[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 49 Introduced in House (IH)]
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115th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. CON. RES. 49
Supporting the goals and ideals of GLSEN's 2017 Day of Silence in
bringing attention to anti-lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and
queer name-calling, bullying, and harassment faced by individuals in
schools.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 6, 2017
Mr. Engel (for himself, Ms. Barragan, Mr. Cicilline, Ms. Clarke of New
York, Ms. DeGette, Ms. DelBene, Mr. Deutch, Mrs. Dingell, Ms. Esty, Mr.
Grijalva, Ms. Hanabusa, Mr. Hastings, Ms. Norton, Ms. Jayapal, Mr.
Keating, Mr. Khanna, Mr. Kilmer, Mr. Krishnamoorthi, Ms. Kuster of New
Hampshire, Mr. Lowenthal, Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney of New York, Mr.
Moulton, Mr. Norcross, Mr. Pallone, Mr. Peters, Mr. Pocan, Mr. Price of
North Carolina, Miss Rice of New York, Ms. Sanchez, Ms. Sinema, Ms.
Slaughter, Ms. Speier, Mr. Swalwell of California, Mr. Takano, Mr.
Tonko, Ms. Tsongas, Ms. Wasserman Schultz, Mr. Welch, Ms. Wilson of
Florida, Mr. Sean Patrick Maloney of New York, and Mr. Polis) submitted
the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the
Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the
Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined
by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as
fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Supporting the goals and ideals of GLSEN's 2017 Day of Silence in
bringing attention to anti-lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and
queer name-calling, bullying, and harassment faced by individuals in
schools.
Whereas the National Day of Silence is a day in which students take a vow of
silence to bring attention to the anti-lesbian, gay, bisexual,
transgender, and queer name-calling, bullying, and harassment faced by
individuals in schools;
Whereas GLSEN is a national nonprofit organization working to ensure safe and
affirming learning environments in primary and secondary schools
nationwide, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender
expression;
Whereas GLSEN designates one day of every April as the Day of Silence;
Whereas hundreds of thousands of students at thousands of schools have
participated in the National Day of Silence in past years;
Whereas GLSEN's 2015 National School Climate Survey illustrates the pervasive
harassment and victimization faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual,
transgender, and queer students by documenting their experiences within
the preceding academic year;
Whereas 70 percent of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students reported
being verbally harassed by their peers at school because of their sexual
orientation, and 54 percent because of their gender expression;
Whereas 27 percent of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students reported
being physically harassed by their peers at school because of their
sexual orientation, and 20 percent because of their gender expression;
Whereas nearly 13 percent of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students
reported being physically assaulted by their peers at school because of
their sexual orientation, and 9 percent because of their gender
expression;
Whereas 57 percent of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students reported
that they felt unsafe in school because of their sexual orientation, and
31.8 percent reported missing at least one entire school day in the
preceding month because of safety concerns;
Whereas transgender students were more likely than all other students to report
feeling unsafe at school because of their gender expression;
Whereas according to the 2015 National Transgender Discrimination Survey, those
who expressed a transgender identity or gender nonconformity while in
grades K through 12 reported alarming rates of harassment, physical
assault, and sexual violence so severe that 17 percent of those surveyed
had to leave school;
Whereas student academic performance is affected such that lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender students who experienced high levels of verbal
harassment because of their sexual orientation or gender expression
report a grade point average nearly a half grade lower than those of
lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students who experienced low
levels of such harassment;
Whereas the presence of supportive staff contributed to a range of positive
indicators including fewer reports of missing school, fewer reports of
feeling unsafe, greater academic achievement, higher educational
aspirations, and a greater sense of school belonging;
Whereas a growing number of States, cities, and local education authorities are
adopting laws and policies to prohibit name-calling, bullying,
harassment, and discrimination against students on the basis of their
sexual orientation and gender identity or expression; and
Whereas every child should be guaranteed an education free from name-calling,
bullying, harassment, and discrimination regardless of his or her sexual
orientation and gender identity or expression: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),
That Congress--
(1) supports the goals and ideals of the National Day of
Silence;
(2) requests that the President issue a proclamation
calling on the people of the United States to observe the
GLSEN's Day of Silence with appropriate ceremonies, programs,
and activities; and
(3) encourages each State, city, and local educational
agency to adopt laws and policies to prohibit name-calling,
bullying, harassment, and discrimination against students,
teachers, and other school staff regardless of their sexual
orientation and gender identity or expression, so that the
Nation's schools are institutions where all individuals are
able to focus on learning.
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