blackmun
published
a letter
to
Team
USA,
pledging
an
independent
investigation
to
uncover
“who
knew
what
and
when,”
while
failing
to
admit
his
own
supposed
direct
knowledge
of
allegations
that
were
brought
to
his
attention.
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