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House Passes Hate Crimes Bill Protecting GLBT Americans and People with Disabilities
Tyler Lewis, civilrights.org., May 04, 2007 12:00 AM EDT
Gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender individuals are one step closer to being a protected class under federal hate crimes laws. The U.S. House of Representatives today voted, 237-180, to pass the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act (HR 1592).
Nearly 14% of hate crimes in 2005 were committed against gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender individuals. "No one can deny the reality of hate violence against LGBT people," said Matt Foreman, executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. "The importance of this cannot be overstated."
HR 1592 has the endorsement of 230 law enforcement, civil rights, civic and religious organizations and the support of 73 percent of the American people and has been approved separately in the House and the Senate by bipartisan majorities on a number of occasions since 2000, but final passage has been blocked by the House Republican leadership.
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The surprising thing is not that this has been blocked by Republican leadership but that it actually passed a House vote. What also is not surprising is the President's promise to veto it if the bill hits his desk.
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