Federal hate-crimes legislation that expands coverage to gays and lesbians was reintroduced in the U.S. Senate May 1 by lead sponsors Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., Gordon Smith. R-Ore., and Arlen Specter, R-Penn. The measure is officially known as the Local Law Enforcement Enhancement Act (S 966).
‘Hate crimes are a violation of everything our country stands for. Like all acts of terrorism, they have an impact far greater than that suffered by the individual victims and their families. They send the poisonous message that some Americans deserve to be attacked solely because of who they are,’ Sen. Kennedy said at a news conference.
Sen. Smith commented, ‘We need to add the category of sexual orientation because it is so critical that we say to our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters that we care about you, we include you, we want to defend you. And we want to say that there is no family value to be served in opposing hate crime legislation.’
A similar measure passed the Senate in July 1999 as an amendment to the Commerce, Justice, State appropriations bill, and in June 2000 as an amendment to a Department of Defense authorization bill.
The recent roadblock has been in the House, where the Republican leadership has not allowed a vote. HRC maintains they have the votes to pass the measure, but the leadership will not allow that because it is playing to a base of support among social conservatives.
HRC also announced they are teaming with the Gender Public Advocacy Coalition (GenderPAC) in seeking statements of nondiscrimination by members of congress in hiring for their own offices. HRC has long sought such statements of nondiscrimination based on sexual orientation. Now they are adding the terms gender identity and expression to the statement.
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