Rep. Chu calls for hearings on military hazing

“It was a slap in the face to the life of Harry Lew,” Chu
said. “These numerous and violent hazing incidents and the lack justice in
Harry’s case show that hazing is not taken seriously by the military.”

{mosads}Chu, who was joined by House Armed Services ranking member
Adam Smith (D-Wash.), Rep. Mike Honda (D-Calif.) and Rep. Barbara Lee
(D-Calif.), said she wanted there to be more training and accountability when
it came to hazing.

Chu had Lew’s sister Carmen Lew read a statement by phone.

Honda, who represents Lew’s family in Congress, said that Lew’s case and
other recent high profile hazing incidents show the military’s system for
combating the issue “does not work.”

Chu brought up the issue of hazing at a hearing last September on
military suicides, which she sat in on, asking military officials in the services about their policy
toward it. All said they condemned it and that hazing goes against the military’s
core values.

Chu and the other House members sent a letter last week to the House Armed Services and Oversight and Government Reform Committees asking for hearings.