Vermont Legislature SmartTranscripts:

[Michael Marcotte (Chair)]: Good morning, everyone. This is the Vermont House Committee on Commerce and Economic Development. Again, it's Tuesday, 02/10/2026 at 09:25 in the morning. So now we're joined by our legislative counsel, Michael Chernick, who will walk us through the language of JRS 37. Good morning, Michael. Good morning, members of the committee. For the record, Michael Chernick, legislative council. This is a resolution

[Michael Chernick (Legislative Counsel)]: regarding the Olympic skiing activity, very specifically the Nordic Combine. I had a little surprise myself. I I wrote this as a just two amendments, and then the senate put it back together again very nicely for us So we can go through this entire resolution as one unit without amendment except in the title. So the original title was, excuse me, a joint resolution supporting in solidarity with national and international ski organizations and numerous skiers across the globe, the introduction of long overdue gender equity in Nordic combined Olympic competition and urging that the International Olympic Committee, the IOC, only introduce new Olympic sports that practice gender equality rather. Two points on that. For those of you who might not know what Nordic Combine is, it's a combination of ski jumping and biathlon. It's a fairly rigorous some of you, I can see folks shaking their heads knowing what it is. It's a rather rigorous Olympic sport, to put it mildly. And as a quick background, women have been actively competing in this on the road cup level for many, many decades now, but the Olympics have refused to allow women to have competition in Nordic Combine. So the text of the resolution as now passed the senate goes as follows. Whereas Nordic Combine is a challenging winter sport requiring competitors to prove their skills as both Nordic skiers and alpine ski jumpers, and whereas the first excuse me. It's it's Nordic skiing, not biathlon. The first documented Nordic combined competition occurred in Oslo, Norway in 1892, thirty two years before the inaugural Winter Olympics was held in France in 1924 at which Nordic Combine was one of the featured events and whereas the proud century of Nordic combine competition in the Winter Olympics has been tarnished due to exclusion of young men. And whereas women have exhibited outstanding Nordic combined performances, as I was saying before, in non Olympic competition among the premier women Nordic combined competitors in Vermont, Tara Garrity Moat, who has earned national and international recognition, including number of awards. Whereas, unfortunately, for this sport, the exclusion of women from Olympic Nordic comp combined competition persuaded Tara to pursue her winter Olympic dreams as a biathlon athlete. And whereas Vermont is proud to be the which is proudly the home of many outstanding women winter Olympians who are medal winners in sports other than Nordic Combine. And whereas ironically, although the IOC recently welcomed the political declaration adopted unanimously by the sixty ninth session of the United Nations Commission on the status of women reaffirming the importance of sport as a vehicle for gender equality. It continued, meaning the Olympic Committee, this exclusionary policy for the twenty twenty six Winter Olympics. And whereas beyond twenty twenty twenty six Nordic combined Winter Olympic cont competition may be imperiled as the IOC made to decide to eliminate the sport entirely as a way to end this embarrassing gender exclusion controversy. And whereas the International Ski and Snowboard Federation, FIS, Nordic Combined USA, and male and female Nordic combined skiers from different nations are strongly advocating for the IOC to continue this fabled sport in Winter Olympic competition, but with gender equality. Now therefore be it resolved by the senate and the house that the general assembly supports in solidarity with national and international ski organizations and numerous skiers across the globe, The introduction of long overdue gender equality in Nordic combined Olympic competition. And be it further that the resolve that the general assembly urges the IOC only to introduce new Olympic sports that practice gender equality. And I should note that particular clause was added in the Senate and it's drafted in such a way that it was meant to be applicable to both winter and summer Olympics and not just winter, which is why the word winter is not present in that clause. And finally, that the Secretary of State be directed to send a copy of this resolution to FIS nor to combine USA, and ski, snowboard, and the ILC. And there you go. There's a resolution as adopted in the Senate.

[Michael Marcotte (Chair)]: Any questions from Michael? No, but thanks very much, Michael. Yes. I think one in the second to the last whereas clause. Second to the last whereas clause.

[Michael Chernick (Legislative Counsel)]: Hold on. Give me a second. Okay. The one that begins whereas ironically? No. Whereas beyond '20 Beyond 2026. So

[Michael Marcotte (Chair)]: do we know that that the IOC is eliminating this because it's

[Michael Chernick (Legislative Counsel)]: It's one factor. I saw multiple factors. One factor was it's not the most popular television sport. And then I saw another factor saying that this was from a story from the Associated Press that this was a consideration. There was one, we talked about this in the office actually. There were multiple stories. One story said this isn't all that popular and I guess it doesn't get the highest, the type of ratings that figure skating does or a US Russian ice hockey championship, obviously. On the other hand, there was a commentary that I have in this file from the AP that there was speculation that the IOC was embarrassed by this whole situation, and it might decide to eliminate it just as a way, as one factor, just as a way of eliminating the controversy once and for all. But that came to the other issue that there are Nordic combined competitors across the world of both genders who very much wanted to stay, but with dual gender. I would also mention as long as I'm still up here that I specifically use the word equality versus equity. We did a dictionary search in the office and equality seemed to be the most appropriate term, which is why we use that term in the end. But here's your answer to that question.

[Michael Marcotte (Chair)]: Any other questions for Michael? Okay. Thank you, Michael. Now we remain here.

[Michael Chernick (Legislative Counsel)]: Do you have any other questions or anything arises?

[Michael Marcotte (Chair)]: Is there anyone else we think we need to hear from on this? If not, I will entertain a motion to report favorably on JRS thirty seven. Almost done. Okay. Move by was that Micklus. Second. Second of Chip by Representative Olson. Second. I hope so. Maybe we should I just texted. Okay. Let me Let's see if his representative hold on for a second and see if representative Duke will I saw where she is. She joined me. I think they don't have a ladies version of this. This is more incorrect. Least for I don't know anything There is there is, but not at the Olympic. I like curling. That's that's about as much as I like. Your hair? Or It's fun watching all the way down. Right? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That one. You It is kinda fun to watch. Find it, Is it? Haven't done it. So I mean, since we have the time, is there brother monitor that's not able to participate? Correct. Okay. He's named in the she's from the Crassbury area. Okay. Mister chair, just for the record, this originated with senator Moreland. He was not in this week with the prior commitment, he somebody may remember him or not as former representative of oil. We're looking for representative. Oh, it's Should we start the train? Yeah. Thank you. Was. When I was reading it this morning, Emily, because it it's Olympics, and I just