Thompson, Colleagues Introduce National Hazing Awareness Week Resolution

September 25, 2026 Press Release WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representatives Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-Pa.) and Lucy McBath (D-Ga.) introduced a resolution to recognize September 21-25, 2026, as “National Hazing Awareness Week.” The resolution recognizes the hundreds of students who have died or suffered severe, life-altering injuries as a result of collegiate hazing and promotes efforts to prevent hazing. United States Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.) introduced the Senate companion resolution. “Hazing has left countless students with life-altering injuries, and too many families have had to endure the loss of a loved one. I am pleased to introduce this bipartisan resolution to bring awareness, accountability, and transparency to campuses in an effort to help protect students from hazing,” Rep. Thompson said. “I have been honored to work with families and advocates to pass legislation to end campus hazing. I know what it's like to lose a loved one, and no parent should ever have to bury their child,” Rep. McBath said. “I’m glad to lead efforts once again to spread awareness about the pain of these incidents and am grateful to my colleagues for their continued commitment to protecting our students.” “When parents send their kids away to college, they expect they will get a good education and make new friends. They don’t expect them to be harassed and hazed. Hazing is a dangerous — and at times deadly — reality that students are confronted with,” Sen. Klobuchar said. “With this resolution, we honor the students who have died or been severely injured due to hazing and promote preventive efforts. This goes hand in hand with our bipartisan Stop Campus Hazing Act , which is improving hazing reporting and prevention on college campuses.” “Students should not have to fear getting physically or emotionally harmed while they are simply trying to find community at college,” Dr. Cassidy said. “Thanks to the tireless work of the Gruver family and other advocates, we passed the Stop Campus Hazing Act last Congress to increase accountability and ensure hazing is never ignored.” Background: In 2024, the Stop Campus Hazing Act was signed into law to combat hazing and dangerous practices towards students on college campuses by ensuring transparency and setting parameters for preventative action. The law includes many anti-hazing provisions long championed by Rep. Thompson and Evelyn and Jim Piazza , whose son, Tim Piazza , tragically passed away in February 2017 at Penn State as a direct result of a hazing ritual at his fraternity. Today, September 25, would have been Tim's 29th birthday. The Piazza's 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 anti-hazing laws anywhere in the country in Pennsylvania. Read the full resolution here .