[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 149 (Tuesday, September 24, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H5707-H5713]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
STOP CAMPUS HAZING ACT
Mr. OWENS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(H.R. 5646) to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require
institutions of higher education to disclose hazing incidents, and for
other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 5646
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Stop Campus Hazing Act''.
SEC. 2. INCLUSION OF HAZING INCIDENTS IN ANNUAL SECURITY
REPORTS.
(a) Statistics on Hazing Incidents.--
(1) In general.--Section 485(f)(1)(F) of the Higher
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1092(f)(1)(F)) is amended--
(A) in clause (i)(IX), by striking ``and'' after the
semicolon;
(B) in clause (ii), by striking ``and'' after the
semicolon;
(C) in clause (iii), by striking the period at the end and
inserting ``; and''; and
(D) by adding at the end the following:
``(iv) of hazing incidents that were reported to campus
security authorities or local police agencies.''.
(2) Compilation of hazing incidents.--Section 485(f)(7) of
the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1092(f)(7)) is
amended by inserting after the second sentence the following:
``For hazing incidents referred to in clause (iv) of
paragraph (1)(F), such statistics shall be compiled per each
single hazing incident and in accordance with the definition
of the term `hazing' in paragraph (6)(A)(vi), and if the same
person or persons commit more than one hazing act, and the
time and place intervals separating each such act are
insignificant, such acts shall be reported as a single hazing
incident.''.
(3) Beginning of compilation of hazing statistics.--Not
later than January 1 of the first year after the date of
enactment of this Act, each eligible institution
participating in any program under title IV of the Higher
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070 et seq.), other than a
foreign institution of higher education, shall begin to
collect statistics on hazing incidents for the purpose of
complying with clause (iv) of section 485(f)(1)(F) of such
Act, as added by paragraph (1) of this subsection.
(4) Definition of hazing.--Section 485(f)(6)(A) of the
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1092(f)(6)(A)) is
amended by adding at the end the following:
``(vi) The term `hazing', for purposes of reporting
statistics on hazing incidents under paragraph (1)(F)(iv),
means any intentional, knowing, or reckless act committed by
a person (whether individually or in concert with other
persons) against another person or persons regardless of the
willingness of such other person or persons to participate,
that--
``(I) is committed in the course of an initiation into, an
affiliation with, or the maintenance of membership in, a
student organization; and
``(II) causes or creates a risk, above the reasonable risk
encountered in the course of participation in the institution
of higher education or the organization (such as the physical
preparation necessary for participation in an athletic team),
of physical or psychological injury including--
``(aa) whipping, beating, striking, electronic shocking,
placing of a harmful substance on someone's body, or similar
activity;
``(bb) causing, coercing, or otherwise inducing sleep
deprivation, exposure to the elements, confinement in a small
space, extreme calisthenics, or other similar activity;
``(cc) causing, coercing, or otherwise inducing another
person to consume food, liquid, alcohol, drugs, or other
substances;
``(dd) causing, coercing, or otherwise inducing another
person to perform sexual acts;
``(ee) any activity that places another person in
reasonable fear of bodily harm
[[Page H5708]]
through the use of threatening words or conduct;
``(ff) any activity against another person that includes a
criminal violation of local, State, Tribal, or Federal law;
and
``(gg) any activity that induces, causes, or requires
another person to perform a duty or task that involves a
criminal violation of local, State, Tribal, or Federal
law.''.
(5) Definition of student organization.--Section
485(f)(6)(A) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1092(f)(6)(A)) is further amended by adding at the end the
following:
``(vii) The term `student organization', for purposes of
reporting under paragraph (1)(F)(iv) and paragraph (9)(A),
means an organization at an institution of higher education
(such as a club, society, association, varsity or junior
varsity athletic team, club sports team, fraternity,
sorority, band, or student government) in which two or more
of the members are students enrolled at the institution of
higher education, whether or not the organization is
established or recognized by the institution.''.
(b) Statement of Policy and Prevention Program on Hazing.--
Section 485(f)(1) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1092(f)(1)) is amended by inserting after subparagraph
(J) the following:
``(K) A statement of current policies relating to hazing
(as defined by the institution), how to report incidents of
such hazing, and the process used to investigate such
incidents of hazing, and information on applicable local,
State, and Tribal laws on hazing (as defined by such local,
State, and Tribal laws).
``(L) A statement of policy regarding prevention and
awareness programs related to hazing (as defined by the
institution) that includes a description of research-informed
campus-wide prevention programs designed to reach students,
staff, and faculty, which includes--
``(i) the information referred to in subparagraph (K); and
``(ii) primary prevention strategies intended to stop
hazing before hazing occurs, which may include skill building
for bystander intervention, information about ethical
leadership, and the promotion of strategies for building
group cohesion without hazing.''.
(c) Effective Date; Application.--The amendments made by
this section shall--
(1) take effect on the date that is 6 months after the date
of enactment of this Act; and
(2) apply with respect to the annual security report
required under section 485(f)(1) of the Higher Education Act
of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1092(f)(1)) for the calendar year that is
2 years after such date of enactment, including any data
collected on or after such effective date, and any subsequent
report required under such section.
SEC. 3. CAMPUS HAZING TRANSPARENCY REPORT.
Section 485(f) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1092(f)) is further amended--
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (9) through (18) as
paragraphs (10) through (19), respectively; and
(2) by inserting after paragraph (8) the following:
``(9)(A) Each institution participating in any program
under this title, other than a foreign institution of higher
education, shall develop, in accordance with the
institution's statement of policy relating to hazing under
paragraph (1)(K), a report (which shall be referred to as the
`Campus Hazing Transparency Report') summarizing findings
concerning any student organization (except that this shall
only apply to student organizations that are established or
recognized by the institution) found to be in violation of an
institution's standards of conduct relating to hazing, as
defined by the institution, (hereinafter referred to in this
paragraph as a `hazing violation') that requires the
institution to--
``(i) beginning July 1, 2025, collect information with
respect to hazing incidents at the institution;
``(ii) not later than 12 months after the date of the
enactment of the Stop Campus Hazing Act, make the Campus
Hazing Transparency Report publicly available on the public
website of the institution; and
``(iii) not less frequently than 2 times each year, update
the Campus Hazing Transparency Report to include, for the
period beginning on the date on which the Report was last
published and ending on the date on which such update is
submitted, each incident involving a student organization for
which a finding of responsibility is issued relating to a
hazing violation, including--
``(I) the name of such student organization;
``(II) a general description of the violation that resulted
in a finding of responsibility, including whether the
violation involved the abuse or illegal use of alcohol or
drugs, the findings of the institution, and any sanctions
placed on the student organization by the institution, as
applicable; and
``(III) the dates on which--
``(aa) the incident was alleged to have occurred;
``(bb) the investigation into the incident was initiated;
``(cc) the investigation ended with a finding that a hazing
violation occurred; and
``(dd) the institution provided notice to the student
organization that the incident resulted in a hazing
violation.
``(B) The Campus Hazing Transparency Report may include--
``(i) to satisfy the requirements of this paragraph,
information that--
``(I) is included as part of a report published by the
institution; and
``(II) meets the requirements of the Campus Hazing
Transparency Report; and
``(ii) any additional information--
``(I) determined by the institution to be necessary; or
``(II) reported as required by State law.
``(C) The Campus Hazing Transparency Report shall not
include any personally identifiable information, including
any information that would reveal personally identifiable
information, about any individual student in accordance with
section 444 of the General Education Provisions Act (commonly
known as the `Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of
1974').
``(D) The institution shall publish, in a prominent
location on the public website of the institution, the Campus
Hazing Transparency Report, including--
``(i) a statement notifying the public of the annual
availability of statistics on hazing pursuant to the report
required under paragraph (1)(F), including a link to such
report;
``(ii) information about the institution's policies
relating to hazing under paragraph (1)(K) and applicable
local, State, and Tribal laws on hazing; and
``(iii) the information included in each update required
under subparagraph (A)(iii), which shall be maintained for a
period of 5 calendar years from the date of publication of
such update.
``(E) The institution may include, as part of the
publication of the Campus Hazing Transparency Report under
subparagraph (D), a description of the purposes of, and
differences between--
``(i) the report required under paragraph (1)(F); and
``(ii) the Campus Hazing Transparency Report required under
this paragraph.
``(F) For purposes of this paragraph, the definition of
`campus' under paragraph (6)(A)(ii) shall not apply.
``(G) An institution described in subparagraph (A) is not
required to--
``(i) develop the Campus Hazing Transparency Report under
this subsection until such institution has a finding of a
hazing violation; or
``(ii) update the Campus Hazing Transparency Report in
accordance with clause (iii) of subparagraph (A) for a period
described in such clause if such institution does not have a
finding of a hazing violation for such period.''.
SEC. 4. JEANNE CLERY CAMPUS SAFETY ACT.
Paragraph (19) of section 485(f) of the Higher Education
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1092(f)(19)), as so redesignated, is
amended by striking ``Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus
Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act'' and
inserting ``Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act''.
SEC. 5. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.
Nothing in this Act, or an amendment made by this Act,
shall be construed to affect the rights (including remedies
and procedures) available to persons under the First
Amendment of the Constitution of the United States or rights
to due process.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Molinaro). Pursuant to the rule, the
gentleman from Utah (Mr. Owens) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr.
Scott) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Utah.
General Leave
Mr. OWENS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous material in the Record on H.R. 5646.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Utah?
There was no objection.
Mr. OWENS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak in support of the Stop Campus Hazing
Act, H.R. 5646.
Given that it is National Hazing Prevention Week, I am pleased that
we are considering this bipartisan bill. H.R. 5646 will help ensure
that our campuses remain safe environments for all students.
Safety is a top priority for the Committee on Education and the
Workforce's agenda and is boldly highlighted in H.R. 5646.
Hazing has been a persistent problem in America's postsecondary
education. In fact, a national study on hazing found 55 percent of
college students involved in clubs, teams, and organizations
experienced hazing. The same report found students' exposure to hazing
prevention efforts is limited.
Since the year 2000, there have been more than 100 hazing-related
deaths.
On September 21, 2023, Republican and Democratic lawmakers introduced
the Stop Campus Hazing Act with the aim to combat hazing and protect
students across the country. The House Committee on Education and the
Workforce passed this bill on September 11, 2024.
If enacted, the bill would do the following.
[[Page H5709]]
First, the bill would add hazing incidents to the Clery Act ``Annual
Security Report,'' enhancing the transparency of campus crime
statistics.
Second, the bill would require universities to develop campus-wide
educational programs aimed at preventing hazing. Additionally, it
requires an institution to report publicly on their websites the
findings of student organizations' hazing violations so students and
parents can make informed choices on whether or not to join student
organizations.
The Stop Campus Hazing Act is a result of tireless advocacy from
affected families, campus safety professionals, and dedicated
organizations. The legislation responds to the needs of these
stakeholders while also balancing any additional burden on
institutions.
This is why this legislation is so critical. It respects
institutions' existing processes and provides clear guidance on
reporting and transparency.
Hazing is a persistent issue that endangers young lives and
undermines the very promise of an educational environment conducive to
learning.
By strengthening policies around hazing prevention and reporting, we
are reinforcing the message that student safety comes first. With that,
let's pass the Stop Campus Hazing Act.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, extracurricular groups, athletic teams, and on-campus
organizations are formed to serve common objectives while providing a
safe and welcoming environment for students.
However, hazing is a dangerous and yet all-too-common practice that
runs counter to the values of these organizations and threatens student
health and safety.
Too many lives have already been lost because of hazing, including
one in my State of Virginia. In 2021, Adam Oakes, a freshman at
Virginia Commonwealth University, tragically died because of an
alcohol-related hazing incident at a fraternity.
Regrettably, since 2000, there have been over 100 hazing-related
deaths on college campuses nationally.
The fact is that nothing can lessen the agony of losing a child or a
friend. However, I am hopeful that from these tragedies, Congress can
step in and help students and families avoid future tragedies.
We are here today because of the tireless advocacy of families and
friends who have lost loved ones from hazing. For years, these families
have worked to advance State and Federal policies to end hazing and
protect students. Some of those families have joined us in the gallery
today.
The bipartisan Stop Campus Hazing Act, H.R. 5646, would protect
students from hazing on college campuses by improving reporting and
prevention standards.
{time} 1815
Specifically, it mandates that colleges and universities report
hazing occurrences in their annual Clery reports, the incidents of
crime reports, establishes campus-wide anti-hazing education programs
and increases transparency about past hazing incidents so students can
make informed decisions about joining campus organizations. Taken
together, these policies create a roadmap for a cultural shift in
hazing on our campuses that will save students' lives.
I thank the gentlewoman from Georgia (Mrs. McBath) and the gentleman
from South Carolina (Mr. Duncan) for their leadership on this issue.
I support H.R. 5646 and encourage my colleagues to do the same.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. OWENS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson).
Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong
support of H.R. 5646, the Stop Campus Hazing Act.
This legislation, which is long overdue, will finally provide
additional protection for students on college campuses nationwide. This
is a bipartisan product years in the making. It includes provisions
from two previous anti-hazing bills, including a piece of legislation I
was proud to lead on called the END ALL Hazing Act.
Simply put, the Stop Campus Hazing Act would improve hazing reporting
and prevention on college campuses, including by requiring hazing
incidents to be reported by institutions in their annual security
report, also known as the Clery report.
The bill also outlines a responsible definition of ``hazing'' so the
campus safety professionals can analyze if a reported incident may
constitute hazing for the Clery report.
This definition will help students, parents, and the public have
access and increased transparency into student organizations on
campuses who have reported incidents of hazing.
Finally, this bill builds upon the actions many States have taken,
including Pennsylvania, to ensure that State laws are respected when
any investigations are conducted.
Mr. Speaker, none of this would be possible without the long and
tireless work of many advocates, including Evelyn and Jim Piazza.
Evelyn and Jim are the parents of Tim Piazza, who tragically passed
away in February 2017 at Penn State as a direct result of a hazing
ritual at his fraternity. Tomorrow would have been Tim's 27th birthday.
In the face of this unspeakable tragedy, Evelyn and Jim have been at
the forefront of efforts in Pennsylvania, here in Congress, and in
other States around the country to speak about the dangers of hazing
and enact change in Tim's honor.
In fact, the legislation before us today is shaped by the work of the
Timothy J. Piazza Center for Fraternity and Sorority Research and
Reform at Penn State, which Evelyn and Jim played a direct role in
establishing.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the numerous individuals and organizations that
helped bring this legislation to the floor today, including
Congresswoman McBath, Congressman Duncan, the National Panhellenic
Conference, the North American Interfraternity Conference, the Clery
Center, the Anti-Hazing Coalition, and many others.
As we recognize National Hazing Prevention Week this week, I am proud
that we can come together in a bipartisan manner to protect students
nationwide in an effort to ensure that no one will have to experience
what the Piazza family has over the past 7 years.
Mr. Speaker, I encourage all of my colleagues to support this
legislation.
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the
gentlewoman from Georgia (Mrs. McBath), the lead sponsor on the
legislation.
Mrs. McBATH. Mr. Speaker, I think this is truly one of the best
representative policies for bipartisanship. When our children are dying
and when our children are no longer safe in their environments, when
they are simply going to school to get an education, I cannot think of
a greater time for bipartisanship. I thank Congressmen Owens, Scott,
and Duncan so very much for their willingness to save our children.
My son, Jordan, was killed in a shooting in 2012, so I know the pain
of losing a child. I know the hole that it leaves in your soul and the
questions it leaves you behind to dwell on; the feelings of guilt and
yearning to do anything that you can to reverse the irreversible and to
spend just a little bit more time with that person who was taken from
you far too soon. You want to tell them all the things that you wish
that you could have during their short time here on Earth, but we know
that we are not that lucky.
The only thing that we can do now is harness that pain and try to do
something positive with it. Harness it and try to make a lasting change
that will prevent other families from suffering a similar tragedy. We
must try to create a legacy that truly speaks to the memory of that
person that you loved so deeply.
This is the reason why I came to Congress, and the same reason why
Jeanne Clery's parents took their power back and got the Clery Act
signed into law after the tragic killing of their daughter on campus in
1986.
Jeanne Clery's parents made the same argument that I have heard time
and time again from families all over this country who have lost loved
ones to hazing at colleges and universities: If we had only known; if
only we had been made aware sooner; if only we had been given a clearer
picture of the situation that took our child away from us, maybe we
could have done something.
[[Page H5710]]
That is what this bill is about. It is about transparency and
accountability, empowering students and families so that they can make
informed decisions about the schools that they attend or the clubs that
they join.
It is about ensuring that college remains a place of new beginnings
and hope for our children's future. It is simply about just saving
lives.
I thank all of the families who have been working on this effort for
so many years and who are watching from home but also watching here
with us today in our House gallery.
I thank Hank Nuwer for his years of meticulous research on the
history of hazing deaths in this country.
I thank Representatives Jeff Duncan and Glenn Thompson for their
commitment to helping to see this bill through.
I thank Chairwoman Foxx, Ranking Member Bobby Scott and their staff
for coming together on this truly critical issue.
With efforts like these we are showing the American people that
regardless of what they see on social media or whatever they see on TV,
there are still people in Washington who are willing to put
partisanship aside, engage in good faith together, and do the hard work
that is so necessary to make positive change for the folks that are
relying on us back home.
I encourage all of my colleagues to support this bill. I am so
encouraged by this measure to come together to say the least of these,
to save our children. They deserve so much more from us, and in these
moments today we are giving them what they deserve, a chance to
survive, a chance to grow and to prosper, and a chance to be in America
the way it is designed for them to be.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair respectfully and very politely
reminds Members that the rules don't allow references to persons in the
gallery.
Mr. OWENS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from South
Carolina (Mr. Duncan), the lead sponsor of this bill.
Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support today of H.R. 5646, the
Stop Campus Hazing Act, legislation that I have been the lead
Republican cosponsor of for the past three Congresses.
Mr. Speaker, 10 years ago last Saturday, a young man named Tucker
Hipps, a senior counselor at Palmetto Boys State, and a political
science major like myself at my alma mater Clemson University, was
found in the waters of Lake Hartwell, having fallen off a bridge in an
apparent and suspected incident of campus hazing.
Mr. Speaker, 10 years later, the Hipps family, who are with us today,
are still searching for justice for Tucker. I continue to pray that
they find those answers.
I am proud of the South Carolina State legislature that they named
their campus hazing legislation after Tucker.
Today, I am proud to bring bipartisan legislation to the House floor
along with my friend that you just heard from, my colleague
Congresswoman McBath, to honor Tucker's memory and the memories of
hundreds of other campus hazing victims by mandating greater
transparency in fraternity hazing reporting.
No parent should have to endure what Gary and Cindy Hipps have had to
go through, the senseless loss of a beloved son. The, as yet, fruitless
search for answers or bringing those responsible to justice.
Yet, in Tucker's loss and the loss of so many others, we may learn
lessons that inform the policy choice that we make today.
We act today so that parents may know and make informed decisions
about the colleges that they send their kids off to.
I thank all the people involved in this legislation that has taken
way too long, from Cindy Hipps to the Clery Center to the DeVercelly
family. I thank them for being here today. I thank Chairwoman Foxx and
Ranking Member Scott for their support, as well as Clemson University
and the fraternal councils for realizing the need to move forward with
these reforms. I thank the sponsor of this bill, Congresswoman McBath,
for all her tireless efforts to bring us here today.
May God bless the memory of Tucker Hipps, and in his memory, I ask my
colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation.
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may
consume to the gentlewoman from Georgia (Mrs. McBath).
Mrs. McBATH. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a list of names of
students who died from hazing-related activities. This is a list of
known hazing deaths from 1847 to 2023. These are the names that we
honor today with this legislation.
Year, Name, Institution, State:
1847, Jonathan D. Torrence, Amherst College, Massachusetts;
1873, Mortimer N. Leggett, Cornell University, New York;
1884, Frederick Schwatka Strang, United States Naval Academy,
Maryland; 1892, Wilkins Ruskin, Yale University, Connecticut;
1899, Edward F. Berkeley, Cornell University, New York; 1900,
Hugh C. Moore, Massachusetts Institute of Technology,
Massachusetts; 1900, Oscar Booz, United States Military
Academy, New York; 1903, Martin Loew, University of Maryland,
Baltimore, Maryland; 1905, Stuart L. Pierson, Kenyon College,
Ohio; 1905, James R. Branch, Jr., United States Naval
Academy, Maryland; 1906, William Miller, Stanford University,
California; 1908, Emil S. (Ernie) Gram, Worcester Polytechnic
Institute, Massachusetts; 1912, Isaac William Rand,
University of North Carolina, North Carolina; 1913, Francis
W. Obenchain, Purdue University, Indiana; 1914, William R.
Bowlus, St. John's Military College, Maryland; 1915, Thurber
Sweet, Virginia Military Institute, Virginia; 1915, Eldridge
Scott Griffith, University of Kentucky, Kentucky.
1915-1916, Ludwig Von Gerichten, New Mexico Military
Institute, New Mexico; 1916, Paul N. Blue, Morningside
College, Iowa; 1916, William Lifson, University of
Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania; 1917, William Ashcom Bullock,
College of the City of New York, New York; 1919, Frank
McCullough, Colgate University, New York; 1921, Leighton
Mount, Northwestern University, Illinois; 1922, William
Duncan Saunders, Hamilton College, New York; 1923, Glenn
Kersh, University of Alabama, Alabama; 1923, Ainsworth Brown,
Franklin and Marshall College, Pennsylvania; 1923, Louis
Aubere, Northwestern University, Illinois; 1925, Reginald
Stringfellow, University of Utah, Utah; 1928, Nolte McElroy,
University of Texas, Texas; 1929, Orsa George Steinmetz Jr.,
Indiana University, Indiana; 1931, Lloyd Neuman Aune, Stout
Institute, Wisconsin; 1934, Paul Kutch, Oregon State
University, Oregon; 1935, Richard Wendell Beitzel, Dickinson
College, Pennsylvania.
1936, Willie B. Barkley, Mississippi State University (then
Mississippi State College), Mississippi; 1940, Hubert L.
(Hugo) Spake Jr., University of Missouri, Missouri; 1945,
Robert G. Perry, St. Louis University, Missouri; 1948, James
(Jim) Irvin Peterson, Montana State University, Montana;
1949, Hale Thompson Gehl, Brown University, Rhode Island;
1950, Gerald Loren Foletta, University of California,
Berkeley, California; 1950, Dean J. Niswonger, Wittenberg
University, Ohio; 1951, Allen Kaplan, Northwestern State
College, Louisiana; 1951, Thomas Kleppner, University of
Miami, Florida; 1951, Fred E. Evens, University of Miami,
Florida; 1953, Calvin Dougherty, Milligan College, Tennessee;
1954, Peter Mertz, Swarthmore College, Pennsylvania; 1956,
Thomas Clark, Massachusetts Institute of Technology,
Massachusetts; 1956, Karl B. Bailey, Rice University (then
Rice Institute), Texas; 1956, Cecil William Carrol, Rice
University (then Rice Institute), Texas; 1957, Max Caulk,
University of California, Santa Barbara, California; 1959,
Richard Terrell Swanson, University of Southern California,
California.
1960, Harry Lamphier, Jr., Northern Illinois University,
Illinois; 1960, William Gustafson, Northern Illinois
University, Illinois; 1960, William Kempfer, Northern
Illinois University, Illinois; 1960, John Pauls, Northern
Illinois University, Illinois; 1961, Joe Henry Derham, Jr.,
Clemson University, South Carolina; 1964, Jose Manual Costa,
University of Rhode Island, Rhode Island; 1965, Richard
Winder, Georgetown College, Kentucky; 1967, John E. Clifton,
Baylor University, Texas; 1968, Michael L. DiBacco,
Steubenville College, Ohio; 1968, Trent Ciarrochia,
Steubenville College, Ohio; 1968, William Entinger,
Steubenville College, Ohio; 1969, Scott Edward Graeler,
Muskingum University (then Muskingum College), Ohio; 1970,
Donna Bedinger, Eastern Illinois University, Illinois; 1971,
Wayne Kennedy, Tulane University, Louisiana; 1972, Fred
Phillip Bronne, Pierce College, California; 1972, Brian
Cursack, University of Maryland, Maryland; 1973, Mitchell
(Mitch) Fishkin, Lehigh University, Pennsylvania; 1974,
Thomas Morgan Elliott, Grove City College, Pennsylvania.
1974, John Curtin, Grove City College, Pennsylvania; 1974,
Rudolph Mion, Grove City College, Pennsylvania; 1974, Gary
Gilliland, Grove City College, Pennsylvania; 1974, William E.
Flowers, Monmouth College, New Jersey; 1974, Michael James
Bishop, Bluefield State College, West Virginia; 1975, Richard
A. Gowins, Northern Illinois University, Illinois; 1975,
David ``Lumpy'' Hoffmann, University of Wisconsin, Stevens
Point, Wisconsin; 1975, John Davies, University of Nevada,
Reno, Nevada; 1975, John Asher, Washington State University,
Washington; 1975, Theodore Ben, Cheyney University of
Pennsylvania (then-Cheyney State College), Pennsylvania;
1976, Samuel Mark Click, Texas Tech University, Texas; 1976,
[[Page H5711]]
Thomas Fitzgerald, St. John's University, New York; 1977,
Robert J. Bazile, University of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania;
1977, Randall Crustals, University of Missouri, Rolla,
Missouri; 1978, Stephen J. McNamara, Loras College, Iowa;
1978, Charles (Chuck) Stenzel, Alfred University, New York;
1978, Nathaniel Swinson, North Carolina Central University,
North Carolina.
1979, Bruce Wiseman, Louisiana State University, Louisiana;
1979, Richard C. Fuhs, Jr., Rutgers University, New Jersey;
1979, Norsha Lynn Delk, Virginia State College, Virginia;
1979, Robert Etheridge, Virginia State College, Virginia;
1980, Kingsley Davidson, University of North Dakota, North
Dakota; 1980, David Masciantonio, Clarkson University, New
York; 1980, Curtis Huntley, Mississippi State University,
Mississippi; 1980, Lex Dean Batson, University of Missouri,
Missouri; 1980, Joseph (Joey) Parrella, Ithaca College, New
York; 1980, Steve Call, University of Lowell, Massachusetts;
1980, L. Barry Ballou, University of South Carolina, South
Carolina; 1981, Rick Cerra, University of Wisconsin,
Superior, Wisconsin; 1982, Victor (Ricky) M. Siegel, Towson
State University, Maryland; 1982, Christopher Meigs,
University of Virginia, Virginia; 1982, Brian H. McKittrick,
University of Virginia, Virginia; 1984, Arnaldo Mercado
Perez, University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico;
1983, Vann Watts, Tennessee State University, Tennessee;
1984, Brad Bing, University of California, Davis, California;
1984, Bruce Dean Goodrich, Texas A & M University, Texas.
1984, Jay Lenaghan, American International College,
Massachusetts; 1984, Jeffrey Franklin Long, California State
University, Chico, California; 1985, Sherri Ann Clark,
University of Colorado, Colorado; 1985, Richard ``Rich''
Allyn Butler, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri;
1986, Harold Thomas, Lamar University, Texas; 1986, Mark
Seeberger, University of Texas, Texas; 1987, Harry (Skip)
Cline Jr., University of Mississippi, Mississippi; 1987, Todd
Alan Prince, University of Arkansas, Arkansas; 1987, David
Dunshee, Stanford University, California; 1988, James
Callahan, Rutgers University, New Jersey; 1988, Bryan
Higgins, State University of New York at Albany, New York;
1988, Matthew S. McCoy, University of Richmond, Virginia;
1988, Gregg Scott Phillips, University of Texas, Texas; 1988,
Sean T. Hickey, Rider University (then Rider College), New
Jersey; 1989, Joel Harris, Morehouse College, Georgia; 1989,
Steven Butterworth, Dickinson College, Pennsylvania; 1990,
Nick Haben, Western Illinois University, Illinois.
1991, Mike Nisbet, University of Missouri, Rolla, Missouri;
1991, John Moncello, University of California, Berkeley,
California; 1991, Rolland C. Pederson, Trinity University,
Texas; 1992, Jonathan S. McNamara, University of Vermont,
Vermont; 1992, Gregory Batipps, University of Virginia,
Virginia; 1992, J.B. (John B.) Joynt III, Frostburg State
University, Maryland; 1993, Chad Saucier, Auburn University,
Alabama; 1993, Leslie Ware, Alcorn State University,
Mississippi; 1994, Terry Linn, Bloomsburg University,
Pennsylvania; 1994, Michael Davis, Southeast Missouri State,
Missouri; 1994, Justin Chambers, Carnegie Mellon University,
Pennsylvania; 1995, Gabriel Higgins, University of Texas,
Texas; 1995, Brian Nicholas Cook, University of Virginia,
Virginia; 1995, Matthew Garofolo, University of Iowa, Iowa;
1996, Todd Martin Cruikshank, University of New Hampshire,
New Hampshire; 1997, Trey Walker, Texas A & M, Texas; 1997,
Brian T. Sanders, University of California Los Angeles,
California; 1997, Brian Pearce, University of California Los
Angeles, California; 1997, Steven Velazquez, North Carolina
State University, North Carolina.
1997, Benjamin Wynne, Louisiana State University,
Louisiana; 1997, Binaya Oja, Clarkson University and State
University of New York at Potsdam, New York; 1997, Scott
Krueger, Massachusetts Institute of Technology,
Massachusetts; 1998, John Laduca, University of Washington,
Washington; 1998, Courtney Cantor, University of Michigan,
Michigan; 1998, Dudley R. Moore IV, University of
Mississippi, Mississippi; 1998, Jack L. Ivey, Jr., University
of Texas, Texas; 1999, Kevin Lawless, Iona College, New York;
1999, Stephen Petz, Ferris State University, Michigan; 1999,
Donnie Lindsey Jr., University of Richmond, Virginia; 2000,
Adrian Heideman, Chico State University, California; 2000,
Terry Ryan Stirling, Old Dominion University, Virginia; 2000,
Ben Folsom Grantham III, University of Georgia, Georgia;
2001, Seth Korona, Indiana University, Indiana; 2001, Joseph
T. Green, Tennessee State University, Tennessee; 2001, Chad
Meredith, University of Miami, Florida; 2001, Ken
Christiansen, University of Minnesota, Duluth, Minnesota;
2001, Zachary Aaron Michael Mullins, Texas Tech University,
Texas;
2002, Clay Warren, Texas Tech University, Texas; 2002, Ben
Klein, Alfred University, New York; 2002, Brian Nicholas
Jimenez, San Diego State University, California; 2002,
Zachary Jacobs, San Diego State University, California; 2002,
Kenitha Saafir, California State University, Los Angeles,
California; 2002, Kristin High, California State University,
California; 2002, Albert (A.J.) Santos, University of Nevada,
Reno, Nevada; 2002, Daniel Reardon, University of Maryland,
Maryland; 2002, Gregory (Greg) Randall Davis, Occidental
College, California; 2003, Nicholas Grass, Yale University,
Connecticut; 2003, Kyle Burnat, Yale University, Connecticut;
2003, Andrew Dwyer, Yale University, Connecticut; 2003, Sean
Fenton, Yale University, Connecticut; 2003, Walter Dean
Jennings, Plattsburgh State (State University of New York),
New York; 2003, Jerry Hopkins, Rochester Institute of
Technology New York; 2003, Kelly Nester, Plymouth State
University, New Hampshire; 2003, Robert Schmalz, Bradley
University, Illinois; 2004, Lynn Gordon ``Gordie'' Bailey
Jr., University of Colorado, Colorado.
2004, Blake Hammontree, University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma;
2004, Brent E. Johnson, Southern Illinois University at
Carbondale, Illinois; 2005, Matthew Carrington, Chico State
University, California; 2005, Kenny Luong, University of
California Irvine, California; 2005, Phanta ``Jack''
Phoummarath, University of Texas, Texas; 2006, Tyler Cross,
University of Texas, Texas; 2006, Zach Dunlevy, Limestone
College, South Carolina; 2007, Nikolas Gallegos, Stephen F.
Austin University, Texas; 2007, Gary Louis DeVercelly, Jr.,
Rider University, New Jersey; 2008, Brett Griffin, University
of Delaware, Delaware; 2008, Johnny D. Smith, Wabash College,
Indiana; 2008, Harrison Kowiak, Lenoir Rhyne University,
North Carolina; 2008, Michael Anthony, Smallwood Starks, Utah
State, Utah; 2008, Carson Leonard Starkey, Cal Poly,
California; 2009, Arman Partamian, SUNY Geneseo, New York;
2009, Donnie Wade Jr., Prairie View A & M, Texas; 2010,
Samuel Mason, Radford University, Virginia; 2010, Victoria
Carter, East Carolina University, North Carolina; 2010,
Briana Latrice Gather, East Carolina University, North
Carolina.
2011, George Desdunes, Cornell University, New York; 2011,
Robert Darnell Champion, Florida A & M, Florida; 2012,
William (Will) Torrance, Vincennes University, Indiana; 2012,
Philip Dhanens, Fresno State University, California; 2012,
Everett Glenn, Lafayette College, Pennsylvania; 2012, David
R. Bogenberger, Northern Illinois University, Illinois; 2012,
Preston Vorhauer, University of Idaho, Idaho; 2012, Marcus
Thomas, Bethune-Cookman University, Florida; 2012, Robert
Eugene Tipton, Jr., High Point University, North Carolina;
2012, David Shannon, University of North Carolina, North
Carolina; 2012, Jack Culolias, Arizona State University,
Arizona; 2013, Marvell Edmondson, Virginia State University,
Virginia; 2013, Jauwan Holmes, Virginia State University,
Virginia; 2013, Peter Tran, San Francisco State University,
California; 2013, Anthony Barksdale II, Boston University,
Massachusetts; 2013, Chun ``Mike'' Deng, Baruch College, New
York; 2014, Marquise Braham, Penn State, Altoona,
Pennsylvania; 2014, Armando Villa, California State
University, Northridge, California; 2014, Tucker W. Hipps,
Clemson University, South Carolina.
2014, Trevor Duffy, University of Albany, New York; 2014,
Nolan M. Burch, West Virginia University, West Virginia;
2014, Dalton Debrick, Texas Tech University, Texas; 2014,
Clayton Real, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Nebraska; 2015,
Praneet Karki, Louisiana State University, Louisiana; 2015,
Charlie Terreni, Jr., University of South Carolina, South
Carolina; 2016, Michael Anthony Walker, Ferrum College,
Virginia; 2016, Ryan Abele, University of Nevada, Nevada;
2016, Jordan Taylor, Texas State, Texas; 2016, Joe Dada,
Pennsylvania State University, Pennsylvania; 2017, Timothy J.
Piazza, Pennsylvania State University, Pennsylvania; 2017,
Maxwell (Max) Gruver, Louisiana State University, Louisiana;
2017, Andrew Coffey, Florida State, Florida; 2017, Matthew
(Matt) Ellis, Texas State University, Texas; 2017, Alasdair
Russell, University of Southern California, California; 2017,
Harrison Carter Cole, Hampden Sydney College, Virginia; 2017,
Jordan Hankins, Northwestern University, Illinois; 2018,
Joseph Little, Texas A & M, Texas; 2018, Collin Wiant, Ohio
University, Ohio.
2018, Nicholas ``Nicky'' Cumberland, University of Texas,
Texas; 2018, Tyler Hilliard, University of California at
Riverside, California; 2018, Alexander Levi Rainey Beletsis,
University of California, Santa Cruz, California; 2019,
Marlon Jackson, Delaware State University, Delaware; 2019,
Noah Domingo, University of California, Irvine, California;
2019, Sebastian Serafin-Bazan, University of Buffalo, New
York; 2019, Bea Castro, Cal State Fullerton, California;
2019, Samuel Martinez, Washington State University,
Washington; 2019, Antonio (Anthony) Tsialas, Cornell
University, New York; 2019, Rahat Jalil, University of
Nebraska, Nebraska; 2019, Justin King, Bloomsburg University,
Pennsylvania; 2019, Dylan Hernandez, San Diego State,
California; 2020, Lauren Nicole Sawyer, Emory & Henry
College, Virginia; 2021, James Gilfedder, Lyon College,
Arkansas; 2021, Adam Jeffrey Oakes, Virginia Commonwealth
University (VCU), Virginia; 2021, Stone Justin Foltz, Bowling
Green State University, Ohio; 2021, Lofton Hazelwood,
University of Kentucky, Kentucky; 2021, Phat Nguyen, Michigan
State University, Michigan; 2023, Luke Tyler, Washington
State University, Washington.
Mrs. McBATH. Mr. Speaker, while we have a number of hazing victims'
families who are joining us today here in the House gallery, we know
that hazing has taken hundreds of lives and impacted countless
families.
I would also like to thank Dr. Hank Nuwer for his years of research
in compiling this list. Without this important work, hazing prevention
work would not have come as far as it has.
Mr. OWENS. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I reserve the
balance of my time.
[[Page H5712]]
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my
time for the purpose of closing.
Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record the following letters of
support. One is from the Clery Center and the StopHazing organization,
along with a list of endorsing organizations, including the National
Association of Clery Compliance Officers and Professionals, the
American College Health Association, the International Association of
Campus Law Enforcement Administrators, the National Pan-Hellenic
Council, Incorporated, which represents the Divine Nine, NASPA-Student
Affairs Administrators in Higher Education, and another letter from the
Anti-Hazing Coalition, which includes a number of hazing victims'
families, the Hazing Prevention Network, the National Panhellenic
Conference, and the North American Interfraternity Conference.
Clery Center,
Stop Hazing,
September 23, 2024.
Hon. Mike Johnson,
Speaker, House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Hon. Hakeem Jeffries,
Democratic Leader, House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Speaker Johnson and Leader Jeffries: On behalf of
StopHazing and Clery Center, we are writing to express our
strong support for H.R. 5646, the Stop Campus Hazing Act, and
to urge its swift passage. This bipartisan legislation offers
a critical opportunity to address the persistent issue of
hazing, a practice that continues to threaten the health,
safety, and well-being of students on college campuses across
the United States.
Hazing remains a deeply troubling problem in our higher
education system. More than half of college students involved
in co-curricular activities like athletic teams,
fraternities, sororities, and other campus groups experience
hazing, according to the National Study of Student Hazing.
Even more concerning is the fact that many incidents go
unreported, with students feeling pressured to remain silent
due to the social dynamics that reinforce these harmful
traditions. Tragically, since 2000, college hazing has led to
more than 100 student deaths; countless physical injuries,
and psychological damage from the abusive behavior. These
realities highlight the urgency of adopting meaningful
reforms to end these senseless practices.
The Stop Campus Hazing Act represents a crucial step toward
preventing hazing and protecting students from harm. This
legislation includes several critical provisions, including a
requirement for colleges and universities to improve
transparency by reporting hazing incidents in their Annual
Security Reports, commonly known as Clery Reports. This step
will make hazing incidents more visible and hold institutions
accountable for how they handle hazing cases. The bill also
mandates the implementation of campus-wide, research-based
hazing prevention programs designed to address root causes of
hazing, equip students with the tools to intervene as
bystanders, and ultimately prevent these dangerous behaviors
before they occur.
In addition to improving accountability and prevention, the
Stop Campus Hazing Act promotes transparency for students and
parents by requiring institutions to publicly disclose their
hazing prevention policies and any organizations that have
been found in violation of these policies. Such transparency
is essential for students and families to make informed
decisions when considering membership in campus
organizations. By ensuring all parties have access to this
vital information, we can empower students and their families
to make safer, more informed choices and create an
environment where hazing is no longer tolerated.
This legislation is the product of years of bipartisan
cooperation and expert input from national campus safety
advocates, fraternities and sororities, and families who have
tragically lost loved ones to hazing. It incorporates
elements from two previous bills, the Report and Educate
About Campus Hazing (REACH) Act and END ALL Hazing Act, and
has been thoroughly vetted by stakeholders and experts
including researchers who have documented the harmful and
far-reaching consequences of hazing. As such, the Stop Campus
Hazing Act has garnered support from a broad coalition of
organizations dedicated to campus safety and student well-
being.
We commend the House Committee on Education and the
Workforce for advancing this important bill. It is now
imperative the full House considers and passes H.R. 5646
without delay. Doing so will send a strong message that
student safety is a priority and that we are committed to
preventing the senseless tragedies caused by hazing.
A decades-long journey for many grieving families, H.R.
5646 provides an actionable framework to address hazing on
college campuses, and its passage will mark a significant
victory for student safety, educational integrity, consumer
protection, and prevention. We stand ready to support these
efforts and to work with you and your colleagues to ensure no
more students suffer from hazing.
On behalf of these groups, and the students and families
who have endured harm and tragedy from hazing, we urge
Members to vote in favor of H.R. 5646 to ensure this
lifesaving legislation moves forward.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth J. Allan, Ph.D.,
Principal, StopHazing.
Jessica A. Mertz,
Executive Director,
Clery Center.
Organizations and Associations Endorsing the Stop Campus
Hazing Act:
Active Minds, AHA! Movement, American College Health
Association (ACHA), Anti-Hazing Coalition, Antonio Tsialas
Leadership Foundation, Association of Big Ten Students,
Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors (AFA), Behavioral
Health Foundation, Clery Center, College Safety Coalition,
End Rape On Campus, God Bless the Child Productions, LLC,
Guardian Angel Community, Servcies-Sexual Assault Service
Center, Hazing Prevention Network, HazingInfo.org,
Holmes Murphy Fraternal Practice, iamstonefoltz FOUNDATION,
International Association of Campus Law Enforcement
Administrators (IACLEA), It's On Us, Love Like Adam
Foundation, MacKay & Associates, Mount Carmel College of
Nursing, Mt Salem Missionary Baptist Church, National
Association of Clery Compliance Officers and Professionals
(NACCOP), NASPA-Student Affairs Administrators in Higher
Education, National Organization for Victim Advocacy (NOVA),
Natonal Panhellenic Conference, National Pan-Hellenic
Council, Inc., National Women's Law Center, NIRSA: Leaders in
Collegiate Recreation,
NMB Foundation, North American Interfraternity Conference,
Protect Students Abroad, Robert D. Champion Drum Major for
Change Foundation, Inc., SAFE Campuses, LLC, Sexual Violence
Prevention Association (SVPA), SNAPPED: The Podcast, Soteria
Solutions, Steward Tilghman Fox Bianchi & Cain, P.A.,
Stockton University-Athletics and Recreation, StopHazing, The
Fierberg National Law Group, PLLC, Tucker W. Hipps Memorial
Foundation, Viisights Inc., VTV Family Outreach Foundation,
ZeroNow.
____
Anti-Hazing Coalition
September 23, 2024.
Hon. Mike Johnson,
Speaker, House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Hon. Hakeem Jeffries,
Democratic Leader, House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Hon. Steve Scalise,
Majority Leader, House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Hon. Katherine Clark,
Democratic Whip, House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Speaker Johnson, Leader Scalise, Leader Jeffries, and
Whip Clark: On behalf of the Anti-Hazing Coalition, we write
in strong support of the Stop Campus Hazing Act (H.R. 5646),
which will be considered on the House floor this week. It is
fitting the House chose to consider the bill during National
Hazing Prevention Week when our coalition and the broader
higher education community make a concerted effort to raise
awareness and increase education about hazing.
We are a coalition representing parents who have lost their
sons as a result of hazing and work closely with other
organizations also seeking to end all hazing on college
campuses. These organizations include the North American
Interfraternity Conference, representing 58 men's
fraternities; the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC),
representing 26 women's sororities; and the Hazing Prevention
Network, a national nonprofit dedicated to empowering people
to prevent hazing.
As a coalition, we strongly support the Stop Campus Hazing
Act, which is a consensus bill that incorporates provisions
from prior hazing-related bills from previous Congresses. The
bill would require institutions of higher education to
maintain and update biannually a page on their websites that
discloses student organization violations of the
institution's code of conduct that threaten the safety of
students and provide students with educational programming
related to hazing. As the leaders in providing anti-hazing
programming and education on college campuses, we believe
this legislation will give institutions, organizations, and
students the latitude to address--rather than hide--the
small-scale violations of the student code of conduct that,
if not addressed, can grow into more dangerous hazing
behaviors that threaten student safety.
Passage of this important legislation is a critical
opportunity for Congress to show its bipartisan commitment to
saving the lives of our college students and its full
commitment to end hazing. Thank you for your leadership in
bringing this bill to the House floor. We hope you will do
everything in your power to help it become law this year.
Sincerely,
The Family of Harrison Kowiak (passed away on November 18,
2008).
The Family of Marquise Braham (passed away on March 14,
2014).
The Family of Dalton Debrick (passed away on August 24,
2014).
The Family of Timothy J. Piazza (passed away on February 4,
2017).
The Family of Max Gruver (passed away on September 14,
2017).
The Family of Collin Wiant (passed away on November 12,
2018).
The Family of Justin King (passed away on September 14,
2019).
[[Page H5713]]
Todd Shelton, Executive Director, Hazing Prevention
Network.
Dani Weatherford, CEO, National Panhellenic Conference.
Judson Horras, CEO, North American Interfraternity
Conference.
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I also include in the Record
letters of support from the Clery Center on behalf of Connie Clery and
the Clery family, and from Safe Campuses, LLC, to support changing the
name of the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and
Campus Crime Statistics Act to the Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act.
Clery Center,
Fort Washington, PA, August 27, 2024.
Dear Members of Congress: On behalf of Clery Center, Connie
Clery, and the Clery family, I am writing to express our
strong support for renaming the ``Jeanne Clery Disclosure of
Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act'' to
the ``Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act.'' We believe this
revised name more accurately reflects the broad scope and
intent of the legislation, and we urge Congress to support
this change.
Since its enactment, the Clery Act has served as a
cornerstone in the effort to improve campus safety across the
United States. As a consumer protection law, it provides the
transparency and accountability that families and students
deserve. The law's requirements, which include the disclosure
of campus crime statistics, the implementation of safety
policies, and the provision of timely warnings, have
significantly contributed to the safety and well-being of
students, faculty, and staff on college campuses.
Over the years, the Clery Act's role has expanded beyond
the mere disclosure of statistics and encompasses a
comprehensive approach to preventing and responding to crime
on campus. The term ``Campus Safety'' encapsulates this
broader mission and better communicates the law's purpose to
all stakeholders, including students, parents, campus
administrators, and law enforcement. We also believe the name
change will foster greater collaboration and encourage more
robust administrative support on campuses.
Most importantly, this change would continue to honor
Jeanne Clery's legacy in a meaningful way. The tragedy that
befell Jeanne inspired a movement that has undoubtedly saved
countless lives, and this updated title would reflect the
ongoing impact of her legacy on campus communities
nationwide.
We respectfully request that you consider supporting this
change. Thank you for your continued dedication to improving
campus safety and for your attention to this important
matter.
Sincerely,
Jessica A. Mertz,
Executive Director.
____
Safe Campuses LLC,
Re Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act.
Thomason, GA, March 18, 2024.
Hon. Bernie Sanders,
Chairman, Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions,
Washington, DC.
Hon. Bill Cassidy, M.D.,
Ranking Member, Committee on Health, Education, Labor and
Pensions, Washington, DC.
Hon. Virginia Foxx,
Chairwoman, Committee on Education and the Workforce,
Washington, DC.
Hon. Robert C. Scott,
Ranking Member, Committee on Education and the Workforce,
Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Sanders, Chairwoman Foxx, Ranking Member
Cassidy, and Ranking Member Scott: As a social
entrepreneurship we work with colleges and universities to
create safer campuses and believe that modernizing the full
name of the Jeanne Clery Act, the primary federal law on this
subject, has the potential to help it better achieve its
intended goals. Updating the name to be the ``Jeanne Clery
Campus Safety Act'' will place the focus, as it should be, on
our shared goal of safer campuses rather than outdated
bureaucratic references.
The current legal name the ``Jeanne Clery Disclosure of
Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act'', set
by Section 485(f)(18) of the Higher Education Act, can be an
impediment by placing the focus on ``security'' rather than
safety and on crime statistics alone. Congress has very
thoughtfully expanded the law to encompass a range of
multidisciplinary safety issues and disclosures like
emergency notifications that this name no longer accurately
reflects.
We would ask that you please consider amending the name of
this landmark legislation to be the ``Jeanne Clery Campus
Safety Act'' as part of any higher education related measure
that your committees may advance. This will continue to
memorialize the living legacy of Jeanne Clery and help better
focus efforts in a way that will improve campus safety. Thank
you in advance for your consideration.
Sincerely,
S. Daniel Carter,
President.
{time} 1830
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, the Stop Campus Hazing Act
addresses hazing as a campus safety issue, and updating the name is
better reflective of that focus.
Mr. Speaker, we have an obligation to ensure that every student has
access to a safe learning environment.
Today, with this legislation, we ensure that students and parents
will better understand the culture and dangers of hazing on college
campuses. As a result, I believe that H.R. 5646 is an important step
forward to protect the health, safety, and future of our students.
Again, I thank Representatives McBath and Duncan for their leadership
on this issue.
Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support the bill, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. OWENS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, for far too long, the culture of hazing has permeated
college campuses, impacting all types of student organizations. While
some anti-hazing policies and laws are in place, more can be done to
ensure all tools are appropriately used to deter this very dangerous
culture.
That is where H.R. 5646, the Stop Campus Hazing Act, comes in. It
will improve reporting and prevention on college campuses. Simply put,
it means ensuring students are safe.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the bill's authors, Representative Lucy McBath
and Representative Jeff Duncan.
Students and their parents have advocated for this legislation. We
have some of the families with us here today, and I would like to thank
the families of Timothy Piazza, Max Gruver, Marquise Braham, Harrison
Kowiak, Dalton Debrick, Collin Wiant, Justin King, George Desdunes,
Gary DeVercelly, Jr., Sam Martinez, Gordie Bailey, Robert Champion, and
Antonio Tsialis.
I also thank the Clery Center, StopHazing Coalition, Anti-Hazing
Coalition, National Panhellenic Conference, North American
Interfraternity Conference, National Pan-Hellenic Council, SAFE
Campuses, LLC, and dozens of other groups in support of H.R. 5646 that
have recognized this terrible issue and worked tirelessly with Congress
to draft this legislation.
Mr. Speaker, today is an important day for student safety. I urge my
colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation, and I yield back the
balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Utah (Mr. Owens) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the bill, H.R. 5646, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________