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A group of 16 female U.S. senators wrote a letter to National Football League commissioner Roger Goodell on Thursday, urging the NFL to implement a "real zero-tolerance policy for domestic abuse" in the wake of the release of a shocking video showing former Ravens running back Ray Rice knocking out his soon-to-be wife.
"We were shocked and disgusted by the images we saw this week of one of your players violently assaulting his now-wife and knocking her unconscious, and at new reports that the NFL may have received this video months ago. Tragically, this is not the only case of an NFL player allegedly assaulting a woman even within the last year," the group of bipartisan senators wrote.
The NFL has received intense criticism following the release of the new video evidence. It led the Ravens to cut Rice and the league to suspend him indefinitely. But before TMZ released the video and the NFL took action, Rice was set to be reinstated this week by the league. He could have played in the Ravens' Week 3 contest.
The senators said unequivocally that violent domestic assault should lead to a lifetime ban from the NFL.
"We are deeply concerned that the NFL's new policy, announced last month, would allow a player to commit a violent act against a woman and return after a short suspension," they wrote. "If you violently assault a woman, you shouldn't get a second chance to play football in the NFL."
Goodell came under more direct fire late Wednesday afternoon, when The Associated Press reported that, in April, the league had been sent the full tape of Rice punching his then-fiancee in an elevator. Goodell has claimed the video is new evidence and "no one in the NFL" had seen it before this week.
The senators who signed the letter were: Barbara Boxer (D-California), Debbie Stabenow (D-Michigan), Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota), Patty Murray (D-Washington), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Barbara Mikulski (D-Maryland), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.), Dianne Feinstein (D-California), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin), Kay Hagan (D-N.C.) and Maria Cantwell (D-Washington).
Here's the full text of the senators' letter:
Dear Commissioner Goodell:
As we mark the 20th anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act, we call on the NFL to institute a real zero-tolerance policy for domestic violence that will ensure that this type of violence and abuse has no place in the NFL.
We were shocked and disgusted by the images we saw this week of one of your players violently assaulting his now-wife and knocking her unconscious, and at new reports that the NFL may have received this video months ago. Tragically, this is not the only case of an NFL player allegedly assaulting a woman even within the last year.
We are deeply concerned that the NFL's new policy, announced last month, would allow a player to commit a violent act against a woman and return after a short suspension. If you violently assault a woman, you shouldn't get a second chance to play football in the NFL.
The NFL's current policy sends a terrible message to players, fans and all Americans that even after committing a horrific act of violence, you can quickly be back on the field.
It is long past time for the NFL to institute a real zero-tolerance policy and send a strong message that the league will not tolerate violence against women by its players, who are role models for children across America. We hope the NFL will seize this opportunity to lead by example and demonstrate its commitment to the safety of women and families.