Menendez Joins Colleagues in Introducing Bill Aimed to Reduce Bullying and Harassment at Colleges Across the Country

Press Release

U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) today joined a group of his colleagus in introducing legislation aimed at reducing bullying and harassment, including cyberbullying, at colleges and universities around the country. The Tyler Clementi Higher Education Anti-Harassment Act of 2019 would require institutions of higher education to establish policies to prohibit harassment based on actual or perceived race, color, national origin, sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity), disability, or religion. The bill also establishes a grant program to support campus anti-harassment activities and programs.

"Students should feel safe and protected while receiving an education at America's colleges and universities," said Sen. Menendez. "Unfortunately, harassment and bullying is still prevalent and we must ensure our academic institutions are proactive in putting an end to this horror."

The legislation is named after Tyler Clementi, a freshman at Rutgers University, who died by suicide after his roommate and another student invaded his privacy and harassed him over the internet. One in five college students are victims of cyberbullying, and LGBTQ students are nearly twice as likely to experience harassment as their peers.

Joining Sen. Menendez in introducing the legislation are Sens. Patty Murray, Tammy Baldwin, Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Bob Casey (D-Penn.), Tammy Duckworth (Ill.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Kristin Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Jackie Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).