U.S. House passes "hate crime" bill

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Democratic-led U.S. House of Representatives Wednesday approved an expansion of federal "hate crime" laws -- an effort that former Republican President George W. Bush had opposed.

On a vote of 249-175, the House passed and sent to the Senate a bill backed by the new Democratic White House to broaden such laws by classifying as "hate crimes" those attacks based on a victim's sexual orientation, gender identity or mental or physical disability.

The current law, enacted four decades ago, limits federal jurisdiction over hate crimes to assaults based on race, color, religion or national origin.

The bill would lift a requirement that a victim had to be attacked while engaged in a federally protected activity, like attending school, for it to be a federal hate crime.

House Democratic Leader Steny Hoyer urged passage of the Federal Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009.

"Hate crimes motivated by race, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, and identity or disability not only injure individual victims, but also terrorize entire segments of our population and tear at our nation's social fabric," Hoyer said.

Bush had helped stop such a bill in the last Congress, arguing existing state and federal laws were adequate. But President Barack Obama asked Congress to send it to him to sign into law.

"I urge members on both sides of the aisle to act on this important civil rights issue by passing this legislation to protect all of our citizens from violent acts of intolerance," Obama said in a statement before the vote.

Conviction of a hate crime carries stepped up punishment, above and beyond that meted out for the attack. The bill would allow the federal government to help state and local authorities investigate hate crimes.

Representative Lamar Smith, ranking Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, helped lead the charge against the bill, arguing it was misdirected and discriminatory.

"All violent crimes must be vigorously prosecuted," Smith said. "Unfortunately, this bill undermines one of the most basic principles of our criminal justice system -- 'equal justice for all.'"

"Justice will now depend on the race, gender, sexual orientation, disability or other protected status of the victim," Smith said. "It will allow different penalties to be imposed for the same crime."

Earlier this year, Congress passed two other major bills derailed during the Bush administration.

One, vetoed by Bush, would have expanded a federal health insurance program for children. The other, blocked by Bush's fellow Republicans in the Senate, would have reversed a U.S. Supreme Court ruling to make it easier to sue for discrimination in the workplace.

With Democrats having won the White House and expanded their control of Congress in the 2008 election, both measures were among the party's top 2009 legislative priorities. And they became among the first bills Obama signed into law.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090429/pl_nm/us_usa_congress_hate;_ylt...

Views: 72

Comment

You need to be a member of 12160 Social Network to add comments!

Join 12160 Social Network

Comment by Marklar on April 29, 2009 at 11:58pm
What we NEED is a treason crime bill. Double the sentencing guidlines for anyone who commits a crime while serving in a position that requires an oath of office. After all crackhead Joe never promised me he'd be one of the good guys nor did the mildly racist drunk in a bar fight. THEY at least are not oathbreakers ( a crime that would get you killed or socially and financially destroyed once upon a time).

Then again you'd still need to get the courts to ACTUALLY try the real criminal gangsters but one step at a time and all that I guess.
Comment by Maas on April 29, 2009 at 11:44pm
I'm not a Christian, but I bet this won't be applied to people who attack Christians.
Comment by Marklar on April 29, 2009 at 9:17pm
Yes, PETTY criminals are tearing apart the fabric of our society, NOT the criminals in high places - hypocrits, retards, and assholes one and all.

"Destroying the New World Order"

TOP CONTENT THIS WEEK

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE SITE!

mobile page

12160.info/m

12160 Administrators

 

Latest Activity

tjdavis posted a video

A Worldwide Celebration of Jesus Christ's Birth | Light the World

A nativity scene phenomenon that stopped people in their tracks at Times Square last year returns bigger than ever, spreading Jesus Christ’s light and love f...
24 minutes ago
Doc Vega posted a blog post

The Federal Government Shell Game

 We Americans have the biggest opportunity in, perhaps the last 100 years, to crack the code on the…See More
3 hours ago
tjdavis posted a blog post
8 hours ago
cheeki kea commented on cheeki kea's photo
10 hours ago
cheeki kea posted a photo
14 hours ago
cheeki kea commented on cheeki kea's photo
Thumbnail

First World Order

"Ah ha Truth hidden in plane sight. Notice the map depicted on this 'world order' book…"
14 hours ago
cheeki kea commented on cheeki kea's video
17 hours ago
cheeki kea posted a video

Iyah May Karmageddon Lyric Music Video

While ‘Karmageddon’ has sparked significantconversation and controversy, Iyah has stood her ground. She refused to compromise her vision when asked to change...
17 hours ago
tjdavis posted a video

Steven Wilson - PERSONAL SHOPPER (Official Video)

"The song PERSONAL SHOPPER sits somewhere between being a love-letter to shopping (which I love to do!) and the uneasiness I feel about the more insidious si...
yesterday
Doc Vega posted blog posts
Monday
rlionhearted_3 posted photos
Monday
Burbia posted a photo
Monday
tjdavis posted a video

propaganda: DIVIDE & CONQUER (1942) - Warner Bros. vs Hitler

Not to be confused with the much drier Frank Capra film from 1943.A "Broadway Brevity", released August 1, 1942. Vitaphone #1022-1023A.Transferred from 16mm.
Sunday
Doc Vega posted blog posts
Dec 20
cheeki kea commented on cheeki kea's photo
Thumbnail

Thumbs down - ship gone.

" So this sort of stupidity has occurred before. Norway or NZ - Who did it better? Cast your…"
Dec 20
cheeki kea favorited Doc Vega's blog post The Last Meal
Dec 20
tjdavis favorited Sandy's photo
Dec 17
tjdavis favorited cheeki kea's photo
Dec 17
tjdavis favorited tjdavis's video
Dec 17
tjdavis posted photos
Dec 17

© 2024   Created by truth.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service

content and site copyright 12160.info 2007-2019 - all rights reserved. unless otherwise noted