[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 147 (Thursday, October 15, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H10928-H10935]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         SENSE OF THE HOUSE REGARDING MURDER OF MATTHEW SHEPARD

  Mr. GEKAS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 597) expressing the sense of the House with respect 
to the brutal killing of Mr. Matthew Shepard.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                              H. Res. 597

       Resolved, That it is the sense of the House that--
       (1) Mr. Matthew Shepard, a 21-year-old student at the 
     University of Wyoming in Laramie, Wyoming, was physically 
     beaten and tortured, tied to a wooden fence and left for 
     dead;
       (2) Mr. Matthew Shepard died as a result of his injuries on 
     October 12, 1998, in a Colorado hospital surrounded by his 
     loving family and friends; and
       (3) the House--
       (A) condemns the actions which occurred in Laramie, 
     Wyoming, as unacceptable and outrageous;
       (B) urges each Member of Congress and every citizen of the 
     United States, in his or her own way, through his or her 
     church, synagogue, mosque, workplace, or social organization, 
     to join in denouncing and encouraging others to denounce this 
     outrageous murder of another human being;
       (C) pledges to join in efforts to bring an end to such 
     crimes, and to encourage all Americans to dedicate themselves 
     to ending violence in the United States; and
       (D) pledges to do everything in its power to fight the sort 
     of prejudice and intolerance that leads to the murder of 
     innocent people.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Gekas) and the gentlewoman from Colorado (Ms. 
DeGette) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Gekas).

[[Page H10929]]

                             General Leave

  Mr. GEKAS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 
on the resolution under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. GEKAS. Mr. Speaker, I yield the balance of my time to the 
gentlewoman from Wyoming (Mrs. Cubin), and I ask unanimous consent that 
she be permitted to control the time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania?
  There was no objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentlewoman from Wyoming (Mrs. Cubin) is 
recognized.
  Mrs. CUBIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  It is with sadness that I bring this to the floor of the House today, 
Mr. Speaker. In the wake of the tragic death of Matthew Shepard, my 
husband Fritz and I, along with our sons, Bill and Eric, who knew 
Matthew, join the people of Wyoming in offering our most heartfelt 
sympathy to Matthew's parents, his family, and his friends. Our 
thoughts and prayers are with all of them. There is no greater loss 
than that of a son or a daughter. However, we can take solace in 
knowing that Matthew's kind and gentle spirit will be a legacy that 
stays with those who were fortunate enough to know him.
  The resolution the House is considering today condemns in the 
strongest possible way the brutal killing of Matthew Shepard. No attack 
of this kind can ever be forgotten.

                              {time}  1100

  No attack of this kind can ever be excused and no attack of this kind 
can ever go unpunished. It is my hope, and the hope of the caring 
people of Wyoming and the people throughout our country, that swift and 
judicious punishment will fall upon those who committed this heinous 
act.
  Our country must come together to condemn these types of brutal, 
nonsensical acts of violence. We cannot lie down. We cannot bury our 
heads. And we cannot sit on our hands. Though our actions, we must be 
deliberative and our actions must also at the very same time send a 
strong and ardent message to those who are intolerant of others. We 
will not stand for the arbitrary killing of others due to any hateful 
act of intolerance.
  Mr. Speaker, I am honored to be joined today in offering this 
resolution by the gentlewoman from Colorado (Ms. DeGette).
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 4 minutes.
  Mr. Speaker, those of us in the West believe that we have a special 
caring for individual liberties and individual expressions and that we 
care about this more than anybody else. That is why the tragic murder 
of Matthew Shepard has shaken all of us in the West so to our core.
  I want to thank and commend the distinguished gentlewoman from 
Wyoming (Mrs. Cubin) for swiftly acting to denounce the deplorable 
actions of Matthew Shepard's murderers. I know that all of our thoughts 
and prayers in the House of Representatives and in Washington in 
general go out to the Shepard family and to Matthew's friends during 
this very difficult time.
  The United States has come a long way in combating the prejudice and 
discrimination that is such a tragic part of our history. But what 
happened last Friday night at a ranch in Wyoming shows we still have 
work to do before our country is truly the country of freedom and 
justice for all.
  Something like this could occur anywhere. Gay men and lesbians all 
across the country live in fear that some tragic and brutal crime like 
this will happen to them. And when an appalling crime like this 
happens, it proves that this fear is not unjustified. Sometimes it 
takes a tragic and brutal crime like this to point out that every day 
in cities across our country, gay men and lesbians are being beaten and 
brutalized simply because of their sexual orientation.
  I want to share an example of this that is even sadder. As Matthew 
Shepard lay dying in a Colorado hospital in Fort Collins, a nearby 
State university was holding its annual homecoming parade. And on one 
of the floats in that parade, someone actually stuck a scarecrow that 
was covered with anti-gay graffiti. Mr. Speaker, even if Matthew 
Shepard had not been left beaten and hanging on a fence the night 
before, this incident, and the countless incidents that happen 
throughout this country, are unacceptable.
  There is still much education that needs to be done. Discrimination 
of any kind is abhorrent. And this horrible incident illustrates once 
again that prejudice is a terrible thing, no matter who the target is.
  Everyone in this country deserves to pursue the American dream and 
that includes gay men and lesbians. Individual freedom and liberty are 
what makes this country like no other, and we owe it to ourselves and 
we owe it to our country to refuse to accept bias of any kind. For 
those who would stand in the way of an individual's right to live as 
they see fit, I say, and I hope my colleagues will join me, ``There is 
no room in this country for your kind of bigotry.''
  Mr. Speaker, that is why we must act swiftly and strongly at the 
Federal level, at the State level, at the local level, and every level 
of government to pass strong hate crimes legislation saying this is not 
the way we operate in this country.
  I urge people from all walks of life, all political parties, all 
genders, straight and gay, to speak out against this horrible crime. 
Those of us who seek equality and justice far outnumber those who are 
gripped by fear and intolerance. We must make our voices drown out 
their voices.
  Mr. Speaker, we will not be held hostage to individuals who act on 
the basest and most animal of instincts. We will continue the fight 
against hatred. We will continue to resist violence.
  Last night at the vigil, Matthew's friend said that Matthew always 
wanted to make his life mean something, that he always wanted to have 
an impact on society. I pledge that we will do everything to see that 
happen. But Matthew's friend also said: The price here was too great.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. 
Payne).
  Mr. PAYNE of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from 
Wyoming (Mrs. Cubin) and the gentlewoman from Colorado (Mrs. DeGette) 
for bringing this resolution to the floor.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to also express my condolences to the 
Shepard family, and to say that I commend my colleagues who last night 
participated in the vigil where Senator Kennedy and the gentleman from 
Massachusetts (Mr. Frank) and others spoke out about this tragic act.
  I think that it is clear with an act like this, that no one is free 
until everyone is free. And in many instances when we have talked about 
hate crimes as African-Americans, we have talked about the fact that 
lynchings went on in this country; that even less than a year ago a 
black man walking home was tied to the back of a truck and drug for 
miles until his body was decapitated and he of course died with this 
brutal treatment. Many people said it was too bad, many did not 
comment, and it passed by.
  But once again I repeat that no one is free until everyone is free. 
Who would have ever dreamed that in the middle of Wyoming, a place that 
is talked about with its tranquility and rugged individualism, would 
turn to one of the most heinous crimes that we have seen anywhere in 
this Nation.
  So I think that we have to rededicate ourselves to taking a look at 
us and where we stand. The President this year had a commission on race 
to talk about and have a dialogue about where race stands in this 
country. I think that we need to have a dialogue about many issues. 
About immigrant bashing, about gay bashing, about anyone who seems 
different.
  Mr. Speaker, that is why we have the first amendment. People who are 
different can speak up. The first amendment was not passed for everyone 
who thinks alike, because we would not need the amendment. I think we 
need to rededicate ourselves to wiping out hate crimes.

[[Page H10930]]

  Even in my State of New Jersey there has been an increase in the 
number of hate crimes. So I commend my colleagues who brought this 
resolution and ask that it be passed unanimously.
  Mrs. CUBIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, we should not turn Matthew into a martyr, and his family 
has asked that we do not turn Matthew into a martyr. He would not want 
that and his family does not want that.
  Out of respect for Matthew, this resolution is not about advancing 
legislation. It is about advancing our tolerance in others, regardless 
of their gender, race, or sexual orientation.
  At the end of his life, the defining element of Matthew's life should 
not be his sexuality. It should be the kind, gentle, intelligent, 
wonderful person that Matthew was. That is how Matthew should be 
remembered. That is what his family wants, and that certainly is what I 
wish for them today.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro).
  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to sadly offer my condolences 
to the family and the friends of Matthew Shepard. I deeply thank my 
colleagues, the gentlewoman from Colorado (Ms. DeGette) and the 
gentlewoman from Wyoming (Mrs. Cubin) for introducing this resolution 
and giving us all an opportunity to voice our sorrow at this horrifying 
act of violence.
  It is difficult for any of us to fathom the sort of hatred and 
prejudice that could lead a young person to carry out such a horrible 
attack on another young person. What leads to that sort of pent-up 
anger and hatred?
  Accounts from family and friends tell us that Matthew was a kind, a 
gentle and a caring young man who was always ready to lend a helping 
hand, always ready to try to figure out what he could do to help others 
make their way.
  So, it is a sad day, and I am sad that today as we are moving into a 
new century that we still see this kind of fear and this hatred 
directed toward people simply on the basis of who they are, based on 
their sexual orientation or based on the color of their skin or based 
on anything that anyone views as different from what they know.
  It is wrong. We are truly a Nation of differences. We are built from 
people who came from so many different lands from so many different 
backgrounds and we need to learn to accept and to embrace these 
differences. Our diversity, in fact, is what makes us so strong as a 
Nation. It should never tear us apart and it should never do anything 
to inflict pain and suffering on others.
  I hope that we learn a lesson from this tragedy, though it is hard to 
fathom that we could learn something from this awful act. But we do not 
want to have Matthew die in vain.
  I hope that the Congress will stand together to pass the Hate Crimes 
Prevention Act. I think we need to send a strong message that there is 
no place for hatred in this land of ours, and that these types of 
horrifying crimes cannot and will not be tolerated.
  Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman 
from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern), my friend and classmate.
  Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I am here in support of this resolution 
because I, like so many others, am deeply outraged at the death of 
Matthew Shepard. It is a terrible, unspeakable and horrible crime, but 
words cannot express how horrible this action is.
  I wish I could say to Matthew's family how much they are in my 
thoughts and prayers and emotions. As a new father of a 5\1/2\-month-
old baby boy, I cannot possibly imagine the pain and suffering of the 
Shepard family. From all I have read and heard about Matthew Shepard, 
he was an incredible young man who had wonderful gifts to offer this 
world. We will never know now his potential, what his long life might 
have brought to us all.
  So what do we do now? That is the question we must all ask ourselves. 
And it is my view that we should and we must pass the Hate Crimes 
Prevention Act now, and we should do it before this Congress adjourned.
  But that alone is not going to stop the kind of action that led to 
Matthew's death. This terrible tragedy highlights the need for us to 
teach our children in our homes, in our churches, and in our schools 
that every human being deserves our respect, our tolerance, and the 
right to live their lives secure from the threat of violence.
  Whatever their race, their religion, their color, their sexual 
orientation, their beliefs, their creed, their gender, their language, 
their nationality, their age, all men and women are endowed with basic 
human dignity and the right to live their lives to their full 
potential.
  Mrs. CUBIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman 
from Maryland (Mrs. Morella).
  Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Wyoming (Mrs. 
Cubin) for yielding me this time. I also thank both the gentlewoman 
from Wyoming and the gentlewoman from Colorado (Ms. DeGette) for 
introducing this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I was with a large group of people last evening at the 
vigil to commemorate the tragic death of Matthew Shepard, and I join my 
colleagues and I join all other Americans in offering my sympathy and 
my prayers for the family of Matthew Shepard.
  We like to think in America that hate crimes are a phenomenon of the 
past. But the death of Matthew Shepard is a tragic reminder that this 
just is not so. We do have to recognize that many citizens of our 
country cannot take for granted the right to live life without fear of 
violence simply based on their race, their ethnicity, religion, 
disability or sexual orientation.
  James Byrd, the African-American man who was dragged to his death 
behind a truck in Texas in July, is an example of that. Indeed, Matthew 
Shepard who was beaten and left for dead outside Laramie, Wyoming, 
tells us that we need to do more to prevent hate crimes.
  We in America pride ourselves on the fact that all people are 
entitled to life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, as well as freedom 
from violence and from hate crimes. I hope that we will be resolved and 
that we will pledge that we will take this tragedy and translate it 
into action. Into action and pass the Hate Crimes Prevention Act; into 
action in terms of changing our attitude in making sure that we educate 
people and making sure that each and every one of us has a 
responsibility for each other.

                              {time}  1115

  It was Thornton Wilder who once wrote, there is a land of the living 
and a land of the dead and the bridge is love, the only survival and 
the only meaning.
  May Matthew Shepard live on in love and may we resolve to remedy this 
problem so there are no hate crimes in our country or in our world.
  Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished 
gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Gephardt), Democratic leader.
  (Mr. GEPHARDT asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. GEPHARDT. Mr. Speaker, first I want to express all of our deep 
feeling of sympathy for the family of Matthew Shepard and for the 
friends and all the people that knew Matthew Shepard personally.
  He was taken from his family by a heinous act, an evil act, an 
outrageous act of violence. I join with my colleagues in offering our 
condolences and our prayers to his family and his friends.
  This awful crime shocks an entire Nation, and it shocks our 
consciences. It reminds us that we have a long, long, long way to go 
before all Americans can feel safe from this kind of heinous attack.
  Matthew was a promising young man who happened to be gay. He was 
killed because of a chance encounter with a random act of hatred and 
violence. But it is important to remember that no one in our society is 
safe from this kind of random act as long as the impulse of intolerance 
lives among our fellow Americans. Any one of our sons or daughters 
could have come in contact with the perpetrators on that grim night. 
Any of us could be in the place of Matthew's parents.
  I have a son by the name of Matthew. He is about 27 years old now. I 
cannot imagine, if I put myself into the shoes of this young man's 
parents, I cannot

[[Page H10931]]

imagine the outrage, the desire for retribution that I would feel 
today. I cannot imagine their grief and their sorrow.
  So we stand here today knowing that no gesture will return this young 
man to earth. Resolutions are no match for harsh punishment for these 
crimes. It is vitally important for Congress to speak with one voice on 
this issue as we do today, to condemn the manifestation of hatred in 
our society against any one of us and to say clearly that we reject 
prejudice and intolerance wherever and whenever it rears its ugly head.
  All Americans join together today as one in sending our deep and 
prayerful feelings to these parents. May this never happen again and 
may the meaning of his life be that we pass a hate crimes act in this 
Congress before we leave so that we say to all, there is punishment for 
this kind of hatred.
  Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to the time remaining?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Riggs). The gentlewoman from Colorado 
(Ms. DeGette) has 8\1/2\ minutes remaining, and the gentlewoman from 
Wyoming (Mrs. Cubin) has 14\1/2\ minutes remaining.
  Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Pelosi).
  Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Colorado for 
yielding me the time and to the gentlewoman from Wyoming (Mrs. Cubin) 
for putting forth this resolution today. I particularly want to thank 
the gentlewoman from Colorado (Ms. DeGette) for her courage in putting 
this forth, also in terms of pointing out the need for hate crimes 
legislation.
  Let us focus on Matthew Shepard. Matthew Shepard was a lovely young 
man. He was willing to be open about who he was. That took courage. 
Clearly, it took a great deal of courage. I cannot help but think if 
Matthew would not still be alive had people not known that he was a gay 
person.
  I think the tragedy of his death points out the need for hate crimes 
legislation. But as we consider this issue, I am going to submit my 
statement for the record, Mr. Speaker. I just want to speak as one who 
has the privilege of representing a district with a large number of gay 
and lesbian people. They are part of the success of our community. They 
help build our community.
  When I hear people talk about tolerance for gay and lesbian people, 
it is interesting to me, because in our community tolerance is an issue 
of long ago. Certainly we tolerate. That is not even the issue. We 
respect our gay and lesbian community. More than that, we take great 
pride in them, in each and every one of them and collectively in the 
contribution that they make to our community in San Francisco, indeed, 
to our great country.
  So it is such a tragedy when a young man has the courage to be open 
about who he is and his life is taken for it. What more needs to 
happen? How many more deaths, how many assaults on the personal 
integrity of people physically and otherwise need to happen before this 
Congress will see the need for the hate crimes legislation? There are 
those who say that we should not be talking about that today. Of 
course, we should. If this young man had the courage to be open about 
who he is, cannot this Congress be courageous enough to honor his 
memory by passing the hate crimes legislation?
  Mr. Speaker, I rise to join my colleagues in remembering the life of 
Matthew Shepard and deploring his tragic death. Matthew was willing to 
be open about who he was, and we should celebrate the courage and the 
dignity that he embodied during his too short life. I send my 
condolences to his family and loved ones.
  Matthew's brutal murder was a tragedy, but, unfortunately, not an 
isolated incident. Harassment of gays, lesbians and bisexuals is not 
limited to one period in our history, or one region of the country. We 
read today in the paper yesterday that in a study of community college 
students in the San Francisco Bay Area, 32% of male respondents said 
they had verbally threatened gays, and 18% said they have physically 
threatened or assaulted them.
  According to statistics kept by the National Coalition of Anti-
Violence programs, at least 18 Americans were murdered in 1997 because 
they were gay or lesbian. Also last year, there were over 2400 reports 
of anti-gay or lesbian incidents in the United States.
  Hate crimes take many forms and affect many different kinds of 
victims. The horrible murder of James Byrd, Jr., an African-American 
man in Texas, is still fresh in our memories. According to the Federal 
Bureau of Investigation, in 1996 there were over 8700 reported 
incidents of hate crimes because of race, religion, national origin, or 
sexual orientation. And reported incidents of hate crimes on college 
campuses are increasing at a disturbing rate.
  It is because of these hard realities, and the circumstances of the 
murder of Matthew Shepard, that his eulogy should be accompanied by 
action. The Hate Crimes Prevention Act would not end all violence 
against people because they are gay, or African-American, or Jewish, or 
come from another country. But it would allow the federal government to 
investigate and punish crimes motivated by hate.
  Matthew's murder is the manifestation of enduring bigotry still all 
too prevalent in our society. These attacks demand a national response 
that enables federal law enforcement officials to fight these crimes 
and punish their perpetrators.
  The Hate Crimes Prevention Act will provide needed tools to law 
enforcement, and it will serve as a lasting tribute to the life of 
Matthew Shepard. Before we take the final vote of the 105th Congress, I 
urge my colleagues to remember Matthew by passing the Hate Crimes 
Prevention Act.
  Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman 
from Massachusetts (Mr. Olver).
  Mr. OLVER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Colorado for 
yielding me time.
  Thousands gathered last night at the west steps of the Capitol to 
mourn the loss of Matthew Shepard. The vast majority of us did not know 
Matthew personally, but we were united in our belief that the hate that 
took Matthew's life is unacceptable in America. We were united in our 
belief that America still has a long way to go before our gays and 
lesbians can stop fearing for their lives because of who they are. We 
were united in our belief that Congress can help prevent and prosecute 
these terrible crimes by passing tough hate crimes legislation. We were 
united in our belief that we will never be silenced until gays and 
lesbians can live without fear. And we were united in our commitment to 
speak out with our voices and our votes against anti-gay rhetoric, 
against anti-gay newspaper ads, against anti-gay legislation and 
against the thuggery that took Matthew Shepard's life.
  Mr. Speaker, if there is one thing that this entire body can agree 
on, it is that the hate that took Matthew Shepard's life should be 
condemned. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.
  Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Gejdenson).
  (Mr. GEJDENSON asked and was given permission to revise and extend 
his remarks.)
  Mr. GEJDENSON. Mr. Speaker, I join my colleagues.
  Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Miller).
  (Mr. MILLER of California asked and was given permission to revise 
and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. MILLER of California. I join my colleagues in support of this 
effort.
  Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Woolsey).
  (Ms. WOOLSEY asked and was given permission to revise and extend her 
remarks.)
  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support House Resolution 
597 and to offer my sincere sympathies to the family of Matthew 
Shepard. I cannot imagine their pain. I offer my sympathies also to all 
families who have suffered needless losses due to discriminating hate 
and prejudice.
  What happened to Matthew Shepard in Laramie, Wyoming is not an 
example of a breakaway faction, of an out-of-touch community in rural 
America. What happened to Matthew Shepard happens every day to citizens 
in our very own country whose only crime is to be honest, honest about 
who they are and what they believe.
  Mr. Speaker, it is time to pass the Hate Crimes Prevention Act. 
Harassment and hate crimes against the gay community is commonplace. It 
is time to come together as a Nation to condemn such hate crimes.
  Mr. Speaker, I am greatly disturbed that hate crimes like the murder 
of Matthew Shepard are on the rise. This is a type of crime that 
embodies intolerance, an act of violence against a

[[Page H10932]]

person based on a victim's race, color, gender, religion or sexual 
orientation. Hate crimes leave deep scars not only to the victim's 
family but also to the larger community. Unfortunately, every year 
thousands of Americans are victims of hate crimes, and we suspect that 
many, many hate crimes go unreported.
  To honor Matthew Shepard, Mr. Speaker, we must as a Congress make 
sure that families like Matthew's know that there is not a person in 
this body that would make it easy or easier by making it OK for a hate 
crime to be carried out, for a person to have a prejudice against 
another person because of their sexual orientation.
  Mr. Speaker, we must pass this resolution.
  Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield the balance of my time to the 
gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton), who has been 
working on this issue for many years.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentlewoman from the District of 
Columbia (Ms. Norton) is recognized for 3 minutes.
  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me the 
time, and I thank her and the gentlewoman from Wyoming (Mrs. Cubin) for 
their initiative, timely and important these last days.
  My sympathies are with Matthew Shepard's family and friends. At the 
same time I recognize that they deserve much more from this body.
  Last night I welcomed thousands of people to the west steps of the 
Capitol on behalf of the jurisdiction that has the strongest human 
rights laws and the strongest hate crime laws in the United States of 
America. That was not the United States of America; it was the District 
of Columbia. I wish I could have said the same about the country that 
we in this body serve.
  As I speak, indeed there are anti-gay measures on the D.C. 
appropriation. This body has to take responsibility for the fact that 
when people read that this body wants gays not to be able to adopt 
children, when this body wants clean needles not to be available even 
with the District's own money, this body has sent a homophobic message 
that is picked up by people like those who murdered Matthew Shepard.
  Last night was a very moving memorial of its own. But the Members who 
came in large numbers surely thought, do we not have in our hands the 
ability, the capacity to come forward with the most meaningful memorial 
of all, the bill pending for years now in this House that would deter 
this crime and when it occurs, punish this crime?
  So this afternoon while we all commiserate and grieve for this 
family, this should be a moment of introspection for this body, because 
the question for this body is what are we going to do about it and is 
it enough to grieve about it.
  The Hate Crimes Prevention Act is what is left to be done about it. 
Imagine human rights legislation that left you out. If you are white, 
if you are black, if you are male, if you are female, you are included 
within the great American family of human rights laws, but not if you 
are gay. We must use what amounts to human sacrifice, the sacrifice of 
this young man, to include gay people in the family of American people.
  We must also be very careful with our own talk. No one who speaks 
about their disagreement with the homosexual lifestyle means for 
somebody to go out and murder gays. But we must come to grips with the 
fact that that is how that message is perceived and taken by many.
  Pass the Hate Crimes Prevention Act and, while you are at it, pass 
the Employment Nondiscrimination Act.

                              {time}  1130

  Mrs. CUBIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Riggs).
  Mr. RIGGS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Wyoming and the 
gentlewoman from Colorado for their important initiative here. I think 
it is important that the House go on record as supporting this 
resolution, expressing their condemnation of hatred and violence, 
especially obviously in this situation, and encouraging diversity and 
tolerance and compassion in American life.
  As I was in the chair and listening to the minority leader's 
comments, I heard him mention that the Gephardt family has a son by the 
name of Matthew. The Riggs family has a son by the name of Matthew, so 
it is a pretty special name in our household. It is also a Biblical 
name. I guess what I find so shocking about this crime is its 
brutality, its callousness and the youthful age of the perpetrators. It 
suggests to me that these young people accused of this crime are 
typical of too many people in their generation who have not gotten the 
appropriate education, knowledge and adult supervision and guidance 
that they need to live lives as productive citizens, who embrace those 
American qualities of tolerance and compassion.
  Again, I think the resolution is commendable and worthwhile. I do 
have misgivings about whether we need to create a new Federal crime 
category of hate crimes and would respectfully suggest to my colleagues 
that perhaps it is more important that we address the root causes of 
these kind of crimes in American society. I think we all have some idea 
as to the root causes. One certainly is a modern media culture that all 
too often passes as mainstream culture in American life that glamorizes 
and even glorifies violence and brutality, a lack of character, values 
and training in our schools, in our education system, and fundamentally 
a breakdown of the American family. I am really concerned about the 
last two categories and have worked hard on those two initiatives, 
fatherhood and education, over the last 2 years in this Congress and 
understand that it is far less likely that a child will go astray if, 
again, they have proper adult role models, hopefully an intact nuclear 
family, a father and mother who care for that child in that household.
  I think one of the other things we can do as we reflect on this 
tragic, horrific crime and send our hearts and our prayers to the 
family of Matthew Shepard is rededicate ourselves to addressing the 
root causes of these type of crimes in American life.
  I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me this time and for her 
leadership on this initiative.
  Mrs. CUBIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, every crime that is committed is a hateful crime. 
Brutalizing another person is a reprehensible act regardless of the 
motivation of the criminal or the affiliation of the victim. If 
convicted of first-degree murder in Wyoming, the suspects could be 
sentenced to death. Hate crime laws are enacted to enhance punishment. 
No sentence could be stronger, even if hate crimes legislation was 
enacted.
  The crime committed against Matthew Shepard is not only a crime 
against Matthew Shepard, but it is a crime against the dignity of all 
humanity. It is a crime against all of us. This cannot and will not be 
tolerated. This is not a time to divide our country over the 
differences that we have over certain legislation. Matthew's family has 
asked that that not happen. This is a time to unite in our common goal 
of ridding our country of intolerance, bigotry and prejudice and to 
offer comfort to Matthew's family and friends.
  Matthew left this world as an example to each one of us. He would 
want us to work against violence and hatred and toward peace and 
tolerance. There will be a memorial service for Matthew Shepard held in 
Laramie, Wyoming, tomorrow at 1:30 p.m.
  Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a somber heart and a 
troubled soul.
  I rise today to grieve the loss of a young man.
  Matthew Shepard was a 21-year-old college student majoring in 
political science because he--like many Members of this body--wanted to 
fight for civil and human rights.
  But Matthew will never join this fight because Matthew died on 
Monday.
  Matthew's death was no accident.
  It was a conscious act of hate and intolerance taken to such an 
extreme that a 21-year-old man was brutally and savagely beaten, 
strapped to a fence like an animal, and left to die.
  Matthew was murdered for one reason: Hate.
  Hate directed at Matthew because he was gay and he dared share that 
fact with others.
  Mr. Speaker, this body must share in the responsibility and the guilt 
for Matthew's brutal murder.
  We are fostering a culture of intolerance and hate in this body with 
words and even legislation that denies equal standing and protection 
under the law to others due solely to their sexual orientation.

[[Page H10933]]

  Matthew's death at the butt of a .357 magnum is the result.
  In 1962, on the acceptance of the Nobel Peace Prize, Dr. Martin 
Luther King, Jr. said ``Man must evolve for all human conflict a method 
which rejects revenge, aggression and retaliation. The foundation of 
such a method is love.''
  Mr. Speaker, I make a plea that we in this body heed Dr. King's words 
and work for a culture of tolerance.
  In the name of Matthew Shepard we must finally act on and pass the 
Hate Crimes Prevention Act, a bill which I have proudly co-sponsored.
  Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 
597.
  The cruel and senseless torture and ultimate death of Matthew Shepard 
has lit a fire under the national discourse surrounding the prevention 
of hate crimes. It is a tragedy that such a horrible crime against 
humanity must serve as the rallying point for the passage of hate 
crimes prevention legislation. In fact, it is a tragedy that this 
country should even have the need for hate crimes prevention 
legislation. But sadly, we do.
  The murder of Matthew Shepard in Wyoming too vividly brings to mind 
the vicious assault of an African-American man, James Bryd, who was 
dragged to his death from the back of a pickup truck this past June in 
Texas. These are two cases that have grabbed national headlines because 
of their atrociousness. But these are only two of the far too many 
instances where people are singled out and victimized because of their 
race, religion, color, national origin, sexual orientation, gender or 
disability.
  No Federal law exists to address hate crimes. Ten states do not have 
any hate crime prevention laws. Of the 40 states that have passed hate 
crime legislation, 19 do not cover attacks motivated by sexual 
orientation. We need Federal legislation to provide a clear and 
consistent standard that outlines the offenses that comprise a heat 
crime.
  My friend and colleague Representative Charles Schumer introduced a 
bill that would establish a national standard to deal with hate crimes, 
the Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 1997, H.R. 3081. This bill would 
expand existing law to facilitate the assistance of federal authorities 
in crimes motivated by hate. Unfortunately, failure to pass the Hate 
Crimes Prevention Act is yet another failure to act by the 105th 
Congress. But this issue will not die with this Congress. I intend to 
continue fighting for justice for everyone--for Matthew Shepard, for 
James Byrd, and for every other American who is a victim of a hate 
crime.
  Matthew Shepard's death was needless. Passing this legislation will 
not bring him back, nor will it erase the pain suffered by his family, 
his friends, and our nation as a whole. But with an explicit and 
consistent law outlining the offenses that constitute a hate crime, our 
Nation will be better armed to fight and prevent the prejudice and 
ignorance that result in tragic hate crimes.
  Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, the tragic and brutal murder of Matthew 
Shepard reminds us how far we still need to go to eliminate violence 
and bigotry in this country.
  Our thoughts and prayers are with the Shepard family and Matt's 
friends in Wyoming.
  It sickens me every time I hear news of violent attacks against gay, 
lesbian, bisexual, and transgender men and women. Tragically, these 
types of incidents are not rare.
  Today, we are here to condemn the savage, brutal, vicious attack 
against Matthew Shepard. It is entirely proper for us to do so. 
However, gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgender people need real 
protection, not just a sense of Congress that something must be done. 
We have a real plan, real legislation, that is before this House that 
must be enacted.
  We owe it to our nation to take action immediately to reduce the 
number of these incidents and to punish those who attack others based 
on the victim's actual or perceived sexual orientation.
  There is no simple solution to this problem. We should support hate 
crime prevention programs, fund special training for law enforcement 
professionals, teach tolerance and support for diversity in our 
schools, and confront head-on the daily prejudice that we see in our 
communities. We must also address the fundamental bigotry that leads to 
these crimes. However, passing the Hate Crimes Prevention Act and the 
Bias Crimes Compensation Act are important first steps.
  I am proud to be an original cosponsor of the Hate Crimes Prevention 
Act, which would allow federal law enforcement authorities to 
investigate and prosecute violent hate crimes when the state and local 
authorities are either unable or unwilling to do so. This bill has more 
than 160 co-sponsors and has already had a lengthy hearing in the 
Judiciay Committee.
  We should also pass a bill I introduced entitled ``The Bias Crimes 
Compensation Act'', which would provide a civil claim for individuals 
who are victims of hate crimes, so that they could sue their attackers 
for compensatory damages. These two simple proposals ought to be 
brought up on their own or included in the final appropriations 
measure. The country has demanded action and we ought to respond with 
meaningful legislation.
  Hate crimes deserve special attention, since they can have such 
devastating and lasting effects on victims and the communities from 
which they come. They are not simply attacks against one individual, 
rather, they affect whole communities and are acts of ideological 
terrorism.
  The time to act is now. The need is clear. We ought to pass hate 
crimes legislation today.
  Mr. MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join the 
millions of Americans who are mourning the death of Matthew Shepard, 
who died Monday, at the age of 21 years old after being beaten, robbed, 
and left to die, tied to a fence near Laramie, Wyo. I wish to express 
my sadness to Matthew's family and send them my prayers as they grieve 
over his death.
  It is a tragedy anytime a young person is a victim of violence, which 
we all know happens far too often. The murder rate for young people in 
this country is a national crisis and a national disgrace.
  According to police reports, Matthew Shepard was targeted by his 
killers because of his sexual orientation. Thus his murder is 
particularly saddening and disturbing.
  Matthew Shepard's death is, unfortunately, not an isolated incident. 
According to the FBI, more than a thousand gay and lesbian men and 
women were the victims of violent ``hate crimes'' last year.
  In this way, Matthew Shepard's death reflects a much wider problem in 
our society. But the public reaction may also signal a turning point in 
efforts to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
  It is my hope that something positive will be extracted from this 
senseless and despicable act by our working even harder against such 
hate crimes in our country. We need to send the message that these 
crimes will not be tolerated, and that those who commit them will be 
duly punished.
  I would also hope that those who seek to demonize homosexuality, and 
who may in turn, intentionally or unintentionally, fuel hatred against 
gays and lesbians, reflect on the possible consequences of their 
actions. No single person or movement can be blamed for Matthew's 
death. But everyone should examine the way in which their words or 
actions may help contribute to an atmosphere of intolerance that makes 
such tragedies more likely.
  Bigotry, prejudice, and hatred are not American values. Our diversity 
is our strength. If we are to thrive as a society, every institution--
our families, schools, government, businesses, and places of worship--
must work together to bridge our differences and to respect the rights 
and freedoms of every individual
  Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, this has been a rough week for 
parents.
  I think every mother and father in America trembled when we heard 
about Matthew Shepard's beating in Wyoming, and anxiously waited for 
word of his condition. And we all must have wept at the thought of a 
child tortured and left to die on a country road.
  I hope every parent did what I wanted to do: hug your children, and 
hold them close. But along with the rest of the House and Senate, I am 
trapped in Washington while Congress debates our budget. And being 
3,000 miles away meant, unfortunately, that I was not able to stand 
with my neighbors at the local events organized to remember Matt.
  This was a crime beyond words, and I have not yet found a way to 
sufficiently express my grief and compassion for the Shepard family, 
just as our nation has not yet found a way to respond to this tragedy. 
As a legislator, my thoughts turn to the actions our nation can take 
through our lawmaking process.
  It is a sad but bitter truth that no law can return this talented, 
kind-hearted young man to his family and friends. But we are a nation 
of laws, and our government cannot stand by without a response.
  In a year when voices from our Capitol have likened homosexuality to 
kleptomania, in a year when our newspapers and magazines have been 
filled with the harmful words of groups urging gay men and lesbians to 
change who they are, we must respond. We must counter these dangerous, 
hateful words, because they send a message to our nation's youth that 
the Matt Shepherds of our nation are not entitled to love who they 
want, be who they are and live lives of dignity, security and liberty.
  The cowardly thugs who left Matthew to die on that cold night used 
these words to take matters into their hands. I feel personally 
obligated as an elected official to make sure these criminals know 
their actions will not be tolerated.
  I am proud to be a co-sponsor of H.R. 3081, the Hate Crimes 
Prevention Act. This bill was introduced to Congress last year, and 
would

[[Page H10934]]

classify crimes committed on the basis of sexual orientation--as well 
as race, religion, national origin, religion, gender or disability--
hate crimes.
  That is a very important distinction. Hate crimes are a federal 
matter, which means their victims are protected by our country when 
local agencies fail them. This bill would authorize the U.S. Department 
of Justice to treat hate crimes as a particularly dangerous matter, 
with research and prosecution funds to match.
  That seems reasonable, you must be thinking. But the Republican 
leadership has refused to allow Congress to vote on this bill.
  Our nation has paid the price for intolerance too many times. But we 
can turn this into a bittersweet blessing, if we open one mind or 
prevent one hateful act. I am reminded of San Francisco Supervisor 
Harvey Milk's words: ``If a bullet should enter my brain, let that 
bullet destroy every closed door.''
  Nothing will reverse the fact that Matthew Shepard is dead. But we 
now find ourselves faced with two options. We can let this session of 
Congress end without responding, without taking the opportunity to 
prevent this kind of tragedy from happening again. Or we can vow to do 
whatever we can to make sure that never again will a person's life be 
cut short so cruelly because of hate.
  Mr. GEJDENSON. Mr. Speaker, public officials have to ensure that 
nothing we say could ever be interpreted to give comfort to people who 
would commit brutal acts such as what happened to Matthew Shepard. As 
elected leaders of our nation, we have a responsibility to remember 
that what we say and do is important, that if we are not careful with 
our words, they can be used by hateful individuals.
  Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., once said: ``Injustice anywhere is a 
threat to justice everywhere.'' If this young man can be killed because 
of his sexual orientation, than all of our liberties are at risk. If a 
person can be killed for his sexual orientation, for his race, for his 
gender, than none of us are truly free.
  My parents escaped Europe at a time when Hitler and Stalin were 
trying to exterminate entire peoples. I was born in a camp for 
refugees. After the war we promised to never forget the suffering of 
the Holocaust. I am proud that all of us are joining together today to 
condemn this brutality. We must always stand up against such acts of 
hatred.
  After the war, Pastor Martin Niemoeller said in a letter: ``In 
Germany they came first for the Communists, and I didn't speak up 
because I wasn't a Communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't 
speak up because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for the trade 
unionists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist. 
Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn't speak up because I was a 
Protestant. Then they came for me, and by that time no one was left to 
speak up.'' We should all remember the Pastor's words, especially after 
events like this.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to express my strong support 
for House Resolution 597, and express my deep remorse and sorrow at the 
tragic murder of Matthew Shepard, an openly gay student at the 
University of Wyoming. He was brutally attacked last Thursday and left 
to die while tied to a wooden fence. He was found near death eighteen 
hours later, yet he continued to fight for his life through the weekend 
until his tragic death Monday morning. I join my colleagues in sending 
my deepest condolences to Matthew's family and friends.
  Mr. Speaker, I am appalled by this senseless crime, which reflects 
the cowardly prejudice of the thugs who committed this outrage. The 
House must honor Matthew's memory not only by adopting this resolution 
of respect that we are considering here today, but we must also pass 
legislation that upholds the right of all Americans to live free of 
bigoted violence, regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, 
or sexual orientation.
  As we remember Matthew Shepard, Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to 
join in support of H.R. 3081, the Hate Crimes Prevention Act. This 
important bill would perform two very vital legal functions. It would 
eliminate gaps in Federal authority that have restricted the Justice 
Department's ability to prosecute hate crimes in a significant number 
of cases. While this reform would greatly enhance Federal authority to 
fight hate crimes, its significance pales in comparison to the second 
major provision of H.R. 3081, which would extend the Justice 
Department's authority to combat such violence to include cases 
involving death or serious bodily injury resulting from crimes directed 
at individuals because of their sexual orientation, gender, or 
disability. Under existing law (Section 245 of Title 19 U.S.C., in 
effect since 1968) only those individuals whose rights are obstructed 
on the basis of their race, color, religion, or national origin merit 
this protection. It is time to expand the Federal Government's legal 
authority to cover all Americans who are victims of the coarsest and 
most malicious expressions of bigotry, and, regrettably, Mr. Speaker, 
this all too often includes gay Americans.
  Mr. Speaker, the horrendous murder of Matthew Shepard underscores the 
importance of our moving quickly to adopt the Hate Crimes Prevention 
Act. As Elizabeth Birch, the Executive Director of the Human Rights 
Campaign, points out:

       Federal law enforcement agencies have no jurisdiction over 
     hate crimes motivated by a person's sexual orientation. 
     Although the Albany County, Wyoming, authorities have made 
     arrests in the case, if they were to request forensic 
     resources or assistance from the Federal Bureau of 
     Investigation (FBI), the FBI would not be able to provide 
     assistance due to lack of jurisdiction.

  Mr. Speaker, this loophole in our nation's hate crime laws must be 
closed and we can close it now. We cannot afford to wait for more 
tragedies to further sensitize us to the outrageousness of anti-gay 
violence.
  I would also like to note, Mr. Speaker, that the crisis of violence 
against homosexual men and women extends across international 
boundaries. Two months ago, I chaired a forum of the Congressional 
Human Rights Caucus which drew attention to the global prevalence of 
violence and abuse based on sexual orientation. Our well-informed 
witnesses cited in nations ranging from Uganda to Lithuania, from 
Turkey to Peru, where governments have failed and continue to refuse to 
protect their own gay citizens from unspeakable crimes and violations 
of their human rights.
  America rightly holds its elected leaders to a much higher standard, 
and it is time for us to justify this trust of decency and honor by 
passing the Hate Crimes Prevention Act. It is long past time to send 
this vital legislation to President Clinton, who, along with Vice 
President Al Gore, has expressed firm support of this initiative. The 
memory of Matthew Shepard merits no lesser consideration.
  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my support for H. 
Res. 597, Expressing the Sense of the House regarding the death of Mr. 
Matthew Shepard. Last week, Matthew Shepard, a student at the 
University of Wyoming, was lured off campus by two young men, driven to 
a remote location, bludgeoned with the butt of a gun, burned, and 
strapped to a fence to die. There is strong evidence that his attackers 
were motivated because Matthew Shepard was gay.
  Unfortunately, Matthew Shepard's death is not an isolated incident. 
It is the latest in a series of brutally violent crimes committed 
against people for no other reason than the color of their skin, their 
sexual orientation or their religion. In April 1994, two African-
American men murdered a white man in Lubbock, Texas. The killers later 
admitted that they had set out to find a white victim. In 1997, an 
African-American man in Virginia was soaked in gasoline, burned alive, 
and then beheaded. It was later discovered that he was targeted because 
he was black. Earlier this year, James Byrd, a disabled black man in 
Texas, was lured into a pickup truck and driven to a remote location 
where he was beaten unconscious, chained to the truck, and dragged 
around until he was beheaded.
  I look forward to the upcoming debate on expanding the Hate Crimes 
legislation to include acts of violence against people based upon their 
sexual orientation. Matthew Shepard's death should focus our attention 
on and spur us to complete a careful analysis of this issue. Today, 
Matthew Shepard is to be remembered. His friends and family are in our 
prayers.
  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 597 and 
commend my colleagues, Congresswoman DeGette and Congresswoman Cubin, 
for introducing this resolution. At times like this we should come 
together as a Congress to focus on this tragedy and state our strong 
abhorrence to such crimes.
  I would like to join with my colleagues and offer my sincere 
condolences to the family and friends of Matthew Shepard.
  We are here today to condemn the horrific murder of Matthew Shepard. 
Through this resolution we are making a pledge to do everything in our 
power to fight the prejudice and intolerance that leads to the murders 
of innocent victim like Matthew Shepard. We should challenge ourselves 
to do just that.
  Once again, our Nation awoke to another needless tragedy of an 
innocent victim. When a man is brutally murdered because he is gay, the 
damage has far surpassed the individual victim.
  When a hate crime is committed, the entire community is wounded.
  The tragic death of Matthew Shepard is a vivid and shocking reminder 
that even in a civilized society there are those motivated by vicious 
hate. We can no longer stand by and wait for another tragedy to happen 
before we pass legislation. The Hate Crimes Prevention Act is a 
powerful and essential law that not only says that crimes of hate are 
unacceptable, but that they will be punished severely.
  We are standing here today to condemn this hateful crime and the men 
who committed it.

[[Page H10935]]

But we should also be urging the Republican Leadership to pass this 
essential legislation that would allow these criminals to be prosecuted 
with the full arm of the Federal law. Federal hate crime legislation is 
essential in the goal to eliminate crimes motivated by prejudice.
  In June, the Nation was horrified by the tragic death of James Byrd. 
This event sparked concern and debate about hate crimes across our 
Nation. But sadly it wasn't enough. Now another tragedy has occurred. 
We cannot pass up the opportunity to make this crucial legislation a 
reality.
  There are some who have said this bill will give special protection 
to certain groups. To that I say that this bill is in response to the 
hate that people have in our society towards gay men and women. The 
perpetrators in this crime did not choose their victim randomly, they 
chose him because he was gay.
  If we stay silent, the bigots win.
  I believe this legislation is a crucial part of our answer to hate 
crimes.
  This is not about ``special preferences,'' nor is this about some 
theoretical identity-politics agenda. This is about combating the very 
real threat of violence faced by too many Americans.
  Every hate crime is an offense against the most basic values of 
American society. Sadly it takes tragedy to galvanize America's 
attention. We have to seize the moment and pass a tougher law, or else 
the brutal deaths of Matthew Shepard and James Byrd will have been in 
vain.
  There are those who fail to believe that this legislation would be a 
deterrent to these horrific crimes. I am still hopeful that the 
Republican leadership will endorse our effort. We need to pledge to 
ourselves that we will pass this legislation. When we do pass it, and I 
do believe we will pass it, it must be before another horrible crime is 
committed. We must act now.
  Mrs. CUBIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Riggs). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentlewoman from Wyoming (Mrs. Cubin) that the House 
suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, House Resolution 597.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________