Stop Campus Hazing Act

Floor Speech

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.

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 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).

Todd Shelton, Executive Director, Hazing Prevention Network.

Dani Weatherford, CEO, National Panhellenic Conference.

Judson Horras, CEO, North American Interfraternity Conference.

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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.

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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.

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