VIDEO: Stevens Delivers Remarks on Bipartisan Anti-Bullying Legislation

WASHINGTON — Today, Congresswoman Haley Stevens (MI-11) spoke on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives in support of Danny’s Law, bipartisan legislation to address bullying in schools. The legislation was adopted unanimously.

In August 2016, 13-year-old Daniel Fitzpatrick took his own life as a direct result of bullying at school. His family became outspoken anti-bullying advocates and established the foundation Danny's Angel Network Nurturing Youth (D.A.N.N.Y.) Inc., which seeks to raise awareness and end bullying in schools.

Congresswoman Stevens joined Reps. Max Rose (D-NY), Peter King (R-NY), and Tom Reed (R-NY) to introduce Danny’s Law in July 2019. The bipartisan legislation would direct the President to establish an “Anti-Bullying Roundtable,” a commission tasked with studying bullying in elementary and secondary schools in the United States. The Roundtable is to consult with State and local educational agencies regarding policies on bullying, stakeholder education, and instances of student violence and self-harm as a result of bullying.

“One out of every five kids in this country experiences bullying,” said Congresswoman Stevens. “The problem has grown and moved from beyond the playground to the Internet as students spend more and more time online. Bullying contributes to emotional and mental health problems for children across this country, and in far too many cases has driven kids to suicide. In fact, a recently released CDC report stated that suicide among youth ages 10 to 24 has increased nearly 60 percent in the last 10 years. This an issue that deserves our consideration, deserves research, and deserves action. We simply must do more to prevent bullying and its devastating consequences.”

The Roundtable will produce both a best practices report and a final report:

• The best practices report would identify and recommend best practices concerning bullying in elementary and secondary schools in the United States. This report is to be submitted to Congress no later than 270 days after the Roundtable is formed.
• The final report would detail the findings and conclusions of the Roundtable and recommend legislative and/or administrative actions to be taken. This report is to be submitted to Congress no later than one year after the Roundtable is formed.

The Roundtable is to be composed of 13 members, including one chairperson, appointed by the President for the duration of the Roundtable. The members, who would serve without pay, are to be stakeholders, such as teachers, parents of school children, and guidance counselors.

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