Amanda Thomashow — who filed a Michigan State Title IX report against Larry Nassar in 2014—will be joining U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin for the State of the Union address Tuesday, according to a press release from Slotkin's office.
Slotkin — who represents Michigan's 8th congressional district — recently sent a letter questioning Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos' proposed changes to Title IX. These changes would have likely "shielded MSU from responsibility under Title IX to protect the survivors of Larry Nassar's abuse," the letter said.
"All Michiganders have seen the devastating effects of MSU’s failure to implement consistent and transparent processes for investigating accusations of sexual harassment and assault," Slotkin wrote in the letter.
Thomashow will be Slotkin's guest for Tuesday's State of the Union address. Slotkin said she is proud to be joined by a leader who has implemented change in the community.
"I find it extremely troubling that under Secretary DeVos' proposed changes to Title IX, MSU would likely not have been required to take action to protect Amanda and other survivors of the Larry Nassar scandal," Slotkin said in the press release.
Thomashow said in the press release she is proud to be joining Slotkin to "continue the conversation around institutions' responsibility for preventing and addressing sexual assault head-on." She will also discuss how Congress can strengthen Title IX protections.
"At a time when survivors at MSU and college campuses across the country have been raising our voices and demanding change, it's so important that our leaders in Washington hear us, and fight for us," Thomashow said in the release.
The State of the Union address will begin at 9 p.m. on Tuesday.
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