Senate Extends Protections to Gays, Lesbians in Hate Crimes Act

Sept. 27, 2007— -- Senators voted Thursday morning to give the federal government more jurisdiction to prosecute hate crimes and included protections for gay, lesbian and transgender victims, attaching the measure to an annual defense policy bill.

Sixty Senators -- just enough to override a Republican filibuster -- voted to attach the Matthew Shepard Act, named for the gay Wyoming college student murdered in 1998, as an amendment to the 2008 Department of Defense authorization bill. The measure was sponsored by Sens. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., and Gordon Smith, R-Ore.

Kennedy argued this morning, in an impassioned speech on the Senate floor, that the law is necessary because hate crimes are on the rise in the United States.

"Hate crimes are increasing. They are not diminishing in the United States of America," Kennedy said. "Local officials do not have the tools to deal with the most vicious kind of attacks."

Kennedy said the law would help balance U.S. domestic policy with its foreign policy. "We should be attacking the problems of hatred at home like we are attacking the problems of hatred abroad."

The measure would give the federal government more leeway to investigate and prosecute hate crimes and increase federal jurisdiction on such crimes. More important, it would expand the groups protected under current law to include such categories as disability, gender, sexual orientation and gender identity.

"Today's Senate vote sends a bold and unmistakable message that violent crimes committed in the name of hate must end," said Judy and Dennis Shepard, Matthew Shepard's parents, in a written statement. "The Matthew Shepard Act is an essential step to erasing hate in America, and we are humbled that it bears our son's name. It has been almost nine years since Matthew was taken from us. This bill is a fitting tribute to his memory and to all of those who have lost their lives to hate."

Supporters of the bill drew the ire of some Republicans, who said the bill was not germane to the defense bill and could jeopardize Pentagon programs if President Bush decides to veto it. The White House has not yet issued a formal position on the measure.