WASHINGTON _ Sen. Dianne Feinstein displayed some anger Tuesday and warned the U.S. Olympic Committee, "You're going to hear from us," about allegations of abuse of its gymnastics team members.
Feinstein introduced a bill that would require amateur athletics governing bodies to immediately report sexual abuse allegations to law enforcement and make failing to do so would be a crime.
The bill was first co-sponsored by Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins and several other members from both parties have signed on.
Former U.S. national team members Dominique Moceanu, a 1996 Olympic gold medalist, 2000 Olympic bronze medalist Jamie Dantzscher, and former national team members Mattie Larson, Jeanette Antolin and Jessica Howard were invited to testify. Moceanu is an advocate for the bill and the other four are abuse victims.
The U.S. Olympic Committee sent a representative, Rick Adams, to testify.
Dealing with abuse of young female athletes "is a whole new field for me," Feinstein said at a news conference after the hearing. "It really started with my meeting two months ago with these women."
Feinstein invited them to Capitol Hill two months ago to share their stories after an Indianapolis Star piece revealed the cycle of abuse from coaches on their young female gymnasts.
"I've never done a press conference after a hearing," Feinstein said. She added that she did it to signal that "It's a new day."
Feinstein said when she first met with the former female athletes, one had her husband beside her and her baby on her lap and was sobbing while sharing her story.
Before calling on Moceanu to speak, Feinstein said she would call on the women one by one to speak. But as Moceanu was testifying, one of the other former gymnasts began to cry.
"I'm going to save you all," Feinstein said, telling the women only those who wanted to speak should come up.
Antolin spoke of the breach of trust that parents had put in the gymnastics organization and former team doctor Larry Nassar, who faces sexual assault charges.
"My parents trusted the people who were in charge, which was USA Gymnastics," Antolin said.
Many of the senators at the news conference spoke as parents.
"Every parent in America, on a regular basis, lends their children to other adults," Indiana Republican Todd Young said.
Connecticut Democrat Richard Blumenthal continued with the same sentiment.
"What happened here is a parent's worst nightmare," he said.
Indiana Democrat Joe Donnelly said the group of senators has been working on the bill since August after his hometown paper uncovered the story.
Collins said what the newspaper uncovered is "inconceivable."
Minnesota Democrat Amy Klobuchar read a letter from an anonymous parent detailing the abuse her daughter endured from a coach.
And Iowa Republican Joni Ernst, a veteran, said she will not tolerate sexual assault in gyms, on college campuses, or in the military.
Feinstein, looking at Olympic Committee representative Adams, said, "There is a lot of trust in the Olympic committee to really respond. You're going to hear from us."
