President Barack Obama Signs Hate Crimes
Legislation Into Law
NEWS UPDATE 1:30 p.m. Oct. 28, 2009
Windy City Media Group - Serving the LGBT Community
October 28, 2009
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender ( LGBT ) civil rights organization, praised President Barack Obama today for signing the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act into law. The new law gives the Justice Department the power to investigate and prosecute bias-motivated violence where the perpetrator has selected the victim because of the person's actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability. The legislation was added as a provision to the FY 2010 National Defense Authorization Act earlier this Summer.
"This law honors our lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender brothers and sisters whose lives were cut short because of hate," said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. "Today's signing of the first major piece of civil rights legislation to protect LGBT Americans represents a historic milestone in the inevitable march towards equality. Although this is a major step in fighting the scourge of hate violence, it is not the end of the road. As a community, we will continue to dedicate ourselves to changing not only laws but also hearts and minds. We know that hate crimes not only harm individuals, but they terrorize entire communities. After more than a decade of advocacy, local police and sheriffs' departments now have the full resources of the Justice Department available to them."
"We applaud President Obama for signing this bill into law and thank the leadership and our allies in the House and Senate. We also will always remember the tireless efforts of Senator Edward Kennedy on this issue. Senator Kennedy once said that this legislation sends 'a message about freedom and equality that will resonate around the world.' This marks the first time that we as a nation have explicitly protected the LGBT community in the law. And this law sends a loud message that perpetrators of hate violence against anyone will be brought to justice," said Solmonese.
The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act honors the
memory of Matthew Shepard, a Wyoming college student brutally murdered in an
act of hate violence in 1998, and James Byrd, an African-American man who was
dragged to death in Jasper, Texas, in 1998.
"We are incredibly grateful to Congress and the president for taking this
step forward on behalf of hate crime victims and their families, especially
given the continuing attacks on people simply for living their lives openly
and honestly," said Judy Shepard, executive director of the Matthew Shepard
Foundation. "But each of us can and must do much more to ensure true equality
for all Americans."
"We appreciate everyone who worked so hard on this bill. My son was taken
at such an early age and we hope this law will help prevent other families from
going through what we experienced," said Stella Byrd, mother of James Byrd.
"Even though we're different colors and different sexual orientations or
gender identities, God made us all and he loves us all."
The new law also provides the Justice Department with the ability to aid state
and local jurisdictions either by lending assistance or, where local authorities
are unwilling or unable, by taking the lead in investigations and prosecutions
of violent crime resulting in death or serious bodily injury that were motivated
by bias. It also makes grants available to state and local communities to combat
violent crimes committed by juveniles, train law enforcement officers, or to
assist in state and local investigations and prosecutions of bias motivated
crimes.
This legislation was first introduced in the 105th Congress. There have been
14 total votes in the U.S. House and U.S. Senate to bring this historic legislation
to the president's desk.
The Human Rights Campaign is America's largest civil rights organization working
to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and
engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizens
and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.