WASHINGTON– On February 3, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) joined Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) in introducing a bipartisan resolution in support of Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai. The resolution rebukes the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for its failure to clearly and forcefully challenge the Chinese Communist Party’s claims about her safety.  Senator Bob Menendez, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC), committed to have this resolution marked-up and favorably reported out of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee soon.

A companion, bipartisan resolution led by Congressman Michael Waltz and Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton unanimously passed the U.S. House of Representatives in December 2021.

“The case of Peng Shuai is directly related to broader international concerns around the freedom of speech and safety of athletes participating in the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing; the failure of the International Olympic Committee to clearly and forcefully challenge the claims of the Government of the People’s Republic of China concerning Peng’s safety raise questions about the ability and willingness of the International Olympic Committee to stand up for the human rights of athletes participating in the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic games in Beijing,” the senators said.

Sens. Johnson and Rick Scott were joined on the resolution by Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), and Jeanne Shaheen (N.H.).

Read the full text of the resolution here.

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