United States Olympic Committee Reform Act

Bill: 108-s-1404
Sponsor: Sen. McCain, John [R-AZ]
Introduced: 2003-07-15 in the Senate
Policy area: Sports and Recreation
Subjects: Auditing
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Commerce
Conflict of interests
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Corporate accountability
Corporate management
Discrimination
Due process of law
Employee rights
Ethics
Executives
Finance and Financial Sector
Financial statements
Gifts
Honoraria
Labor and Employment
Law
Louisiana
Management
Misconduct in office
Names
Nonprofit organizations
Olympic games
Relocation
Social Welfare
Transportation and Public Works
Travel costs
Urban affairs
Urban areas
Whistle blowing

Summary:
action_date: 2003-07-15
text: 
United States Olympic Committee Reform Act - Amends the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act to designate the board of directors of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) as its governing body, to be responsible for establishing its policies and priorities and to have full authority to manage its affairs. Requires the board to: (1) consist of nine elected members (five independent directors, two directors elected from Athletes' Advisory Council nominees, and two directors elected from the National Governing Bodies' Council nominees) and, as ex officio members, the speaker of the assembly (established by this Act) and the U.S. members of the International Olympic Committee; and (2) establish audit, compensation, ethics, and nominating and governance committees. 
 
Establishes an assembly to be a forum for all USOC stakeholders. Grants the assembly the right to vote on, and to have ultimate authority to decide, matters relating to the Olympic Games. Requires the assembly to convene annually.
 
Prohibits the chief executive officer of the USOC from being a member of the board. Requires such officer to: (1) be selected by, and to report to, the board; (2) manage all staff functions and day-to-day affairs and business operations of the USOC; and (3) implement the USOC's mission and policies.
 
Instructs the USOC to establish specified whistleblower procedures and protections. 
 
Requires biennial (currently, quadrennial) reports to the President and Congress.

action_date: 2003-07-28
text: 
United States Olympic Committee Reform Act - Amends the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act to designate the board of directors of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) as its governing body, to be responsible for establishing its policies and priorities, and to have full authority to manage its affairs. Requires the board to: (1) consist of nine elected members (five independent directors, two directors elected from Athletes' Advisory Council nominees, and two directors elected from the National Governing Bodies' Council nominees) and, as ex officio members, the speaker of the assembly (established by this Act) and the U.S. members of the International Olympic Committee; and (2) establish audit, compensation, ethics, and nominating and governance committees. 
 
Establishes an assembly to be a forum for all USOC stakeholders. Grants the assembly the right to vote on, and to have ultimate authority to decide, matters relating to the Olympic Games. Requires the assembly to convene annually.
 
Prohibits the chief executive officer of the USOC from being a member of the board. Requires such officer to: (1) be selected by, and to report to, the board; (2) manage all staff functions and day-to-day affairs and business operations of the USOC; and (3) implement the USOC's mission and policies.
 
Instructs the USOC to establish whistleblower procedures for the treatment of complaints received by the USOC, as well as procedures to protect employees from retaliation for submitting complaints.
 
Requires the ethics committee created by this Act to establish an ethics policy for the USOC modeled upon the best practices used in corporate and government offices, and a procedure for the prompt review and investigation of ethics violations. Specifies that such policy include: (1) a conflict of interest policy; (2) an anti-discrimination policy; (3) a workplace harassment policy; (4) a gift, travel reimbursement, honorarium, and outside income policy; (5) a financial propriety policy; (6) a bid-city policy that publishes in advance an objective criteria for choosing a U.S. city to submit a bid to the International Olympic Committee; (7) potential sanctions and penalties for violations of the ethics policy; (8) a procedure for reporting and investigating potential ethics violations; and (9) procedures to assure due process for any individual accused of an ethics violation. 
 
Requires biennial (currently, quadrennial) detailed reports to the President and Congress of USOC operations, including annual financial statements audited by a certified public accountant and certified as accurate by the chief executive officer and chief financial officer of the USOC. Requires the USOC to make such reports available to the public free of charge on its website.
 
Authorizes the National Senior Games Association of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to use the words &quot;Senior Olympics.&quot;

action_date: 2003-09-23
text: 
United States Olympic Committee Reform Act - Amends the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act to designate the board of directors of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) as its governing body, to be responsible for establishing its policies and priorities and to have full authority to manage its affairs. Requires the board to: (1) consist of nine elected members (five independent directors, two directors elected from Athletes' Advisory Council nominees, and two directors elected from the National Governing Bodies' Council nominees) and, as ex officio members, the speaker of the assembly (established by this Act) and the U.S. members of the International Olympic Committee; and (2) establish audit, compensation, ethics, and nominating and governance committees. 
 
Establishes an assembly to be a forum for all USOC stakeholders. Grants the assembly the right to vote on, and to have ultimate authority to decide, matters relating to the Olympic Games. Requires the assembly to convene annually.
 
Prohibits the chief executive officer of the USOC from being a member of the board. Requires such officer to: (1) be selected by, and to report to, the board; (2) manage all staff functions and day-to-day affairs and business operations of the USOC; and (3) implement the USOC's mission and policies.
 
Instructs the USOC to establish whistleblower procedures for the treatment of complaints received by the USOC, as well as procedures to protect employees from retaliation for submitting complaints.
 
Requires the ethics committee created by this Act to establish an ethics policy for the USOC modeled upon the best practices used in corporate and government offices, and a procedure for the prompt review and investigation of ethics violations. Requires the policy to include: (1) a conflict of interest policy; (2) an anti-discrimination policy; (3) a workplace harassment policy; (4) a gift, travel reimbursement, honorarium, and outside income policy; (5) a financial propriety policy; (6) a bid-city policy that publishes in advance an objective criteria for choosing a U.S. city to submit a bid to the International Olympic Committee; (7) potential sanctions and penalties for violations of the ethics policy; (8) a procedure for reporting and investigating potential ethics violations; and (9) procedures to assure due process for any individual accused of an ethics violation. 
 
Requires biennial (currently, quadrennial) detailed reports to the President and Congress of USOC operations, including annual financial statements audited by a certified public accountant and certified as accurate by the chief executive officer and chief financial officer of the USOC. Requires the USOC to make such reports available to the public free of charge on its website.
 
Prohibits the USOC from relocating its principal office and national headquarters unless: (1) the board of directors determines that relocation is in the best interests of the USOC; (2) the board, by rollcall vote, agrees unanimously to refer the proposed relocation to the assembly for its concurrence; and (3) the assembly, by a vote of not less than three-fifths of its members, concurs in the determination of the board. 
 
Authorizes the National Senior Games Association of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to use the words &quot;Senior Olympics.&quot;


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-12-10
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security, and Claims.
action_date: 2003-09-24
text: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2003-09-24
text: Received in the House.
action_date: 2003-09-24
text: Message on Senate action sent to the House.
action_date: 2003-09-23
text: Passed Senate with amendments by Unanimous Consent. (text: CR S11870)
action_date: 2003-09-23
text: Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with amendments by Unanimous Consent.(text: CR S11870)
action_date: 2003-09-23
text: Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S11867-11873)
action_date: 2003-07-28
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 237.
action_date: 2003-07-28
text: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator McCain with amendments. With written report No. 108-114.
action_date: 2003-07-28
text: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator McCain with amendments. With written report No. 108-114.
action_date: 2003-07-17
text: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with amendments favorably.
action_date: 2003-07-15
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (text of measure as introduced: CR S9417-9418)
action_date: 2003-07-15
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S9416-9417)
action_date: 2003-07-15
text: Introduced in Senate