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Suspension Vote Is Calculated Effort to Stop Hate Crimes Legislation from Advancing

WASHINGTON - Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., offered legislation that passed today under a suspension of the rules designed to circumvent the House’s prior bipartisan passage of hate crimes legislation. The Children’s Safety and Violent Crimes Reduction Act of 2005was considered as a clear calculation to try to stop the advancement of a hate crimes amendment which won a first-time, historical passage by the U.S. House of Representatives last September — 223 to 199, with 30 Republicans casting their votes in support.

“The United States Congress is not a card game. You can’t just keep re-shuffling the deck if you don’t like the first hand the majority deals you,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. “The House has already passed hate crimes legislation by a clear majority. To callously disregard that vote signals how far out of step House leadership is with both the majority of Congress and the American people.”

The hate crimes measure enjoys strong bipartisan support and is endorsed by more than 175 law enforcement, civil rights, civic and religious organizations, including the National Sheriffs’ Association, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association and many others. Hate crimes legislation is a crucial tool to allow the federal government to assist local authorities who lack the resources to effectively respond to the unique, sensitive and complex nature of hate violence.

“Hate crimes are often times crimes against children and our goal should be to protect all of America’s children from violence,” said Solmonese. “It is hypocritical to claim to promote child safety while squashing legislation that would keep millions of Americans, children included, safe from hate violence.”

The majority of the American people and members of Congress support hate crimes legislation. National polling, including a Kaiser Family Foundation poll released in November 2001, shows 73 percent of Americans supporting hate crimes legislation.

The Human Rights Campaign is the largest national lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender political organization with members throughout the country. It effectively lobbies Congress, provides campaign support and educates the public to ensure that LGBT Americans can be open, honest and safe at home, at work and in the community.