Richard Blumenthal

What I am hoping this committee will do and what our Government will do is get ahead of the curve to begin to see that certain standards are put in place voluntarily or otherwise in order to bring a bit--well, hopefully to bring some of…

America has to, with its moral values, join with other countries with similar moral values and just say you stay there in Zurich. We are out of here.

In my view, this hearing is really only a beginning of an inquiry that the Congress has a responsibility to conduct.

The breadth of these violations I think has been somewhat inadvertently lost in these proceedings.

Would you say that that kind of voluntary system is sufficient to bring some higher degree of integrity to a corrupt system?

I respectfully suggest that that may be something you want to consider more seriously.

You do not go to John Gotti and say, Mr. Gotti, there is really too much heroin on the streets of New York. Could you cut back on it a bit?

I am suggesting that you take action, that U.S. Soccer take action to conduct the inquiry.

Will U.S. Soccer withdraw from the structure that supports FIFA if it fails to take meaningful reforms?

What does it say about them when they are willing to partner with organizations that have the record that FIFA has?

Maybe I should amend my question to say they certainly would be enablers now if they continue to be sponsors without insisting on reforms.

Mr. Gulati is on FIFA's Executive Committee. Mr. Flynn, do you agree that he should disclose his earnings?

Sometimes inaction and silence signal complicity.

I want to make clear, Mr. Flynn, that my comments are directed against the collective 'you,' not you personally.

Would you agree in retrospect that U.S. Soccer acted inadequately to investigate or prevent or stop the ongoing, blatant criminal wrongdoing at FIFA?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

The betrayal of trust is no less when human trafficking is involved in building the stadiums where our athletes compete.

There needs to be additional action, and it should involve not only members of the public and public officials but also--let me emphasize--the private corporations that sponsor these events.

Clearly, we can no longer indulge the idea of FIFA, a multi-billion dollar, nonprofit global enterprise being run behind closed doors.

FIFA has engaged in this willful and prolonged, disgracefully corrupt conduct.

These corrupt practices over many years have deprived American national teams... of the full value and integrity of the game.

What has been revealed so far is a mafia-style crime syndicate in charge of the sport.

Now is the time for the United States and the U.S. Soccer Federation to engage and determine how we can encourage meaningful reforms.

Do you not think he has an obligation to answer the questions that we have been directing to you?

I understand those two options.