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Alert for Today!—
National Hate Crimes Prevention Act

Compiled by GayToday
See Contact Numbers Below

hatecrimes2.jpg - 8.32 K Washington, D.C.—Today, October 19, is National Hate Crimes Prevention Call-In Day. The reason for announcing this day, say activists, is because lawmakers in the U.S. Congress need to know that constituents are watching what they do or do not do at election time.

A series of delays and derailings recently engineered by the Republican leadership in the House has sabotaged bipartisan passage of the inclusive Hate Crimes Prevention Act.

On June 20, the Senate passed on a 57-42 vote a hate crimes prevention amendment to the Department of Defense Authorization bill. This amendment was an updated version of the Hate Crimes Prevention Act.

On September 13, by a wide, bipartisan margin, the House passed a motion to instruct conferees to retain the hate crimes language in the DOD Authorization Bill.

Despite overwhelming support for this legislation, on October 5th, the GOP leadership removed the hate crimes legislation from the Department of Defense Authorization bill.

The Hate Crimes Prevention Act will allow federal prosecution of hate crimes directed against a person's race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, and disability.

This piece of legislation had won the support of a broad, bipartisan majority in both chambers of Congress, the President, and 175 law enforcement, religious, civic, and civil rights groups.

Related Stories from the GayToday Archive:

Hate Crime Bill Clears Major Hurdle in U.S. Congress

Major Setback Given Hate Crime Law by GOP Leadership

Republican Leadership Kills Hate Crimes Prevention Act

Related Sites:
HateCrime.org

GayToday does not endorse related sites.

It is critical to tell President Clinton and Congressional leadership that failing to strengthen the federal hate crimes statute this year is simply unacceptable.

It is critical that the 106th Congress pass hate crimes prevention legislation so that every American can live in an environment free of the terror brought on by hate violence.

Congress must not adjourn this year without enacting legislation to strengthen the federal response to hate crime violence.

Call the Congressional leadership today, October 19, to urge passage of hate crimes prevention legislation:

Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-MS) 202-224-3135

Minority Leader Tom Daschle (D-SD) 202-224-5556

Speaker of the House J. Dennis Hastert (R-IL) 202-225-0600

Minority Leader Richard Gephardt (D-MO) 202-225-0100

Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK) 202-224-3004

Senator Robert Byrd (D-WV) 202-2243954

Representative C.W. Bill Young (R-FL) 202- 225-5961

Representative David Obey (D-WI) 202-225-3365



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