my apologies. 30 more seconds.

the hear ing will come to order. sports have always played a huge role culturally and otherwise in the united states. just last week on thanksgiving millions of americans were probably paying more attention to their tv sets than to their turkeys. it's part of our cultural deal. i hope it's a good one.

athletes have become eicons in america. i remember my at that time 10-year-old son had this poster of ray nichke that took up half his room. that's the way it was then. he's now 45. that's the way it was then and now. whether we like it or not major league athletes are role models for youth. generations of children have grown up watching sporting events with their parents. it is a family affair. game day traditions have been handed down from generation to the next. it's an amazing american phenomenon. kids wear the jerseys of their favorite players. they have their posters and they collect their cards. most of which are not charged for, i guess. but it's an amazing figure.

it's one we want to talk about. it's not unique to sports. we get that. you should know this committee is not known by most but the committee has complete and absolute jurisdiction that is oversight over all sports at all levels. we have exercised it with college sports, the ncaa. we are doing it through the courtesy of your presence. of course it's a societal problem. it's a grievous one and it's come upon us really fast in terms of public awareness and the coverage of it. we all do. you, we.

when a celebrity is committed with domestic violence it uniquely reverberates through our society. in fascinating ways. because professional sports draw unique benefits bestowed upon them by the public such as public funds for stadiums and exceptions from anti-trust law it's proper for the committee to focus its attention on how professional sports leagues and their unions of handling problems within their ranks. at today's hearing i want to learn what the four hay juror professional sports leagues and their player associations are doing to address this problem. we really do want to find out.

i want to though if you are developing uniform policy that will effectively and appropriately punish players who commit what are criminal acts against women and children. i want to learn what the league can already do with their existing authorities, the nfl comes to mind on that. that must be the subject of new collective bargaining which may be more popular with some than others. the problem with domestic violence in sports is not a problem unique to the nfl. the nfl made most of the headlines in recent months both for shocking and high profile incident and for the league's controversial response. all of the professional sports leagues represented here today, however, have a problem with athletes or employees who committed violent criminal acts, all of them. i can give them to you if you try to deny it.

until very recently, the league's records have not been good. there's a long list of players in the nfl, the nba, the nhl, and major league baseball who have been charged with and, in some cases, convicted of domestic violence and the leagues have done little or nothing in response. in fact, the press reported that a culture of silence within the leagues often preventses victim s from reporting abuse to law enforcement. this has to change. there are reasons for that, financial, et cetera. the culture of silence is because in most cases the athlete is male. the wife doesn't want to give up the salary. and all of these things come into it. but it has to stop. that's what we're here for. to talk about it and to move

forward. my very excellent cochair here, senator thune. >> thank you for holding this hearing to discuss the serious issue of odom stick violence in professional sportsment let me say i'm that 10-year-old kid you're talking about growing up just asired to, admired, idolized professional athletes. i grew up in a small town in south dakota of 800 people. we didn't get a newspaper until the following day. you didn't get box scores, you got line scores to follow baseball players. we got one television channel. so we got the cbs affiliate in some places that's true. so i got to watch the green bay packers twice a year. that was the two times they played the minnesota vikings in the divisional. that was my team. because we only got one television station that's all we had. we didn't have a lot of the apparel they have. i'd take a white t-shirt, a blue

felt pen and put 32 on therement the l.a. dodgers for sandy cofax. i was a big bart starr fan and my brother was a staubach fan. all of us in this country have a tremendous admiration for people who succeed at that level. it is incredible influence and power that people who are successful in professional sports have on young people in this country and young people are watching. whether they like it or not, the people who have those positions are role models. certainly we hope good ones. that's why i think this domestic violence issue that's been brought to our attention here of late and entered into a national discussion is important. as a father of two daughters i found the graphic security camera footage of running back ray rice and his then fiancee to

be sickening like many others did across the country. the nfl's initial response was completely inadequatement a two-game suspension was a paltry sentence for violent behavior. at best the nfl faileded to understand the scope and severity of the incident. at worst the nfl sent a mixed message to millions of fans and the general public about how it handles acts of violence. of course as you mentioned, this isn't unique to professional football. we are going to hear today that every league experienced acts of violence by players over the years. i'm troubled by recent remarks that down play the extent of the problem within the sport. rather than minimizing the issue, i believe the correct approach is for the leagues to engage in mean ingful talks with the players' unions to ensure 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 the conversation. this is a conversation that needs to take place. sadly this issue isn't going away any time soon. while i'm ep encouraged to hear that in many of the leagues represented today, the conversation has begun. we should be working toward a consistent policy when it comes with such acts of violence. violence of any kind, particularly against women and children is unacceptable. it is my hope today's hearing will shed light on what sports leagues are doing to address the issues and if the current policieses of the national sports leagues are insufficient to address concerns in an equitable manner i'm hopeful today will put pressure on the leagues and players unions to make whatever changes are necessary to ensure such acts of violence are addressed swiftly and perpetrators are disciplined appropriately. we have used our jurisdiction in this area to examine a number of issues ranging from steroids in

sports to protecting children from concussion. often we turn our attention to issues involving professional sports, questions are raised about whether it's the best use of our time and resources. for instance in 2005 this committee held hearings to examine the policies of major league baseball concerning the use of oh steroids. i wasn't on the committee at that time. i'm aware of some of the headlines that the hearings generated including those that called the steroid hearings a waste of tile and money. as a result of the hearings something happened. major league baseball turned the corner from the steroid era and implemented sweeping reforms we are still witnessing. the committee's ability to shine a light on problems in the world of oh sports is often all it takes to have real and meaningful change. we have been able to do so without changes in federal law. i believe the hearing is important. questions surrounding how professional sports leagues address domestic violence are valid.

professional athletes and their teams are roled moles and opinion makers. what they do to combat this behavior can help set an example especially for youngsters who grow up watching them. while i thank the witnesses for being here today and sharing your testimony it is disappointing that the league commissioners aren't here to speak for their sports. it is important that with the notable exception of the nba player association the heads of the other associations aren't here today. these are issues that are not and should not be partisan. it may be appropriate for the committee to revisit this in the next congress to assess the progress of the leagues in dealing with domestic violence. mr. chairman, thank you. >> thank you very much, senator. now we are going to have something we don't usually do but we are going to today. the chair of the relevant subcommittee claire mchaskill will speak for two minutes, i do believe, to be followed by

senator heller. >> thank you for holding this important hearing. the bright light of public attention needs to be turned on at a very high wattage on a problem that exists in the shadows in a very dark and scary place. with great power and influence comes great responsibility. no one will debate that probably the leagues you represent here today have more power and influence in our country than maybe any other institutions i can think of. professional sports must do a better job setting an example to young people and victims of domestic violence who face very difficult decisions as they struggle withholding their abusers accountable. professional sports, with very few exceptions, have done little to hold those who commit this crime accountable. perpetrators know if they can

only get their victims to recant, refuse to cooperate, threaten their financial future, threaten the future of their family's financial status, or put them on en an airplane to venezuela, if they can accomplish those things then nothing will happen. there has been little or no effort to independently get the facts rather just use the predictable outcome that very few who are abused will have an adequate support system within the familieses of the professional sports teams where they exist to get the support to come forward and hold their abuser accountable. so, by and large, professional sports teams relied on the failure of the criminal justice system to get convictions as

their excuse as to why few players have been held accountable. i'm anxious to hear how you view your responsibility to independently gather the facts. and hold the professional athletes that commit these crimes accountable with sanctions within your leagues. thank you, mr. chairman. >> senator heller? . >> thank you. i appreciate the committee's attention to this important issue. i didn't realize nevada was so advanced. we had three television channels able to watch our warriors, our san francisco 49ers, and the giants play. i know there are some in this room that may question why congress is involved in this area. i would like to explain why. every minute in the united states 20 people will experience domestic violence. last night more than 20,000 phone callses for made to domestic violence hotlines. one in three women will

experience physical violence from a partner sometime in their lifetime. children exposed to domestic violence are more likely to commit dom oh stick violence later in life. as a husband, a father of two wonderful daughters this is unacceptable and something that must be changed. the numbers aren't just statistics statistics, they are people, wives, mothers, sisters and friends. the witnesses represent the most popular and commercially successful sports league s in the world. their star players are household names and role models for fans and aspiring athletes. we have witnessed truly shocking acts from these public figures. just as concerning is how the league handles these situations and how the unions protect the players. it is clear to many me that getting these players back on the field was more important than addressing incidents of sexual assault, domestic violence or even child abuse. the leagues and the unions

brushed the problems aside and left it to the courts. only when a video surfaced of the brutal punch an nfl player landed on his fiancee did the public demand the leagues change their approach. as i wrote in a letter this year to roger goodell by waiting until the video of a shocking act of domestic violence by a player p became public they condoned the actions of this player. i believe the same holds true for the players' association. in fact, i don't think you understand the full scope of the problem. when the ray rice decision was overturned the nfl player association said this is a decision -- this decision is a victory for disciplinary process that's fair and transparent. this union will always stand up and fight for the due process of our players. this is not about due process. this is not about collective bargaining agreements you do not like anymore or want to change. this is not about any type of

labor issues you may have with the league. this is about helping to stop a terrible problem in society. wives, mothers, sisters, daughters, and friends are bein beaten. when you are worried about getting back on the field instead of stopping abuse, your priorities are out of order. instead of addressing the problem, it means aggressors have not been dealt with and the survivors have been left behind. there is noplace in any society for these horrifying acts of domestic violence and sexual assault. our nation's leagues have a unique ability to make a difference. the american people need you to step up and this committee wants to know what you are going to do to take a stand. thank you. >> thank you, we go now to the witnesses. i appreciate your being here and

we will start with troy vincent who is the executive vice president at the football league. >> mr. chairman and members of the committee. i am the executive vice president of the national football league and pleased to discuss the work we have under way to address conduct standards including domestic violence and sexual assault. we want to set the highest standards for personal behavior in order to meet the expectations of our fans, players and those of the general broader public. in 2007, commissioner goodell issued a conduct policy for all player, owners and league employees. as recent events made clear, we have not kept our standards current with our own values. we made mistakes. we have been humbled. we accepted criticism we receive and committed to being part of the solution. we will get this right.

mr. chairman, when i consider these issues, i bring the perspective far beyond the nfl executive. domestic violence was a way of life when i grew up. my brother and i watched helplessly as my mother was beaten and knocked unconscious as we dialled 911. we saw how she struggled to seek help and find the courage to say no more. the fear and complexities remained very real in my life today. i have committed my life to work for the last 20 years as an advocate against domestic violence to keep others from experiencing this lifetime pain. i relate to the 20 million victims and survivors of domestic violence, substance abuse in every community across our great nation. in addition, i had the honor and the privilege of playing in a national football league for 15

years. 12 years of those i served as a union official. four i served as a player's association president. i support the interest of all players in a fair process. i led these efforts and the players are terrific husbands, fathers and men who made incredible contributions to the communities. they know that league standards issues that concern everyone. in 2007, the league and the player's union collaborated with a personal conduct policy. i was part of those efforts and today just as in the past, the league has invited the nfl pa with other experts to assist us in setting the highest possible standards. the nfl is taking steps to improve how we respond to incidents of domestic violence,

child abuse and sexual assault. first, through efforts personally led by the commissioner, the nfl is taken a thorough review and having consulted with over 100 leading experts across a broad range of subjects. the goal is to set clear rules for misconduct to establish a fair process for our players. we will create a conduct committee responsible for review and recommend changes to the personal conduct policy going forward. experts will continue to advise both the conduct and the commission we always have the right voices at the table for educational and disciplinary work. second, we are deploying a comprehensive mandatory education program for more than 5,000 men and women in the nfl family. our goal is to ensure that everyone understands and has the full scope of this behavior and is familiar with the warning signs associated with these

crimes. education also aids prepension. how individuals can appropriately and safely help those at risk is another key focus. we are training the response teams to help prevent and respond quickly to family violence and sexual assault including safety, medical, legal, and financial support. fourth, we are a supporting leading domestic violence and sexual assault awareness including the national domestic assault hotline. and the national resource center. fifth and finally, we are raising awareness at this critical issue. domestic violence and child abuse and sexual assault in collaboration with the no more campaign. the joyful heart foundation and the nfl airs public service

announcements during the game and finally we are promoting programs for those who play and coach and manage our game at all levels, including age appropriate character development healthy relationship education as well as domestic violence and child abuse and assault education. we learned from our mistakes and by listening to experts in the domestic violence child abuse and the sexual assault communities, the more we listened and learned to become more aware of these complexities. both of the problem and the solution. we are working hard to balance the issues of a fair process with the goal of preventing and punishing these behaviors. mr. chairman and the committee, we believe that wearing the uniform of the players is a privilege. it is not a right. every member of the nfl community must embrace this

unique leadership role that we play in our society and the trust we look forward to working with the committee to advance these goals. i know we all share. thank you for this opportunity and chairman, i thank you for your lifetime service in this area. >> thank you. that was excellent testimony and honest and a good beginning. thank you. >> good afternoon chairman and members. my name is terry patterson and i serve as the deputy managing director and special council of the nfl player's association whom i represent on the panel

today. we greatly appreciate the interest in domestic violence. we welcome the opportunity to meet with members to discuss the issues concerning our sport. we have seen in the past the leadership of elected officials brought thoughtful and meaningful change for example in the area of concussions. we worked with and supported as they continued to push to protect athletes that participate in football on all levels. we are here to address your concerns around professional sports. just to be clear, neither the players nor the nfl pa condone domestic violence in any form. we understand the significance of our position for society at large and for the families and individuals involved. any incidence is one too many.

this week you will see players with many constituents as part of the play 60 campaign. we believe a comprehensive system of education prevention, intervention and counseling will help us find solutions to lowering the instances that present themselves each and every year. related to the sport, we believe they combine fair and appropriate discipline to prevent domestic violence and assisting those involved. unfortunately we have seen repeated instances under the policy of the nfl and implemented by the commissioner has failed to get us closer to those solutions. we have seen on more than one occasion when matters were left to the nfl. it is mismanaged and will not stand outside the review in the bounty incidence. it was overturned, but also by a former nfl commissioner who was

tasked with reviewing the actions. with ray rice, it was overturned after further review by a former federal judge appointed as the neutral arbitrator. this system run by the ffl does not work for the members and as we heard as well as i'm sure you have, that continued to express with the current discipline. we have been tasked by the membership to find solutions and bargain with the nfl for a better process. accordingly, in early october, we established a blue ribbon commission to advise us on matters of prevention, intervention and processes of discipline. i included the names of the commission in the testimony and their bios. we are also fortunate and pleased to see that a member of

our commission is testifying at the hearing today. with the assistance of experts and community leaders, we started a dialogue with the membership to create membership and policy to kroet societal issues. we requested they join with us and participating in the commission's work. the nfl declined to do so to date, but that didn't stop us from moving ahead. we cannot move ahead in bargaining by ourselves. we attempted to engage the league in formal negotiations to improve the conduct and the processes by which it is to be administered. we provided the nfl with a fair proposal over a month ago and despite the receipt of a letter response only this past sunday, the nfl refuses to commit to collective bargaining. we believe a jointly bargained system is the only way to ensure that professional football's approach to domestic violence as the credibility and the effectiveness that we have come

to expect and respect such as the drug related policies. we remain committed to addressing the issues in a meaningful way because that's the only way we can ensure that change happens. we remain ready to assist the committee and improving the way domestic violence is with the sport and the country. thank you for your time and we look forward to answering any questions you may have for us. >> thank you very much, miss patterson. i have to note there was an enormous amount of pressure coming from many directions. not necessarily the folks at the witness table, but the folks that you work with for us not to have this hearing. we went ahead anyway. not everything is -- the openness is not as commonly held of a process as i would like. >> mr. joe torre from major league baseball, welcome.

>> thank you, mr. chairman. good afternoon. chairman rockefeller, senators and members of the committee. i'm joe torre, executive vice president of baseball operations for major league baseball. i want to thank you for the opportunity to discuss the efforts we are undertaking to address the issue of domestic violence and sexual assault. the subject matter of this hearing is personally important to me as a person whose childhood was touched by domestic violence. i have come to understand that discussing the issue publicly has the potential to help millions of victims who believe that they must suffer in silence. in 2002, my wife and i formed the safe at home foundation to create educational programs aimed at ending the cycle of domestic violence and i'm proud to say that we reached close to 50,000 youngsters in that time. through my work in the area including cochairing the

attorney general's task force on children exposed to violence, i have had the opportunity to work without standing individuals. they have devoted their lives to working towards solving the issue of domestic violence in this country. the commissioner has instilled in our sport the understanding that major league baseball is a social institution. as our national pastime has an obligation to set a positive example. we deplore domestic violence and crimes against women and families. we understand the clear public expectation for the professional sport leagues to be leaders in addressing the social ill. some of our clubs have taken a leading in the issue. the seattle mariners in a statewide initiative called refuse to abuse.

going forward, they develop a stand alone policy that addresses domestic violence and sexual assault prior to the upcoming season. although we are in the midst of developing the policy, i would like to explain what we have done thus far and hope to do in the next few months. since september of 2014, as part of the education process, representatives of major league baseball met with over a dozen national and local organizations focused on addressing domestic violence and violence against women and or providing services and support to victims. representatives from those groups consistently told us while they are obviously unsettled by the recent incidence of domestic violence and professional ports, they believe those incidents have signed a light on an issue often in the shadows.

they believe and we agree that sports leagues can make a difference. we have begun selectioning a steering committee that the training materials with the player, staff and families. they publicized contact information for hotlines and shelters. mlb intends to develop the programs that each designed for the families and intimate partners of players. we also are developing protocols that our clubs must follow in response to domestic violence or sexual assault incidence that will include appropriate measures to ensure the safety of affected individuals providing

confidential counselling and treatment for victims and providing counseling and intervention for perpetrators. major league baseball selected san francisco based group called futures without violence to help us develop and implement training and education for all of our players. futures has been partnering with the san francisco giants for more than a decade. they arranged for doctor linda chamberlain to speak with the medical staffs of our clubs at mlb's winter meetings this coming weekend. doctor chamberlain founded the alaska family violence prevention project and will be speaking to the club medical staffs on a trauma informed approach to addressing domestic violence. the top prospects will be educated in domestic violence and sexual assault in the rookie

career development program. beginning with the spring training this february, every major and minor league player will be educated on issues relating to domestic and men can stop race and a call to men and casa des pranza. the mlb clubs and the commissioner's office will also be educated. the commissioner understands that any policy is appropriate discipline for player who is engage. prohibitly the commissioner has the authority and mlb's collective bargaining agreement with the player's association that disciplines for just cause for conduct that is color ly an

they are not limited to the federal, state, or local law. under a just cause standard, the commissioner's office is at the evidentiary hearing without cooperating witnesses or tangible witnesses regarding the conduct. the ash traitors in the past have been less inclined to uphold severe discipline under a just cause standard for off field conduct. it does not impact the player's ability to perform. mlb proposed revisions to the disciplinary policy covering players that would make it easier for the commissioner to impose an appropriate level on

players who commit acts of violence or sexual assault and have that discipline be upheld in arbitration. mlb does not have the right to insist on any changes to player discipline until the bargaining agreement with the player's association expires. however we are hopeful that we will come to an agreement prior to the start of next season. as we told our owners, major league baseball is committed to developing a culture in which they understand the moral obligation with men and role models to speak out and act against crimes against women and families. we understand that they have diverse back grounds on many of

them have not previously considered is 2409 an easy undertaki undertaking. we devote the time and resources necessary. >> it was my mistake that i did not say and we have witnesses that speak for five minutes or less. we have votes at 4:00. that put pressure on all of us to get on with it. outside the major league, what is outside cancel? are you a part of them? >> i have been doing it for the past 25 years outside special council for most of the last 25 years. >> they cooperate make it?

>> on behalf of tony clark, he cooperate attend because he is chairing the board meeting and it will not surprise to you hear that one of the major topics at that meeting under discussion is domestic violence and the work the association has been doing this fall to address. >> proceed with your testimony and the time. >> i will attempt to be brief. >> you don't need to be. that time is mine. you have your full five minutes. >> this fall the player's association has been working with major league baseball to examine our current program addressing domestic violence which only covers players in light of recent events. we have been considering how it needs to be modified and folded for the entire baseball family based on accountability and consequences and fairness. in 2011, the major league baseball negotiate and implemented a policy that addresses violent conduct in two

ways. it provides for both therapeutic intervention and cases of inappropriate and unlawful conduct. we utilized medical professionals to design therapeutic treatments for players changed with domestic violence-related crimes. based on the understand iing we moved in favor of individualized evaluation. with respect to discipline, the program gives the commissioner of baseball or the employer club authority to discipline a player where an act of domestic violence has been alleged. the player may be disciplined for just cause for conduct to materially detrimental or prejudicial to the best it interest of baseball including what violates federal, state, or local law. it is important from the

association's point of view that discipline be imposed for just cause and that it be subject to review before a neutral ash traitor. in addition to the program just described, the association maintains their own psychiatrist on staff. that might lead to violence. this part of the association's program that the most domestic treatment. and they undergo by licensed professionals and may seek help from the crists. we recognize however that more can be done and this fall you have improvements to our programs that. includes 18 hansed understanding and eradication of domestic violence in our society.

second an improved education and therapeutic program for major league players and families. so the potential issues can be addressed in an appropriate manner before violence occurs and so that all are aware of resources that can provide assistance and prevent harm. the possible changes and they devoted extraordinary effort to consulting with a wide range of efforts in the domestic violence area. we learned that there is no one simple solution or easy answer, but we hope that by working, they can be a credible voice about how to end domestic violence.

executive vice president and player programs from the national basketball association. please proceed. >> numbers of the committee, i appreciate you inviting us to this hearing. i will try to be brief in the interest of time. a hearing like this is helpful and it will generate not only thought, but action. i am the executive vice president for the player programs and oversee all of the programs and partnerships as well as all of our educational efforts with our players. our commissioner regrets that he is not able to be here today, but he had a long standing commitment to lead a group of of nba owners.

like the committee and others have spoken, we have looked at all of the programs, policies and efforts in this area over the course of the last few months. we have determined through the month that there is more that we can and should be doing to prevent domestic violence from occurring. we work closely on all of the educational programs for players and determined that we need to do more. we will be doing new awareness and educational sessions with the players and family members and with team and league staff. we know that discipline is part of the process as well. they allow for the discretion and neutral arbitration for the players. the process we think is fair.

in the end, we want to stress to the committee and others that we take this issue seriously. we are committed to doing all we can to prevent it. we are committed to doing all we can to provide firm, but fair discipline when necessary. we will continue to learn and improve in all of these areas. happy to answer any questions that the committee has. thank you. >> thank you very much. michelle roberts, the executive director nba player's association. welcome. >> thank you. >> good afternoon. is my mike on? now it's on. >> au >> beautiful. >> my name is michelle roberts and i am the expectative director of the national basketball player's association. the labor union that represents all nba players and collective bargaining. i appreciate the entire to explore the topic in

professional sports. as a lawyer formerly in private practice, my most rewarding pro bono project involved the representations of victims of domestic violence seeking protection orders in local courtings in d.c. when i began working at the bpa as executive director in mid-september, i was encouraged to learn domestic violence is a topic that our players recognize needed to be addressed long before the events of recent months when the public's attention has turned so intently on the subject. recent events have given us an opportunity to reexamine and strengthen the already comprehensive scheme and the nba had in place and even more safeguards with the focus on prevention and counseling. we wanted to make sure that every player, wife, significant other and family member has a safe environment to seek help without fear of retaliation or additional harm.

in doing so, our recent efforts have brought together representatives of all members of the nba family in an unprecedented fashion. we want to lead by example and help create the awareness and attention that this prevalent and society-wide problem deserves. let me first step back to briefly describe some of the steps our players had already taken through collective bargaining and otherwise to address the issues. i do not exaggerate when i say that we begin to approach this topic with our players years before they enter the nba. each june at our top 100 camp, the mbpa brings the elite high school basketball players with their parents and helps compare them for competitive life with an emphasis on character, education, and skills development. close to 200 current nba players attended the top 100 camp. during this week long program at the university of virginia campus, the players work on

basketball skills, but the majority is focused away from the court where our staff focus specifically on respect issues with girls and women. at this young and impressionable age, we teach them part of embracing their manhood including treating every woman with kindness and respect. the boys and their parents spent a great deal of time with johnson, a very effective educator and founder of the carba center, a detroit-based healing and awareness center focussing on sexual assault. the education continues the moment a player enters the league with a program between labor and management that likewise focuses on personal skills and provides training on topics related to conduct including domestic violence.

the judge has been an effective voice delivering graphic and powerful presentations on the effects and consequences of sexual misconduct and abuse of women. to complete it, we not only raise awareness for the players before and upon entering the nba, but hold the team awareness meeting by the nba and nbpa twoeted to the topic of domestic violence. the cofounder of a call to men, a leading violence prevention organization are traveling around to meet with every nba team for a session devoted solely to domestic violence awareness. they supplement the work done by the nbpa, a group of seven retired players with the joint labor management player assistance and health education programs. they help players confront many of the anger management and other stress-related issues that

can be at the root of a domestic conflict. our collective bargaining agreement lays out policies designed to prevent, deter and if necessary punish acts of domestic violence under the contract. they are required to conduct themselves according to the high standards of honesty and sportsmansh sportsmanship. they may impose a fine that does not conform to standards of fair play that does not comply with federal, state, and local laws with the prejudicials in the nba. i am running out of time on this final note. i recently convened a group of

mothers, fathers, spouses and significant others for the all day session. those discussions were facilitated by domestic violence expert with the d.c. coalition against domestic violence. we identified as a principal need the establishment of a hotline and counseling service that will encourage not just players, but family members and other interested persons to seek out help without the fear of retaliation. many people are fearful that if they speak out about the possibility or the actual occurrence of an event, they will expose themselves to public ridicule, be alienated or jeopardize a player's livelihood and that put at risk their family's financial health. everyone must be comfortable to seek help. with that and the passage of 6:14, i will conclude and i'm happy to answer any questions. >> thank you very much. >> jessica perman who is vice president and council of the national hockey league.

welcome. >> thank you, chairman. ranking member and the members of the committee for inviting us to testify regarding domestic violence in professional sports. the nhl takes seriously the issues of domestic violence and we believe we have an obligation to raise awareness, provide education and penalize offenders with the hope and intention of deterring future misconduct. to that end and working with the nhlpa, the duley authorized bargaining representative, all nhl players, the league responsibly developed and enforced strict policies, practices, and procedures regulating the off ice personal conduct of players that extend to and encompass situations of domestic abuse. a core component underlying the rules is of comprehensive education program that existed for at least the last decade.

the issues included domestic violence. this training and education has been delivered in a number of forms and contexts and by multiple voices. they included the nhl security department and medical professionals charged with administering our substance abuse and behavioral health program, a jointly administered program with the nhlpa in 1996. in addition they organized a program and at this past year's program, at two different break out sessions, the issue of domestic violence was addressed

we believe by reinforcing them, they were better prepared to manage the difficult programs from a personal and professional standpoint. as a result they will be better equipped to avoid situations that will bring harm to themselves and their families. in addition our work in the area of education and raising awareness, they will remain in effect until at least september 15, 2020. the cva grants both the league and each of 30 clubs the authority to enforce the rules regulating players. this responsibility has and will continue to be exercised appropriately, fairly, and judicio judiciously. i will briefly go through a couple of the relevant provisions that proceed the league with that authority. in our collective agreement, the commissioner has broad authority

to act and impose develop when a player is guilty of conduct that is detrimental to the league or the game of hockey. this has been applied by the league office to a wide array off ice matters. we believe it provides them with adequate discretion and authority. it provides nhl teams the conduct that violates the rule that requires they conduct themselves with standards of honesty, morality and fair play and sportsmanship and to refrain from conduct ted rimtal to the best interest of the club and hockey generally. the national hockey league remains committed to the principal of addressing the personal conduct problems in a

meaningful way and by doing so, protecting and the maintaining integrity and good reputation of our players and sport. we do not hesitate to take action in necessary and appropriate circumstances as most recently evidenced by the suspension issue to a player in the nhl who is recently charged with a domestic violence offense. no trial has been disciplined, we felt the most appropriate action was to remove the player from the ice until we were able to satisfy ourselves with respect to what transpired. we a preetiate the opportunity to express our views and remain available to answer questions you may have. thank you. >> thank you. steve, special council of national hockey league and player's association. >> thank you, and if i might i would like to say i never lived in or rarely been in west virginia, but i have been an

admirer of the senator and i would like to thank you for all that you have done not just in the hearing, but throughout your career. i wish you the best. in regard to the directors, they happen to have the same last time in as i do wanted to be at the hearing for a long standing. the hearing was next week or yesterday or even this morning. they would have been able to attend. he would be happy to meet with you in the offices or a future hearing. there could be advantages and disadvantages going last. i'm not going to read from the prepared statement and appreciate that it's a little too long. not only what and this sight set on the