Female senators urge NFL to adopt zero-tolerance abuse policy

A group of 16 senators wrote to the NFL Thursday, asking the league to create a zero-tolerance policy for domestic violence after a video was released of Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice punching his now-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 senators wrote.

“We are deeply concerned that the NFL’s new policy, announced last month, would allow a player to commit a violent act 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 letter was signed by U.S. Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Kay Hagan (D-N.C.) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.).

According to the NFL’s current disciplinary policy, which was announced in August, a player who commits a violent crime is subject to a six-game suspension for a first offense. Players are banned from the NFL after committing a second violent act, but they are allowed to petition to return after one year.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell initially suspended Rice for two games after the incident in February. The Ravens, however, terminated his contract Monday after a public outcry at the shocking video, which features Rice punching his girlfriend then dragging her out of an elevator unconscious.