Urgent Action on Hate Crimes Legislation (October 9, 2000)

ISSUE:

On October 5, 2000, the hate crimes legislation was stripped from the Department of Defense Authorization bill, despite strong bipartisan support in both the House and Senate.

ACTION:

Call your member of the House and the Senate to urge that they add Hate Crimes back to the appropriations bills for consideration. Call the Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121. Also call Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-MS) at 202-224-3135 and ask him to bring this bill forward for a vote.

BACKGROUND:

It is up to the leadership in the House and Senate to bring legislation forward for voting. In the case of hate crime legislation, congressional leaders have turned their backs on legislation designed to send the message that all persons should be treated the same under the law; no matter what their race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, or disability.

This legislation would enhance the Federal government's ability to prosecute violent crimes motivated by race, color, religion, or national origin and would authorize Federal prosecution of crimes motivated by sexual orientation, gender, or disability. This legislation also recognizes that State and local law enforcement still have primary responsibility for investigating and prosecuting hate crimes.

It has been over two years since the brutal dragging death of James Byrd, Jr., and about two years since the heinous death of young Matthew Shepard. Their families-- and all the families of hate crimes victims across the country-- deserve no less than to have this legislation pass this year.

There is bipartisan support for this legislation in Congress. They have vowed to continue to fight to make sure this important work gets done this year. Your phone calls could make a difference here.

General Assembly

The 211th General Assembly (1999) of the Presbyterian Church (USA):

1. Supports federal legislation that provides enhanced penalties for violent crimes motivated by the actual or perceived race, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender, or disability of the victim.

2. Directs the Washington Office of the Presbyterian Church (USA) to make passage of such legislation a major priority of their advocacy work.

3. Directs the Stated Clerk of the General Assembly to communicate with the Washington Office of the National Council of Churches, calling upon that officer to make passage of such legislation a major priority of their advocacy work.

4. Directs the Stated Clerk to communicate with every state-level ecumenical agency doing advocacy work to which the Presbyterian Church (USA) is related a concern that they work in their state for the passage of such legislation.

5. Calls upon governing bodies, congregations, and individuals in states that do not have hate crime legislation to work for the passage of such legislation.

6. Calls upon governing bodies, congregations, and individuals in states that have hate crimes legislation to work to ensure that it provides protection for people based upon their actual or perceived race, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender, or disability.