Michael Phelps, Paris Hilton, and Randy Travis: The star-studded week in Congress – Washington Examiner
The U.S. House of Representatives is gearing up for a busy week as lawmakers return from recess, with sessions scheduled to address critical spending bills and featuring high-profile hearings. Notably, the House will host a variety of famous faces including Olympic athletes and musicians.
Michael Phelps, along with former Olympic swimmer Allison Schmitt and the CEO of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, Travis Tygart, will testify before the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Their focus will be on anti-doping measures leading up to the 2024 Olympic Games. This hearing is in reaction to prior incidents where Chinese swimmers tested positive for banned substances but were still allowed to compete.
Paris Hilton is also set to appear, testifying before the House Ways and Means Committee on issues related to child welfare and institutional abuse prevention. Hilton has been an active advocate for the Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act, which aims to enhance data collection and reporting standards to help prevent abuse in foster care and residential treatment settings.
These hearings signify a robust effort to address significant issues within sports and child welfare at a high level, with substantial public attention due to the involvement of these prominent individuals.
The House is set to welcome a number of high-profile celebrities when lawmakers return Tuesday, ranging from Olympic athletes to award-winning musicians.
Lawmakers return to Washington, D.C., after a weeklong recess Tuesday to resume legislative duties and advance a slate of must-pass spending bills. Meanwhile, the House will also hold hearings throughout the week featuring prominent athletes such as Michael Phelps to explore antidoping measures in Congress as well as socialite Paris Hilton to discuss institutional child abuse.
Here’s a breakdown of the celebrities who will be spotted on Capitol Hill this week:
Olympians testify against doping practices ahead of 2024 Games
Phelps and former Olympic swimmer Allison Schmitt are set to testify before the House Energy and Commerce Committee on Tuesday evening to discuss antidoping measures ahead of the 2024 Olympic Games later this summer.
The two athletes will be joined by Travis Tygart, the chief executive officer of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency.
The hearing comes in response to reports earlier this year that 23 swimmers from China tested positive for a banned substance ahead of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics but were secretly cleared to compete after the World Anti-Doping Agency chose not to intervene. Many of those swimmers went on to win medals in the games, including three gold medals, and some of the athletes are expected to compete again in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Witold Banka, president of WADA, was invited to testify but did not accept the invitation as of Monday.
“The World Anti-Doping Agency, the governing body responsible for enforcing fair standards, has a questionable track record of fulfilling that mission,” Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), committee chairwoman, and Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-VA), Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee chairman, said in a statement.
“This hearing will give Members a chance to examine that track record, identify opportunities for improvement, and ensure that the best athletes are the ones taking home gold medals,” they continued in the statement.
The hearing will begin at 7 p.m. EDT and will be livestreamed online.
Hilton returns to Capitol Hill
Hilton, a media personality, is set to return to Capitol Hill to testify before the House Ways and Means Committee regarding child welfare and combatting institutional abuse.
Hilton has previously traveled to Washington, D.C., for similar work, visiting lawmakers to advocate the Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act. That measure seeks to create methods for federal data collection and implement reporting standards that can provide states with guidelines on how best to prevent abuse in foster homes or residential treatment facilities.
Hilton will be joined by three other witnesses: Rob Green, a fellow with the Bipartisan Policy Center and chairman of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption Board of Trustees; Alexis Mansfield, a senior adviser for children and families safety at the Women’s Justice Institute; and public speaker Tori Hope Petersen.
The hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. EDT on Wednesday and will be livestreamed online.
Award-winning musician pushes for legislation to protect artists
Later in the day Wednesday, award-winning musician Randy Travis will appear before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet.
Travis will testify in defense of artists who have not received royalty payments when nonsubscription radio stations play public performances of their creative works as well as in favor of legislation to modernize copyright laws.
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Lawmakers will explore different legislative proposals to address the matters, such as the American Music Fairness Act of 2023, which would require licenses to broadcast songs on the radio as well as the Supporting the Local Radio Freedom Act, which would block Congress from implementing fees or other charges “related to the public performance of sound recordings.”
Travis will be joined by three other witnesses: Curtis LeGeyt, president and CEO of the National Association of Broadcasters; Michale Huppe, president and CEO of SoundExchange; and Eddie Harrell Jr., the regional vice president and general manager of Radio One.
The hearing is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. EDT and will be livestreamed online.
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