II 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 132 

To establish the Commission on the State of U.S. Olympics and Paralympics. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JANUARY 15, 2019 

Mr. GARDNER introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred 

to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 

A BILL 

To establish the Commission on the State of U.S. Olympics 

and Paralympics. 

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

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Strengthening U.S. 

5 Olympics Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. COMMISSION ON THE STATE OF U.S. OLYMPICS AND 

7 PARALYMPICS. 

8 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established within 

9 the legislative branch a commission, to be known as the 

10 ‘‘Commission on the State of U.S. Olympics and 


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1 Paralympics’’ (referred to in this section as the ‘‘Commis2 sion’’). 

3 (b) COMPOSITION.— 

4 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall be 

5 composed of 16 members, of whom— 

6 (A) 4 members shall be appointed by the 

7 majority leader of the Senate; 

8 (B) 4 members shall be appointed by the 

9 minority leader of the Senate; 

10 (C) 4 members shall be appointed by the 

11 Speaker of the House of Representatives; and 

12 (D) 4 members shall be appointed by the 

13 minority leader of the House of Representa14 tives. 

15 (2) CO-CHAIRS.—Of the members of the Com16 mission— 

17 (A) 1 co-chair shall be designated by the 

18 majority leader of the Senate; and 

19 (B) 1 co-chair shall be designated by the 

20 Speaker of the House of Representatives. 

21 (3) QUALIFICATIONS.— 

22 (A) IN GENERAL.—Each member ap23 pointed to the Commission shall have experience 

24 in— 

25 (i) amateur or professional athletics; 


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1 (ii) athletic coaching; 

2 (iii) professional advocacy on behalf of 

3 victims of bullying, harassment, hazing, or 

4 sexual assault; 

5 (iv) public service relating to sports; 

6 or 

7 (v) professional advocacy for increased 

8 minority participation in sports. 

9 (B) OLYMPIC OR PARALYMPIC ATH10 LETES.—Not fewer than 8 members appointed 

11 under paragraph (1) shall be Olympic or 

12 Paralympic athletes. 

13 (c) INITIAL MEETING.—Not later than 30 days after 

14 the date on which the last member is appointed under 

15 paragraph (1), the Commission shall hold an initial meet16 ing. 

17 (d) QUORUM.—Eleven members of the Commission 

18 shall constitute a quorum. 

19 (e) NO PROXY VOTING.—Proxy voting by members 

20 of the Commission shall be prohibited. 

21 (f) STAFF.—The co-chairs of the Commission shall 

22 appoint an executive director of the Commission, and such 

23 staff as appropriate, with compensation. 

24 (g) PUBLIC HEARINGS.—The Commission shall hold 

25 1 or more public hearings. 


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1 (h) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—Members of the Commis2 sion shall serve without pay, but shall receive travel ex3 penses in accordance with sections 5702 and 5703 of title 

4 5, United States Code. 

5 (i) DUTIES OF COMMISSION.— 

6 (1) STUDY.— 

7 (A) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall 

8 conduct a study on matters relating to the state 

9 of United States participation in the Olympic 

10 and Paralympic games. 

11 (B) MATTERS STUDIED.—The study under 

12 subparagraph (A) shall include— 

13 (i) a description of proposed reforms 

14 to the structure of the United States 

15 Olympic Committee; 

16 (ii) an assessment of whether the 

17 board of the United States Olympic Com18 mittee includes diverse members, including 

19 athletes; 

20 (iii) an assessment of United States 

21 athlete participation levels in the Olympics 

22 and Paralympics; 

23 (iv) a description of the status of any 

24 United States Olympic Committee licens25 ing arrangement; 


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1 (v) an assessment of whether the 

2 United States is achieving the goals for the 

3 Olympics and Paralympics set by the 

4 United States Olympic Committee; 

5 (vi) an analysis of the participation in 

6 amateur athletics of— 

7 (I) women; 

8 (II) disabled individuals; and 

9 (III) minorities; 

10 (vii) a description of ongoing efforts 

11 by the United States Olympic Committee 

12 to recruit the Olympics and Paralympics to 

13 the United States; 

14 (viii) an evaluation of the function of 

15 the national governing bodies (as defined 

16 in section 220502 of title 36, United 

17 States Code) and an analysis of the re18 sponsiveness of the national governing bod19 ies to athletes; 

20 (ix) an assessment of whether the 

21 United States Center for Safe Sport effec22 tively handles reported cases of bullying, 

23 hazing, harassment, and sexual assault; 

24 and 


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1 (x) an assessment of the finances and 

2 the financial organization of the United 

3 States Olympic Committee. 

4 (2) REPORT.— 

5 (A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 270 

6 days after the date of enactment of this Act, 

7 the Commission shall submit to Congress a re8 port on the results of the study under para9 graph (1), including a detailed statement of 

10 findings, conclusions, recommendations, and 

11 suggested policy changes. 

12 (B) PUBLIC AVAILABILITY.—The report 

13 required by subparagraph (A) shall be made 

14 available to the public on an internet website of 

15 the United States Government that is available 

16 to the public. 

17 (j) POWERS OF COMMISSION.— 

18 (1) SUBPOENA AUTHORITY.—The Commission 

19 may subpoena an individual the testimony of whom 

20 may be relevant to the purpose of the Commission. 

21 (2) FURNISHING INFORMATION.—On request by 

22 the executive director of the Commission, the head 

23 of a Federal agency shall furnish information to the 

24 Commission. 


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1 (k) TERMINATION OF COMMISSION.—The Commis2 sion shall terminate 90 days after the date on which the 

3 Commission submits the report under subsection (i)(2). 

4 (l) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 

5 authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be nec6 essary to carry out this section. 

Æ 


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