Stop Campus Hazing Act

Floor Speech

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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 Max_Hurst@Klobuchar.Senate.gov 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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