'This Is Pretty Insane': USA Fencing Chief Confronted With Oppressed Groups Chart By William Timmons

Forbes Breaking News

At Wednesday's House DOGE Committee hearing, Rep. William Timmons (R-TN) questioned the head of USA Fencing about the inclusion of transgender athletes in women's sports.

Transcript

00:00I'll recognize Mr. Timmons from South Carolina.

00:03Thank you, Madam Chair.

00:05We are here today to shine a light not only on the integrity of women's sports,

00:09but on how government-backed institutions chartered by Congress

00:12may be misusing that authority to push controversial policies that violate basic human rights

00:18and disregard their congressionally authorized mission.

00:22When an organization abuses authority delegated by the government,

00:25it is within the purview of this subcommittee, plain and simple.

00:28I realize my colleagues across the aisle don't understand that.

00:30USA Fencing is a national governing body for the sport of fencing in the United States,

00:35officially recognized under the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act.

00:39That designation is not just ceremonial.

00:41It is a chartered monopoly backed by federal law

00:44and accompanied by special privileges and funding access.

00:47That status comes with an expectation that NGBs serve all athletes equitably,

00:53promote excellence, and adhere to national interests, not ideological crusades.

00:57Yet recent events raise serious questions about whether USA Fencing has abandoned its mandate,

01:02is wasting resources, undermining athletes, and jeopardizing the integrity of women's sports,

01:07all while flying under the flag of a federal endorsement.

01:11We've heard USA Fencing speak about inclusion, but what about transparency and fairness,

01:16especially toward female athletes like Stephanie?

01:18We are having this hearing for women's rights,

01:21and we know the difference between a man and a woman.

01:23That's why we are here.

01:24Stephanie Turner and Peyton McNabb's rights have been violated.

01:28What's worse is they have been violated by an entity operating under the color of federal law,

01:32an organization that bears the name of our great country as bestowed by Congress in 1978.

01:36And I can assure you that in 1978, the members that voted for this law would be horrified.

01:42They would be horrified that we have to have this hearing.

01:45Mr. Leifeld, you said earlier that the Ted Stevens Act prohibited you, prohibited you from discriminating

01:54against biological men that identify as women.

01:58What are you referencing?

02:01Congressman, I may have misspoke.

02:03I don't recall saying that.

02:05Could you remind me specifically what my words were in that scenario?

02:08You said that the statute, that you were statutorily prohibited from telling transgender men

02:15that they are not allowed to participate in women's competitions.

02:19Sir, I believe what I was referring to is a statute within the Ted Stevens Amateur Sports Act,

02:23which prevents any NGB from being more restrictive than their international federation.

02:29We have consulted with very competent legal counsel.

02:31Are you familiar with the executive order signed by President Trump right here?

02:35Yes, sir.

02:36Okay, so, Madam Chair, I'd like to submit this for the record.

02:39Without objection.

02:40So, a couple things.

02:41One, this executive order prohibits all entities that receive federal funds, which I know you

02:47do not, of allowing transgender men to compete in women's sports.

02:50So, that's basically your entire pipeline.

02:52Your main purpose is to figure out who we're going to send to the Olympics, or one of your main

02:58purposes.

02:58Is that fair?

02:59That's correct, sir.

03:00Okay, so, you have women that are participating in high school and in college, and they're

03:07never going to compete against transgender men, because that's federally prohibited.

03:10And, by the way, this executive order also says that the Secretary of State shall use all

03:14appropriate and available measures to see that the International Olympic Committee amends

03:18the standard governing.

03:19We're going to fix this.

03:21And you're lagging behind us fixing it, and what's going to happen is we're going to amend

03:28the Ted Stevens Act to literally, you're going to lose your federal charger, and I appreciate

03:33that you did adopt a contingent policy, but why do we have to do this?

03:38You're really creating a problem where no problem should actually exist, and if all this isn't

03:43enough, I'm going to just highlight something you had on your website.

03:46I mean, this is just pretty insane.

03:48What statutory or moral authority is granted to USA Fencing in its charter to determine who

03:53in our society is oppressed?

03:56Congressman, forgive me, I can't.

03:58This is on your website.

04:00But if I could go back to something you were saying before, sir, about changing the law and

04:05what you were talking about with the executive order.

04:07Sure.

04:08All right, thank you, sir.

04:08We will be prepared to pivot as soon as the Ted Stevens Amateur Sports Act changes, the

04:14FIE, the IOC.

04:16I mean, I have a feeling that we're going to write the statute in a way that if this is

04:19a problem when the statute becomes law, we're probably going to have some additional clauses

04:23in there that removes rights and abilities.

04:26But look, you do you.

04:27And we will follow the law, sir.

04:29The law is going to be punitive, I can assure you of that.

04:32We're not going to let this stand, and it's going to get fixed.

04:35Anyways, I want to go back to this.

04:37So you say on your website that Vietnam veterans are an oppressed group versus veterans.

04:50Why does a veteran of a war in Afghanistan or Iraq have – how is a Vietnam veteran oppressed?

05:00Sir, I've actually never seen this, but I want to be clear.

05:04We have an appreciation for all of our veterans.

05:06We have many – one individual who served our country admirably, was disabled by an IED

05:11in Iraq, and we very, very much appreciate all of our veterans, sir.

05:16Without – thank you.

05:17Madam Chairwoman, I'd like to ask for unanimous consent to enter something into the record.

05:22Without objection.

Category

Transcript

Recommended