WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota), ranking member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee today issued the following remarks as prepared at a Commerce hearing entitled “Addressing Domestic Violence in Professional Sports”:

“Thank you, Chairman Rockefeller, for holding this hearing to discuss the serious issue of domestic violence in professional sports. 

“Recent events have brought domestic violence issues involving professional athletes to the forefront of our national discussion. As a father of two daughters, I found the graphic security camera footage of Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice and his then-fiancée, to be sickening.

“The NFL’s initial response to this matter was completely inadequate. A two-game suspension is a paltry sentence for such violent behavior. At best, the NFL failed to understand the scope and severity of the incident. At worst, by waiting to suspend Mr. Rice only after the elevator video was made public, the NFL has sent a mixed message to millions of fans and the general public about how it handles such acts of violence.

“Of course, these issues are not unique to professional football. As we will hear today, every league has experienced similar acts of violence by their respective players over the years. I am troubled by the recent remarks of the Commissioner of Baseball that seemed to downplay the extent of the problem within his sport. Rather than minimizing the issue, I believe the correct approach is for the leagues to engage in meaningful talks with their players unions and other stakeholders to ensure player conduct policies are sufficient when such acts of violence are carried out. That may mean renegotiating certain contract provisions and strengthening penalties where appropriate. Questions of due process, such as determining if, when, and how a player should be disciplined, are also an important part of this conversation.

“But this is a conversation that needs to take place, because sadly this issue isn’t going away anytime soon.  While I am encouraged to hear that, in many of the leagues represented here today, the conversation has begun, we should be working toward a consistent policy when it comes to such acts of violence.

“This problem is also not limited to professional sports. Statistics indicate that this brand of violence extends well beyond what is covered by the tabloids and sports media. According to the Department of Justice, there are approximately 960,000 reported cases of domestic violence each year. Eighty-five percent of the victims are females, and twenty-five percent of women experience domestic violence during their lifetime.

“Violence of any kind, but particularly against women and children, is simply unacceptable. 

“It is my hope that today’s hearing will shed some light on what professional sports leagues are doing to address these issues. And if, as many believe, the current policies of the national sports leagues are insufficient to address these concerns in an adequate and equitable manner, I am hopeful that today’s hearing will put pressure on the leagues and players unions to make whatever changes are necessary to ensure that such acts of violence are addressed swiftly and perpetrators are disciplined appropriately.

“Mr. Chairman, in the past, we have used our jurisdiction in this area to examine a number of issues ranging from steroids in sports, to protecting children from concussions. Often, when we turn our attention to issues involving professional sports, some question whether it is the best use of our time and resources. For instance, in 2005, this Committee held a series of hearings to examine the policies of Major League Baseball concerning the use of steroids. While I was not on the Committee at the time, I am aware of some of the headlines that these hearings generated, including those that called the steroid hearings a waste of time and money.

“But Mr. Chairman, as a result of those hearings, something remarkable happened. Major League Baseball turned the corner from its sordid, so-called “Steroid Era” and implemented a series of sweeping reforms which we are still witnessing. 

“Our Committee’s ability to shine a bright light on problems in the world of sports is often all it takes to induce real and meaningful change. We have been able to do so without changes to federal law. 

“So I believe this hearing is important.  Questions surrounding how professional sports leagues address domestic violence are valid ones and rightly warrant scrutiny by this Committee. Professional athletes and the teams they play for are, for better or worse, role models and opinion makers. What they do to combat this unacceptable behavior can help set an example, especially for the youngsters who grow up watching them.

“And, while I thank the witnesses for being here today, it is disappointing that the league commissioners are not here to speak for their sports. It is also unfortunate that, with the notable exception of the NBA players association, the heads of the other players associations are not here today. 

“These are issues that are not – and should not be – partisan. And it may very well be appropriate for the Committee to revisit this topic in the next Congress to assess the progress of the leagues and the players associations in dealing with domestic violence.”

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