Empowering Olympic, Paralympic, and Amateur Athletes Act of 2020
Latest action · Oct 30, 2020 Became Public Law No: 116-189.
Progress
Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.
- IntroducedJul 30, 2019
- Passed SenateAug 4, 2020
- Passed HouseOct 1, 2020
- To the PresidentOct 20, 2020
- Became lawOct 30, 2020Public Law 116-189
Summary
Empowering Olympic, Paralympic, and Amateur Athletes Act of 2020
This bill establishes safeguards to protect amateur athletes from abuse, including sexual abuse, by coaches and employees in U.S. Olympic and Paralympic sports.
The bill establishes (1) legislative mechanisms by which Congress can dissolve the Board of Directors of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) and decertify national governing bodies; and (2) a duty of care that USOPC owes to amateur athletes, including protecting athletes by requiring it to ensure that any allegation of child abuse of an amateur athlete who is a minor is immediately reported to law enforcement.
The bill provides for an annual amateur athlete survey conducted anonymously and an Athletes' Advisory Council.
The bill revises duties of the Office of the Ombuds regarding the pursuit of abuse claims by the U.S. Center for SafeSport, confidentiality, and retaliation against an employee or member for disclosing information or seeking assistance in mediation. The USOPC and the national governing bodies shall not interfere in or attempt to influence the outcome of an investigation.
The center shall report to Congress within 72 hours of an attempt to interfere in, or influence the outcome of, an investigation.
The bill establishes within the legislative branch the Commission on the State of U.S. Olympics and Paralympics to study matters relating to the state of U.S. participation in the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The bill prohibits retaliation against protected individuals (including amateur athletes, coaches, and trainers) because of disclosures pertaining to sexual abuse or harassment.
Cosponsors 16
Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Jul 30, 2019 to Aug 4, 2020; 1 is an original cosponsor, there from the day it was introduced.
| Seat | Cosponsor | Signed on | |
|---|---|---|---|
| D-CT | Richard Blumenthal | Original | Jul 30, 2019 |
| D-NV | Catherine Cortez Masto | Aug 1, 2019 | |
| D-NH | Jeanne Shaheen | Aug 1, 2019 | |
| R-IA | Joni Ernst | Aug 1, 2019 | |
| R-WV | Shelley Moore Capito | Aug 1, 2019 | |
| R-LA | John Kennedy | Sep 10, 2019 | |
| D-CA | Kamala D. Harris | Sep 10, 2019 | |
| I-AZ | Kyrsten Sinema | Sep 26, 2019 | |
| R-AZ | Martha McSally | Sep 26, 2019 | |
| D-NV | Jacky Rosen | Oct 17, 2019 | |
| R-ME | Susan M. Collins | Oct 17, 2019 | |
| R-CO | Cory Gardner | Nov 12, 2019 | |
| D-MI | Gary C. Peters | Nov 12, 2019 | |
| R-AK | Lisa Murkowski | Nov 12, 2019 | |
| D-MA | Elizabeth Warren | Dec 19, 2019 |
Committees 1
Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.
| Chamber | Committee | What it did |
|---|---|---|
| Senate | Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee | Referred Jul 30, 2019Markup Nov 13, 2019Reported Jul 29, 2020 |
Actions 19
Everything that happened, newest first.
- Oct 30, 2020Signed by President.
- Oct 30, 2020Became Public Law No: 116-189.
- Oct 20, 2020Presented to President.
- Oct 1, 2020Ms. Bass moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
- Oct 1, 2020Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H5151-5160)
- Oct 1, 2020DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 2330.
- Oct 1, 2020Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H5151-5159)
- Oct 1, 2020Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Aug 7, 2020Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- Aug 7, 2020Received in the House.
- Aug 7, 2020Held at the desk.
- Aug 4, 2020Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S4688-4696)
- Aug 4, 2020The committee substitute withdrawn by Unanimous Consent. (CR S4696)
- Aug 4, 2020Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- Jul 29, 2020Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Wicker with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 116-245.
- Jul 29, 2020Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 503.
- Nov 13, 2019Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
- Jul 30, 2019Introduced in Senate
- Jul 30, 2019Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
In the Congressional Record 6
Days the Record’s own index lists this bill, newest first, with the pages and the members it names. Pages starting H are the House, S the Senate, E Extensions of Remarks.
| Where | In the Record | Members | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extensions | Debate and remarks E933 | Ted Lieu D-CA | Oct 6, 2020 |
| House | Debate and remarks H5120, H5151–H5160Text printed H5151–H5159, H5160 | Diana DeGette D-CO, Guy Reschenthaler R-PA, Karen Bass D-CA, Susan W. Brooks R-IN | Oct 1, 2020 |
| Senate | Debate and remarks S5825Text printed S5837 | Richard Blumenthal D-CT | Sep 23, 2020 |
| Senate | Amendments S5291 | Jerry Moran R-KS (amendment), Richard Blumenthal D-CT (amendment) | Aug 6, 2020 |
| Senate | Debate and remarks S4688–S4699Text printed S4688–S4696Amendments S4768 | Jerry Moran R-KS (amendment), Richard Blumenthal D-CT (amendment), Susan M. Collins R-ME | Aug 4, 2020 |
Research
What has been written about this bill: committee reports, cost estimates, the sponsor’s authority statement, printed hearings and the Congressional Research Service’s work.
Committee report
Congressional Budget Office cost estimate
- Feb 24, 2020S. 2330, Empowering Olympic and Amateur Athletes Act of 2019As ordered reported by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on November 13, 2019
CRS reports 12
Congressional Research Service work that CRS links to this bill or the law it became, newest first.
Cite it 12
Products on other subjects that cite it, usually among other measures.
| Product | Title | Kind | Published |
|---|---|---|---|
| R48931 | Sports Reform in the United States: College Athletics and the Olympic Sports Pipeline | Report | Nov 13, 2026 |
| RL33313 | Congressional Membership and Appointment Authority to Advisory Commissions, Boards, and Groups | Report | Jan 27, 2026 |
| R40076 | Congressional Commissions: Overview and Considerations for Congress | Report | Jan 21, 2026 |
| R48785 | Funding a Congressional Advisory Commission: Options for Congress | Report | Jan 8, 2026 |
| IF12467 | U.S. Center for SafeSport: A Primer | Resource | Jul 9, 2024 |
Amendments 1
Amendments offered to this bill.
| Amendment | Description | Offered by | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| SA 2512 | In the nature of a substitute. | Jerry Moran R-KS | Amendment SA 2512 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent. |
Related bills 5
Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.
| Bill | Title | Relationship | Latest action |
|---|---|---|---|
| SCONRES 46 | A concurrent resolution to correct the enrollment of S. 2330. | Related bill | Oct 1, 2020 |
| HCONRES 118 | Directing the Secretary of the Senate to make a correction in the enrollment of the bill S. 2330. | Related bill | Sep 18, 2020 |
| S 132 | Strengthening U.S. Olympics Act | Related bill | Jan 15, 2019 |
| HR 3303 | Strengthening U.S. Olympics Act | Related bill | Jun 18, 2019 |
| HR 7881 | Empowering Olympic, Paralympic, and Amateur Athletes Act of 2020 | Identical bill | Jul 30, 2020 |
Titles 7
Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.
- Official Title as Introduced
- A bill to amend the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act to provide for congressional oversight of the board of directors of the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee and to protect amateur athletes from emotional, physical, and sexual abuse, and for other purposes.
- Short Titles as Passed House
- Empowering Olympic, Paralympic, and Amateur Athletes Act of 2020
- Short Titles as Enacted
- Empowering Olympic, Paralympic, and Amateur Athletes Act of 2020
- Short Title(s) as Introduced
- Empowering Olympic and Amateur Athletes Act of 2019
- Short Title(s) as Reported to Senate
- Empowering Olympic and Amateur Athletes Act of 2019
- Short Title(s) as Passed Senate
- Empowering Olympic, Paralympic, and Amateur Athletes Act of 2020
- Short Titles from ENR (Enrolled) bill text
- Empowering Olympic, Paralympic, and Amateur Athletes Act of 2020
Subjects
Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Sports and Recreation.
- Accounting and auditing
- Advisory bodies
- Alternative dispute resolution, mediation, arbitration
- Assault and harassment offenses
- Athletes
- Bankruptcy
- Congressional operations and organization
- Congressional oversight
- Corporate finance and management
- Crime victims
- Crimes against children
- Disability and paralysis
- Domestic violence and child abuse
- Employment discrimination and employee rights
- Government information and archives
- Legislative rules and procedure
- Olympic games
- Sex offenses
- Sports and Recreation
- Tax-exempt organizations
Text 4
Each version as it was printed, newest first.
- —Enrolled Bill
- Aug 4, 2020Engrossed in Senate
- Jul 29, 2020Reported to Senate
- Jul 30, 2019Introduced in Senate
Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov; cost estimates are the Congressional Budget Office's, and the hearings are the printed hearings GovInfo publishes, which can appear months after the hearing.
