II 

Calendar No. 734 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 1426 

[Report No. 115–443] 

To amend the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act to expand 

the purposes of the corporation, to designate the United States Center 

for Safe Sport, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JUNE 22, 2017 

Mr. THUNE (for himself, Mr. NELSON, Mr. MORAN, Mr. PETERS, Mr. SULLIVAN, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, and Mr. BLUMENTHAL) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 

DECEMBER 19, 2018 

Reported by Mr. THUNE, with an amendment 

[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 

A BILL 

To amend the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports 

Act to expand the purposes of the corporation, to designate the United States Center for Safe Sport, and 

for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 


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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘United States Center 

3 for Safe Sport Authorization Act of 2017’’. 

4 SEC. 2. EXPANSION OF THE PURPOSES OF THE CORPORA5 TION. 

6 Section 220503 of title 36, United States Code, is 

7 amended— 

8 (1) in paragraph (13), by striking ‘‘; and’’ and 

9 inserting a semicolon; 

10 (2) in paragraph (14), by striking the period at 

11 the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 

12 (3) by adding at the end the following: 

13 ‘‘(15) to promote a safe environment in sports 

14 that is free from abuse, including emotional, phys15 ical, and sexual abuse, of any amateur athlete.’’. 

16 SEC. 3. DESIGNATION OF THE UNITED STATES CENTER FOR 

17 SAFE SPORT. 

18 (a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 2205 of title 36, United 

19 States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol20 lowing: 

21 ‘‘Subchapter III—United States Center for 

22 Safe Sport 

‘‘220531. Designation of United States Center for Safe Sport. 

‘‘220532. Additional duties. 

‘‘220533. Records, audits, and reports. 

‘‘220534. Authorization of appropriations. 


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1 ‘‘§ 220531. Designation of United States Center for 

2 Safe Sport 

3 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The United States Center for 

4 Safe Sport (referred to in this subchapter as the ‘Center’) 

5 shall— 

6 ‘‘(1) serve as the independent national safe 

7 sport organization and be recognized worldwide as 

8 the independent national safe sport organization for 

9 the United States; 

10 ‘‘(2) exercise jurisdiction over the corporation, 

11 each national governing body, and each paralympic 

12 sports organization with regard to safeguarding 

13 amateur athletes against abuse, including emotional, 

14 physical, and sexual abuse, in sports; 

15 ‘‘(3) maintain an office for education and out16 reach that shall develop training, oversight practices, 

17 policies, and procedures to prevent the abuse, includ18 ing emotional, physical, and sexual abuse, of ama19 teur athletes participating in amateur athletic activi20 ties through national governing bodies and 

21 paralympic sports organizations; 

22 ‘‘(4) ensure that the policies and procedures 

23 under paragraph (3) include requirements that all 

24 national governing bodies and paralympic sports or25 ganizations follow the policies and procedures of the 

26 Center; 


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1 ‘‘(5) maintain an office for response and resolu2 tion that shall establish mechanisms that allow for 

3 the reporting, investigation, and adjudication of al4 leged sexual abuse in violation of the Center’s poli5 cies and procedures; and 

6 ‘‘(6) ensure that the mechanisms under para7 graph (5) provide fair notice and an opportunity to 

8 be heard and protect the privacy and safety of com9 plainants. 

10 ‘‘(b) POLICIES AND PROCEDURES.— 

11 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Center may, in its dis12 cretion, utilize a neutral arbitration body and de13 velop policies and procedures to resolve allegations of 

14 sexual abuse within its jurisdiction. 

15 ‘‘(2) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in 

16 this section shall be construed as altering, super17 seding, or otherwise affecting the right of an ama18 teur athlete to pursue criminal or civil justice 

19 through the courts. 

20 ‘‘(c) LIMITATION ON LIABILITY.— 

21 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para22 graph (2), the Center, and each national governing 

23 body and paralympic sports organization, including 

24 any officer, employee, or agent thereof, shall not be 

25 liable for damages in any civil action for defamation, 


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1 libel, slander, or damage to reputation arising out of 

2 any action or communication, if the action arises 

3 from the execution of the responsibilities or func4 tions described in this section, section 220532, or 

5 section 220533. 

6 ‘‘(2) EXCEPTION.—Paragraph (1) shall not 

7 apply in any action in which the Center, a national 

8 governing body, or a paralympic sports organization, 

9 or an officer, employee, or agent thereof, acted with 

10 actual malice, or provided information or took action 

11 not pursuant to this section, section 220532, or sec12 tion 220533. 

13 ‘‘§ 220532. Additional duties. 

14 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Center shall— 

15 ‘‘(1) develop training, oversight practices, poli16 cies, and procedures for implementation by a na17 tional governing body or paralympic sports organiza18 tion to prevent the abuse, including emotional, phys19 ical, and sexual abuse, of any amateur athlete; and 

20 ‘‘(2) include in the policies and procedures de21 veloped under section 220531(a)(3)— 

22 ‘‘(A) a requirement that all adult members 

23 of a national governing body, a paralympic 

24 sports organization, or a facility under the ju25 risdiction of a national governing body or 


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1 paralympic sports organization, and all adults 

2 authorized by such members to interact with an 

3 amateur athlete, report immediately any allega4 tion of sexual abuse of an amateur athlete who 

5 is a minor to law enforcement authorities and 

6 other appropriate authorities, including the 

7 Center, whenever such members or adults learn 

8 of facts leading them to suspect reasonably that 

9 an amateur athlete who is a minor has suffered 

10 an incident of sexual abuse; 

11 ‘‘(B) a mechanism, approved by a trained 

12 expert on child abuse, that allows a complainant 

13 to report easily an incident of sexual abuse to 

14 the Center, a national governing body, law en15 forcement authorities, or other appropriate au16 thorities; 

17 ‘‘(C) reasonable procedures to limit one-on18 one interactions between an amateur athlete 

19 who is a minor and an adult (who is not the mi20 nor’s legal guardian) at a facility under the ju21 risdiction of a national governing body or 

22 paralympic sports organization without being in 

23 an observable and interruptible distance from 

24 another adult, except under exigent cir25 cumstances; 


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1 ‘‘(D) procedures to prohibit retaliation, by 

2 any national governing body or paralympic 

3 sports organization, against any individual who 

4 makes a report under subparagraph (A) or sub5 paragraph (B); 

6 ‘‘(E) oversight procedures, including reg7 ular and random audits conducted by subject 

8 matter experts unaffiliated with a national gov9 erning body or a paralympic sports organization 

10 of each national governing body and paralympic 

11 sports organization to ensure that policies and 

12 procedures developed under that section are fol13 lowed correctly and that consistent training is 

14 offered and given to all adult members, and 

15 subject to parental consent, to members who 

16 are minors, regarding prevention of sexual 

17 abuse; and 

18 ‘‘(F) a mechanism by which a national 

19 governing body or paralympic sports organiza20 tion can— 

21 ‘‘(i) share confidentially a report of 

22 suspected sexual abuse of an amateur ath23 lete who is a minor by a member of a na24 tional governing body or paralympic sports 

25 organization, or an adult authorized by a 


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1 national governing body or paralympic 

2 sports organization to interact with an 

3 amateur athlete who is a minor, with each 

4 of the other national governing bodies, 

5 paralympic sports organizations, or facili6 ties under the control of such entities; and 

7 ‘‘(ii) withhold providing to an adult 

8 who is the subject of an allegation of sex9 ual abuse authority to interact with an 

10 amateur athlete who is a minor until the 

11 resolution of such allegation. 

12 ‘‘(b) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec13 tion shall be construed to limit the ability of a national 

14 governing body or paralympic sports organization to im15 pose an interim measure to prevent an individual who is 

16 the subject of an allegation of sexual abuse from inter17 acting with an amateur athlete. 

18 ‘‘§ 220533. Records, audits, and reports 

19 ‘‘(a) RECORDS.—The Center shall keep correct and 

20 complete records of account. 

21 ‘‘(b) REPORT.—The Center shall submit an annual 

22 report to Congress, including— 

23 ‘‘(1) an audit conducted and submitted in ac24 cordance with section 10101; and 


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1 ‘‘(2) a description of the activities of the Cen2 ter. 

3 ‘‘§ 220534. Authorization of appropriations 

4 ‘‘There are authorized to be appropriated to the Cen5 ter— 

6 ‘‘(1) for fiscal year 2017, $1,000,000; 

7 ‘‘(2) for fiscal year 2018, $1,000,000; 

8 ‘‘(3) for fiscal year 2019, $1,000,000; 

9 ‘‘(4) for fiscal year 2020, $1,000,000; and 

10 ‘‘(5) for fiscal year 2021, $1,000,000.’’. 

11 (b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 220501(b) 

12 of title 36, United States Code, is amended— 

13 (1) by redesignating paragraphs (4) through 

14 (8) as paragraphs (5) through (9), respectively; and 

15 (2) by inserting after paragraph (3), the fol16 lowing: 

17 ‘‘(4) ‘Center’ means the United States Center 

18 for Safe Sport designated under section 220531.’’. 

19 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

20 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘United States Center 

21 for Safe Sport Authorization Act of 2017’’. 

22 SEC. 2. EXPANSION OF THE PURPOSES OF THE CORPORA23 TION. 

24 Section 220503 of title 36, United States Code, is 

25 amended— 


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1 (1) in paragraph (13), by striking ‘‘; and’’ and 

2 inserting a semicolon; 

3 (2) in paragraph (14), by striking the period at 

4 the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 

5 (3) by adding at the end the following: 

6 ‘‘(15) to promote a safe environment in sports 

7 that is free from abuse, including emotional, physical, 

8 and sexual abuse, of any amateur athlete.’’. 

9 SEC. 3. DESIGNATION OF THE UNITED STATES CENTER FOR 

10 SAFE SPORT. 

11 (a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 2205 of title 36, United 

12 States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: 

13 ‘‘Subchapter III—United States Center for 

14 Safe Sport 

15 ‘‘§ 220541. Designation of United States Center for 

16 Safe Sport 

17 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The United States Center for Safe 

18 Sport (referred to in this subchapter as the ‘Center’) shall— 

19 ‘‘(1) serve as the independent national safe sport 

20 organization and be recognized worldwide as the 

21 independent national safe sport organization for the 

22 United States; 

23 ‘‘(2) exercise jurisdiction over the corporation, 

24 each national governing body, and each paralympic 

25 sports organization with regard to safeguarding amaVerDate Sep 11 2014 04:25 Dec 20, 2018 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00010 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6203 E:\BILLS\S1426.RS S1426

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1 teur athletes against abuse, including emotional, 

2 physical, and sexual abuse, in sports; 

3 ‘‘(3) maintain an office for education and out4 reach that shall develop training, oversight practices, 

5 policies, and procedures to prevent the abuse, includ6 ing emotional, physical, and sexual abuse, of amateur 

7 athletes participating in amateur athletic activities 

8 through national governing bodies and paralympic 

9 sports organizations; 

10 ‘‘(4) ensure that the policies and procedures 

11 under paragraph (3) include requirements that all 

12 national governing bodies and paralympic sports or13 ganizations follow the policies and procedures of the 

14 Center; 

15 ‘‘(5) maintain an office for response and resolu16 tion that shall establish mechanisms that allow for the 

17 reporting, investigation, and adjudication of alleged 

18 sexual abuse in violation of the Center’s policies and 

19 procedures; and 

20 ‘‘(6) ensure that the mechanisms under para21 graph (5) provide fair notice and an opportunity to 

22 be heard and protect the privacy and safety of com23 plainants. 

24 ‘‘(b) POLICIES AND PROCEDURES.— 


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1 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Center may, in its dis2 cretion, utilize a neutral arbitration body and develop 

3 policies and procedures to resolve allegations of sexual 

4 abuse within its jurisdiction. 

5 ‘‘(2) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this 

6 section shall be construed as altering, superseding, or 

7 otherwise affecting the right of an amateur athlete to 

8 pursue criminal or civil justice through the courts. 

9 ‘‘(c) LIMITATION ON LIABILITY.— 

10 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para11 graph (2), the Center, and each national governing 

12 body and paralympic sports organization, including 

13 any officer, employee, or agent thereof, shall not be 

14 liable for damages in any civil action for defamation, 

15 libel, slander, or damage to reputation arising out of 

16 any action or communication, if the action arises 

17 from the execution of the responsibilities or functions 

18 described in this section, section 220542, or section 

19 220543. 

20 ‘‘(2) EXCEPTION.—Paragraph (1) shall not 

21 apply in any action in which the Center, a national 

22 governing body, or a paralympic sports organization, 

23 or an officer, employee, or agent thereof, acted with 

24 actual malice, or provided information or took action 


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1 not pursuant to this section, section 220542, or sec2 tion 220543. 

3 ‘‘§ 220542. Additional duties. 

4 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Center shall— 

5 ‘‘(1) develop training, oversight practices, poli6 cies, and procedures for implementation by a na7 tional governing body or paralympic sports organiza8 tion to prevent the abuse, including emotional, phys9 ical, and sexual abuse, of any amateur athlete; and 

10 ‘‘(2) include in the policies and procedures devel11 oped under section 220541(a)(3)— 

12 ‘‘(A) a requirement that all adult members 

13 of a national governing body, a paralympic 

14 sports organization, or a facility under the juris15 diction of a national governing body or 

16 paralympic sports organization, and all adults 

17 authorized by such members to interact with an 

18 amateur athlete, report immediately any allega19 tion of child abuse (as defined in section 212 of 

20 the Victims of Child Abuse Act of 1990 (42 

21 U.S.C. 13001a)) of an amateur athlete who is a 

22 minor to law enforcement authorities and other 

23 appropriate authorities, including the Center, 

24 whenever such members or adults learn of facts 

25 leading them to suspect reasonably that an amaVerDate Sep 11 2014 04:25 Dec 20, 2018 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00013 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6203 E:\BILLS\S1426.RS S1426

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1 teur athlete who is a minor has suffered an inci2 dent of child abuse (as so defined); 

3 ‘‘(B) a mechanism, approved by a trained 

4 expert on child abuse, that allows a complainant 

5 to report easily an incident of sexual abuse to 

6 the Center, a national governing body, law en7 forcement authorities, or other appropriate au8 thorities; 

9 ‘‘(C) reasonable procedures to limit one-on10 one interactions between an amateur athlete who 

11 is a minor and an adult (who is not the minor’s 

12 legal guardian) at a facility under the jurisdic13 tion of a national governing body or paralympic 

14 sports organization without being in an observ15 able and interruptible distance from another 

16 adult, except under exigent circumstances; 

17 ‘‘(D) procedures to prohibit retaliation, by 

18 any national governing body or paralympic 

19 sports organization, against any individual who 

20 makes a report under subparagraph (A) or sub21 paragraph (B); 

22 ‘‘(E) oversight procedures, including regular 

23 and random audits conducted by subject matter 

24 experts unaffiliated with a national governing 

25 body or a paralympic sports organization of 


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1 each national governing body and paralympic 

2 sports organization to ensure that policies and 

3 procedures developed under that section are fol4 lowed correctly and that consistent training is 

5 offered and given to all adult members, and sub6 ject to parental consent, to members who are mi7 nors, regarding prevention of sexual abuse; and 

8 ‘‘(F) a mechanism by which a national gov9 erning body or paralympic sports organization 

10 can— 

11 ‘‘(i) share confidentially a report of 

12 suspected sexual abuse of an amateur ath13 lete who is a minor by a member of a na14 tional governing body or paralympic sports 

15 organization, or an adult authorized by a 

16 national governing body or paralympic 

17 sports organization to interact with an 

18 amateur athlete who is a minor, with each 

19 of the other national governing bodies, 

20 paralympic sports organizations, or facili21 ties under the control of such entities; and 

22 ‘‘(ii) withhold providing to an adult 

23 who is the subject of an allegation of sexual 

24 abuse authority to interact with an amaVerDate Sep 11 2014 04:25 Dec 20, 2018 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00015 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6203 E:\BILLS\S1426.RS S1426

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1 teur athlete who is a minor until the resolu2 tion of such allegation. 

3 ‘‘(b) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec4 tion shall be construed to limit the ability of a national 

5 governing body or paralympic sports organization to im6 pose an interim measure to prevent an individual who is 

7 the subject of an allegation of sexual abuse from interacting 

8 with an amateur athlete. 

9 ‘‘§ 220543. Records, audits, and reports 

10 ‘‘(a) RECORDS.—The Center shall keep correct and 

11 complete records of account. 

12 ‘‘(b) REPORT.—The Center shall submit an annual re13 port to Congress, including— 

14 ‘‘(1) an audit conducted and submitted in ac15 cordance with section 10101; and 

16 ‘‘(2) a description of the activities of the Center. 

17 ‘‘§ 220544. Authorization of appropriations 

18 ‘‘There are authorized to be appropriated to the Cen19 ter— 

20 ‘‘(1) for fiscal year 2017, $1,000,000; 

21 ‘‘(2) for fiscal year 2018, $1,000,000; 

22 ‘‘(3) for fiscal year 2019, $1,000,000; 

23 ‘‘(4) for fiscal year 2020, $1,000,000; and 

24 ‘‘(5) for fiscal year 2021, $1,000,000.’’. 


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1 (b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 220501(b) of 

2 title 36, United States Code, is amended— 

3 (1) by redesignating paragraphs (4) through (8) 

4 as paragraphs (5) through (9), respectively; and 

5 (2) by inserting after paragraph (3), the fol6 lowing: 

7 ‘‘(4) ‘Center’ means the United States Center for 

8 Safe Sport designated under section 220541.’’. 

9 (c) TECHNICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents of 

10 chapter 2205 of title 36, United States Code, is amended 

11 by adding at the end the following: 

‘‘SUBCHAPTER III — UNITED STATES CENTER FOR SAFE SPORT

‘‘220541. Designation of United States Center for Safe Sport. 

‘‘220542. Additional duties. 

‘‘220543. Records, audits, and reports. 

‘‘220544. Authorization of appropriations.’’. 


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Calendar No. 734 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 1426 

[Report No. 115–443] 

A BILL 

To amend the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur 

for Safe Sport, and for other purposes. poration, to designate the United States Center Sports Act to expand the purposes of the corDECEMBER 19, 2018 

Reported with an amendment 


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