U.S. Rep. Ted W. Lieu (D-CA) joined Reps. Susan Brooks (R-IN), John Curtis (R-UT) and Diana DeGette (D-CO) on Aug. 3 in introducing the bipartisan Empowering Olympic, Paralympic and Amateur Athletes Act to help protect athletes from sexual abuse.

The bill, a companion to legislation approved by the U.S. Senate, will strengthen legal liability and accountability for the U.S. Olympic Committee and the governing bodies of specific sports. It will create clear procedures and reporting requirements for the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee to ensure athletes are protected and will ensure that allegations of sexual abuse are independently investigated.

“Our Olympic athletes are a source of national pride,” Lieu said. “As more and more brave athletes have come forward detailing abuse at the hands of coaches and other authority figures in recent years, it is clear systemic problems contributed to their abuse. We owe it to athletes to protect them from harm. We cannot hold individuals accountable without acknowledging the institutional failures that allowed this to occur.”

Lieu noted that leaders at the Olympic Committee and some sports’ governing bodies have previously created an environment in which abuse was tolerated and victims were ignored.

For information, visit lieu.house.gov.