[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 12]
[House]
[Pages 16885-16887]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  SUPPORTING THE GOALS AND IDEALS OF NATIONAL CAMPUS SAFETY AWARENESS 
                                 MONTH

  Mr. HARE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 1288) supporting the goals and ideals of National 
Campus Safety Awareness Month, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 1288

       Whereas college and university campuses are not immune from 
     the crime problems that face the rest of society in the 
     United States;
       Whereas a total of 37 homicides, 8,112 forcible-sex 
     offenses, 8,923 aggravated assaults, and 3,071 cases of arson 
     were reported on college and university campuses from 2004 to 
     2006, in accordance with the reporting requirements under the 
     Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus 
     Crime Statistics Act (20 U.S.C. 1092(f); Public Law 89-329);
       Whereas criminal experts estimate that between \1/5\ and 
     \1/4\ of female students become the victim of a completed or 
     attempted rape, usually by someone they know, during their 
     college careers, but fewer than 5 percent report the assault 
     to law enforcement;
       Whereas each year, 13 percent of female students enrolled 
     in an undergraduate program at a college or university will 
     be victims of stalking;
       Whereas 1,700 college and university students between the 
     ages of 18 and 24 die each year from unintentional alcohol-
     related injuries, including motor vehicle accidents;
       Whereas Security On Campus, Inc. (hereinafter referred to 
     as ``SOC''), a national nonprofit group dedicated to 
     promoting safety and security on college and university 
     campuses, has designated September as National Campus Safety 
     Awareness Month;
       Whereas each September since 2005, SOC has partnered with 
     colleges and universities across the United States to offer 
     National Campus Safety Awareness Month educational 
     programming on sexual assault, alcohol and other drug abuse, 
     hazing, stalking, and other critical campus safety issues; 
     and
       Whereas National Campus Safety Awareness Month provides an 
     opportunity for entire campus communities to become engaged 
     in efforts to improve campus safety: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) supports the goals and ideals of National Campus Safety 
     Awareness Month; and
       (2) encourages colleges and universities throughout the 
     United States to provide campus safety and other crime 
     awareness and prevention programs to all students throughout 
     the year.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Hare) and the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Keller) each 
will control 20 minutes.

[[Page 16886]]

  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois.


                             General Leave

  Mr. HARE. Mr. Speaker, I request 5 legislative days in which Members 
may revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material on 
H. Res. 1288 into the Record.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Illinois?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. HARE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise today in support of House Resolution 1288, which recognizes 
September as the National Campus Safety Awareness Month. I urge 
colleges and universities from across the country to do what they can 
to prevent violence, crime and abuse on their campuses.

                              {time}  1815

  The campus safety movement started in the late 1980s, soon after the 
tragic death of a student at Lehigh University. On April 5, 1986, 
Jeanne Clery, a freshman at Lehigh, was beaten, raped and murdered in 
her dormitory room. The offender was another Lehigh student who tried 
to rob Jeanne as she slept in the room. The two did not know each 
other.
  Clery's case brought college campus safety to the forefront when it 
exposed flaws in the reporting of crime information related to violence 
on the campus. At that time, violent and nonviolent incidents were 
reported to campus authorities, but administrators did not have to 
disclose the information.
  In the aftermath of Ms. Clery's murder, her parents, Connie and 
Howard Clery, founded Security on Campus, Inc. to end violence on all 
college campuses. It is a unique, nonprofit grass roots organization 
dedicated to safe campuses for college and university students.
  Security on Campus, Inc. partners with a number of colleges to offer 
educational programs on sexual assault, alcohol and drugs. Programs 
like Security on Campus, Inc. have done a lot to educate students about 
campus safety. They have partnered with over 150 colleges and 
universities from 42 States across this Nation.
  More than 37 homicides and 8,112 forcible sex offenses were reported 
on college and university campuses from the year 2004 through 2006. 
Many of the violence and rape cases take place within the first few 
weeks of school.
  As we commemorate National Campus Safety Awareness Month in 
September, let us focus our efforts on educating our students about 
campus safety. Students need to be reminded every year about practical 
precautions to increase their safety. Anyone can become a victim of a 
campus crime, and it is imperative that students are taught how to 
avoid dangerous situations.
  Mr. Speaker, once again, I express my support for National Campus 
Safety Awareness Month, and I urge my colleagues to support this 
resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. KELLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 1288, a 
resolution supporting the goals and ideals of National Campus Safety 
Month.
  I would like to thank my colleague, Congressman Sestak, for 
introducing this important resolution, recognizing the importance of 
safety on college campuses, and the efforts of outside organizations to 
dedicate September to promoting greater awareness of campus safety 
issues.
  Over the past few years, we have seen how important it is to pay 
attention to our students' safety on campus. It is unfortunate that 
sometimes it takes tragic events like those occurring at Virginia Tech 
and Northern Illinois for us to remember that crimes take place on 
college campuses all over the country. It is important that Congress 
continue to encourage institutions to update their campus security 
plans and ensure that they have plans in place to deal with all types 
of emergencies.
  I'm pleased to support this resolution, and I urge my colleagues on 
both sides of the aisle to do the same.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HARE. Mr. Speaker, at this time, I yield 3 minutes to the author 
of this very important resolution that we're considering, the gentleman 
from Pennsylvania (Mr. Sestak).
  Mr. SESTAK. Mr. Speaker, this August and September students will be 
returning back to their colleges and universities. It's a great time. 
And yet we're reminded by the comments on either side of the aisle that 
they're not going to be immune from the unique challenges that face us 
in the realities of our own homes elsewhere in the cities and suburbs 
of America. The tragic shootings at Virginia Tech, which ended in the 
death of 32 people, or the shootings at Northern Illinois University, 
where 24 people were shot and six died, emphasizes the importance of 
this issue of campus safety.
  As my colleague mentioned, the Department of Education noted that 
between 2004 and 2006 there were not only 8,000 forcible sex offenses, 
9,000 aggravated assaults, 3,000 cases of arson, but also 37 homicides 
on the colleges and universities of what we like to think are our ivory 
towers.
  We also know that between one-fifth and one-fourth of female students 
will become the victim of a completed or an attempted rape--usually by 
someone they know--during their undergraduate careers, and yet less 
than 5 percent of the cases are ever reported.
  The National Advisory Council on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism notes 
that each year there are over 1,700 college students between the ages 
of 18 and 24 who will die from unintentional alcohol-related injuries, 
including motor vehicle accidents. That's why this resolution is so 
important, originally introduced by a colleague on the other side of 
this aisle in 2005, and the idea of a national nonprofit organization 
in my district, Security on Campus--King of Prussia, Pennsylvania is 
their home base--founded by the parents of which you noted, my 
colleague, by the parents of a 19-year-old college freshman, Jeanne 
Clery, who was raped and killed in her bed in college.
  In 2007, 150 colleges came together from 42 States and the city of 
Washington, D.C. to participate in programs on campus security; this 
was up from 50 the year before. This year, we expect over 350 colleges 
to come together. This is not the step, but it is a step towards 
eliminating an issue that we all have cared about, that of our children 
and their security, particularly when they are there to have education 
security.
  I urge all my colleagues to show their concern for the safety of the 
more than 15 million students we have in this great Nation of ours. And 
I encourage my colleagues to support this resolution.
  Mr. KELLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, at this time, I yield 1 minute to 
the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Duncan).
  Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution. And I 
thank the author and all of those who have brought this resolution to 
the floor here today.
  I rise only briefly to say that one of my constituents, Mr. Daniel 
Carter, who heads up an organization called Security on Campus, has 
been absolutely probably the leading person in this Nation in 
advocating more action and tougher action against crimes that are 
committed on campus.
  In my district of Knoxville, Tennessee, we have the 26,000 student 
University of Tennessee, and several other colleges that are also 
located in my district, so this is an issue of great concern to me. And 
I think this resolution will assist in calling attention to what has 
become a very, very serious problem in this Nation. Unfortunately, it 
was highlighted, as previous speakers have said, about the terrible 
tragedies that occurred at Northern Illinois and Virginia Tech. And so 
I urge strong support of this resolution.
  Mr. HARE. I continue to reserve, Mr. Speaker.
  Mr. KELLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote 
``yes'' for this resolution.
  Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support the goals and 
ideals of National Campus Safety Awareness Month: As a cosponsor of 
this thoughtful resolution, I would like to commend my colleague from 
the House

[[Page 16887]]

Armed Services Committee--Admiral Sestak of Pennsylvania--for his 
leadership on this important issue.
  National Campus Safety Awareness Month--first established in 
September 2005--works to both heighten awareness and to improve the 
overall safety on our college and university campuses. H. Res. 1288 
supports the goals of this initiative and encourages all institutions 
of higher learning to participate in this very worthy endeavor.
  Mr. Speaker, despite the work that has been accomplished to increase 
campus safety at colleges and universities across the country, college 
students are still very susceptible to criminal acts. Between 2004 and 
2006 alone, colleges and universities reported 37 homicides, 8,114 
forcible-sex offenses, 8,923 aggravated assaults, and 3,071 cases of 
arson.
  I applaud the work being done by organizations like Security On 
Campus (SOC) that are dedicated to using educational programming to 
teach students how to handle the potential dangers of their 
surroundings.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support H. Res. 1288.
  Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. 
Res. 1288, supporting the goals and ideals of National Campus Safety 
Awareness Month.
  Each year since 2005 the national non-profit organization Security On 
Campus, Inc. has designated September as National Campus Safety 
Awareness Month.
  Security On Campus partners with colleges and universities across the 
country each year to offer important campus safety programming during 
National Campus Safety Awareness Month in September.
  I am pleased to have worked with Security on Campus on a provision in 
the Higher Education bill dealing with timely safety notifications on 
college campuses.
  This year 350 campuses will formally partner with Security on Campus 
to offer campus safety activities as a part of National Campus Safety 
Awareness Month.
  This programming covers critical issues including sexual assault, 
high risk drinking, and hazing, which are among the most serious safety 
issues facing our Nation's campuses.
  September, at the beginning of the new school-year, is an ideal time 
to reach out to new and returning students, many of whom are on their 
own for the first time.
  I applaud Security on Campus as a leading voice on behalf of students 
and parents for safer college and university campuses, and their 
partners for offering this life-saving program.
  As a proud cosponsor of H. Res. 1288, I would also like to thank 
Congressman Sestak for introducing the resolution.
  I encourage my colleagues to support this measure.
  Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, each fall, students arrive on college campuses 
and universities across the Nation to further their education. There is 
a general excitement about campus life and the opportunity to live away 
from home for the first time with little to no rules. However, the 
harsh reality soon becomes evident--that campuses are not immune from 
the threat of crime.
  Recognizing the very real presence of crime on college campuses and 
universities across America, I am a cosponsor of H. Res. 1288, 
Supporting the goals and ideals of National Campus Safety Awareness 
Month. This resolution designates the month of September as the 
National Campus Safety Awareness Month in partnership with hundreds of 
colleges and universities in the Nation.
  As the co-chair and founder of the Congressional Victim's Rights 
Caucus, I strongly believe that we need to raise awareness about crime 
issues present on campuses, such as sexual assault, stalking, hazing, 
and alcohol and drug abuse.
  This resolution encourages our Nation's colleges and universities to 
promote campus safety and crime awareness prevention programs. I am 
proud to know that several colleges and universities from my home state 
of Texas participated in the National Campus Safety Awareness Month 
last year, and my hope is that even more campuses and universities 
participate this year.
  The facts are before us--from 2004-2006 there were 8,114 forcible-sex 
offenses, 8,923 aggravated assaults, and 37 homicides on college and 
university campuses. Although we would like to think that these higher 
education institutions are immune from such heinous acts of crime, 
sadly they are not.
  I join with Rep. Sestak in support of H. Res. 1288, the National 
Campus Safety Awareness Month, because although there is a lot of work 
to be done to make our campuses a safer place, this resolution is a 
step in the right direction.
  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 1288, 
establishing September as National Campus Safety Awareness Month. Every 
college and university student should have the opportunity for a 
quality education on a campus where he or she feels safe and 
comfortable. We need to support efforts by our nation's higher 
education institutions to improve safety on our campuses.
  National Campus Safety Awareness Month will encourage institutions to 
participate in endeavors to increase campus safety. September, one of 
the first months back to school, is a perfect time to remind college 
and university students about the importance of campus and personal 
safety. During the month of September and throughout the year, colleges 
and universities will be motivated to inform students about critical 
campus issues like sexual assault, drug and alcohol abuse, hazing, and 
stalking. Schools will be encouraged to use preventative programming to 
address potential problems early. By increasing knowledge and 
prevention of these issues, I know students can receive the valuable 
educational experience they deserve. I ask my colleagues to join me in 
supporting H. Res. 1288.
  Mr. KELLER of Florida. I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. HARE. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time and ask my 
colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this resolution.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hare) that the House suspend the rules and 
agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1288, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. KELLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the 
ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a 
quorum is not present.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

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