[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 152 (Tuesday, October 1, 2024)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1007]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
STOP CAMPUS HAZING ACT
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speech of
HON. ROBERT C. ``BOBBY'' SCOTT
of virginia
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, September 24, 2024
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, as we debate H.R. 5646, Stop
Campus Hazing Act, important legislation to address hazing on our
college campuses, I include in the Record a letter of support for H.R.
5646 signed by parents who lost their children to hazing.
March 7, 2024.
Dear Member of Congress, We are writing to communicate the
importance of the Stop Campus Hazing Act (S. 2901, H.R.
5646), a bill that will save lives. When our children/spouse
started college we were filled with pride and excitement for
what the future would bring. Never did we imagine that
sending them to school meant we would never see them alive
again. Instead of celebrating their graduation, we will spend
the rest of our lives grieving their loss, because our loved
ones were killed or seriously injured as a result of hazing.
Hazing is often thought of as a harmless bonding
experience, but the reality is hazing threatens students'
health and safety due to its intimidating, harassing, and
often violent nature (StopHazing Research Lab, 2020). The
National Study of Student Hazing found that more than 55% of
college students involved in clubs, teams, and organizations
experience hazing at colleges and universities throughout the
U.S. These acts can cause serious psychological, emotional,
physical injuries, and death. Over the past two decades, the
number of identified hazing tragedies and deaths has
escalated at an alarming rate.
Since 2015 Julie and Gary DeVercelly, whose son Gary
DeVercelly, Jr. died as the result of a fraternity hazing
ritual in 2007, have been tirelessly advocating for federal
legislation that would require institutions to take action to
prevent hazing incidents. We join them in urging you to
support the Stop Campus Hazing Act, a bill that will help
prevent other families from experiencing the loss we have
endured. The Stop Campus Hazing Act requires the inclusion of
hazing incidents as Clery Act crime statistics in Annual
Security Reports; a publicly available transparency report
that shares institutional hazing policies and identifies
organizations that have violated them; and a comprehensive
research-based educational programming on hazing for all
stakeholders.
Our families' tragedies were preventable, and the more time
that goes by before federal legislation is passed, the more
young people will be harmed and killed by hazing. The time is
now--we urge you to support this bill in honor of our loved
one and the countless others who have been harmed.
Please contact Matthew.Golden@Mail.
House.gov in Representative Lucy McBath's office or
[email protected] in Senator Klobuchar's office
to co-sponsor the Stop Campus Hazing Act. Visit the
StopHazing website to learn more or contact the Executive
Director of Clery Center, Jessica Mertz, with questions
(jmertz@
clerycenter.org).
Thank you,
Patricia Strong-Fargas, (parent of Kristin High--died 9/9/
2002 at California State University, Los Angeles); Karim
Saafir, (spouse of Kenitha Saafir--died 9/9/2002 at
California State University, Los Angeles); Mark Warren &
Freada Warren, (parents of Clay R. Warren--died 9/21/2002 at
Texas Tech University); Leslie & Michael Lanahan, (parents of
Lynn Gordon Bailey (``Gordie'')--died 9/17/2004 at University
of Colorado Boulder); Debbie & Greg Smith, (parents of
Matthew William Carrington--died 2/2/2005 at California State
University, Chico); Julie Greaves DeVercelly & Gary Louis
DeVercelly, Sr., (parents of Gary Louis DeVercelly, Jr.--died
3/30/2007 at Rider University); Julie & Tim Griffin, (parents
of Brett Joseph Griffin--died 11/8/2008 at University of
Delaware); Julia K. & H. Scott Starkey, (parents of Carson
Leonard Starkey--died 12/2/2008 at California Polytechnic
State University); Marie L. Andre, (parent of George B.
Desdunes--died 2/25/2011 at Cornell University); Robert G. &
Pamela E. Champion, (parents of Robert Darnell Champion--died
11/19/2011 at Florida A&M University); Dionne & Steven
Williams, (parents of Jauwan Mikal Holmes--died 4/20/2013 at
Virginia State University); Debbie & Danny Debrick, (parents
of Dalton Debrick--died 8/24/2014 at Texas Tech University);
Cindy & Gary Hipps, (parents of Tucker W. Hipps--died 9/22/
2014 at Clemson University); Theron J. & Kimberly A. Burch,
(parents of Nolan M. Burch--died 11/14/2014 at West Virginia
University); Sandy & Tom Coffey, (parents of Andrew Coffey--
died 11/3/2017 at Florida State University); Daphne Beletsis
and Yvonne Rainey, (parents of Alex Beletsis--died 6/20/2018
at U.C. Santa Cruz); Kathleen & Wade Wiant, (parents of
Collin Wiant--died 11/12/2018 at Ohio University); Flavia
Tomasello & John Tsialas, (parents of Antonio Tsialas--died
10/24/2019 at Cornell University); Jolayne Houtz & Hector
Martinez, (parents of Sam Martinez--died 11/12/2019 at
Washington State University); Eric & Linda Oaks, (parents of
Adam Jeffrey Oakes--died 2/27/2021 at Virginia Commonwealth
University); Shad & Cory Foltz, (parents of Stone Justin
Foltz--died 3/7/2021 at Bowling Green State University);
Tracey & Kirk Hazelwood, (parents of Thomas Lofton
Hazelwood--died 10/18/2021 at University of Kentucky); Thomas
& Mary Pat Santulli, (parents of Danny Santulli--critically
injured 10/19/2021 at University of Missouri).
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