Recognizing National Hazing Prevention Week

Floor Speech

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Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize National Hazing Prevention Week.

For far too long, hazing has been a dangerous, unacceptable issue that has plagued college campuses nationwide.

Hazing is often masked as a tradition or necessary step to joining many student organizations, but let me be clear: Hazing isn't harmless, fun, or a rite of passage. It is a serious issue that puts the physical, emotional, and psychological well-being of students at risk.

Hazing does not build genuine connections out of camaraderie or mutual respect. It creates a power dynamic based on fear. No student should ever be forced to endure demeaning or dangerous acts to feel accepted or to prove their loyalty to others.

It is tragic that these abhorrent acts still occur on campuses across our country. We all play a role in holding clubs, organizations, sports teams, individuals, and campuses to a higher standard when it comes to the well-being of students, which is why I have long advocated for student safety on campuses during my time in Congress.

In 2019, I introduced the END ALL Hazing Act to increase campuswide transparency and accountability for all student organizations.

Earlier this month, I led the effort to advance the Stop Campus Hazing Act through the House Committee on Education and the Workforce alongside several of my colleagues.

Hazing is a serious threat to life and safety on campuses, but obtaining facts about hazing can be somewhat challenging. Under current Federal law, there are no national reporting requirements, and there is no clear definition of hazing.

The Stop Campus Hazing Act, which includes provisions from my END ALL Hazing Act, would require institutions to report hazing incidents in their annual security report, also known as their Clery report, and enact a responsible definition of hazing that holds perpetrators accountable and protects students nationwide.

This bill also streamlines reporting requirements by respecting State laws and includes several transparency measures to ensure students, parents, and the public can access information about hazing incidents within any student organization.

The formation of the Stop Campus Hazing Act would not have been 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.

Today would have been Tim's 27th birthday.

As a parent, I cannot imagine Evelyn and Jim's tremendous loss. In the face of this unspeakable tragedy, Evelyn and Jim have been at the forefront of efforts in Pennsylvania, in Congress, and in other States around the country to speak about the dangers of hazing and enact change in Tim's honor.

Their advocacy led to the establishment of the Timothy J. Piazza Center for Fraternity and Sorority Research and Reform at Penn State, whose research helped shape the Stop Campus Hazing Act and led to the enactment of some of the strongest antihazing laws anywhere in the country and Pennsylvania.

Hazing is unacceptable behavior that can lead to great bodily harm and even death. These tragic actions leave families struggling with the loss of their loved ones, changing the trajectory of their lives forever.

Mr. Speaker, these are not isolated events. These are preventable tragedies. We must safeguard the dignity and safety of every student and ensure that our campuses foster an environment of learning and growth.

For these reasons, Mr. Speaker, I urge all Americans to recognize the significance of National Hazing Prevention Week and urge all of my colleagues in this Chamber to continue to support commonsense reforms to protect each and every student nationwide.

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