[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 65 (Wednesday, April 23, 2008)]
[House]
[Page H2556]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        NATIONAL DAY OF SILENCE

  (Ms. BALDWIN asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. BALDWIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with my colleagues to honor 
the hundreds of thousands of American students across the country who 
will participate in the National Day of Silence this Friday to call 
attention to anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying, and harassment in their 
schools.
  By taking a vow of silence, students from more than 5,000 middle and 
high schools will call attention to hate-motivated harassment faced by 
individuals in school and in work, and they will work toward improving 
their school climate.
  This year's event will be held in memory of Lawrence King, an 8th-
grade student who was shot and killed on February 12 by a classmate 
because of his sexual orientation and gender expression. Larry's death 
is an unnecessary reminder of what we already know: lesbian, gay, 
bisexual, and transgender students continue to face pervasive 
harassment and victimization in schools.
  As students use their silence to demand schools are safe for all 
students, it is my hope we in Congress use our voices to ensure that it 
will be so.

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