[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 14 (Thursday, February 14, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E153-E154]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    IN SUPPORT OF H.R. 1343, THE LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT HATE CRIMES 
                             PREVENTION ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JAMES R. LANGEVIN

                            of rhode island

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 13, 2002

  Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to declare my strong support 
for H.R. 1343, the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act, 
and to urge its swift passage in the House of Representatives.
  In the last five years, approximately 50,000 hate crimes were 
reported to authorities, with the brutal murders of Matthew Shepard and 
James Byrd graphically demonstrating to the nation the horrors of 
violence motivated by hate and bigotry. In 2000 alone, law enforcement 
agencies in 48 states and the District of Columbia reported 8,063 bias-
motivated criminal incidents.
  Unfortunately, five states have no laws against hate crimes, and the 
statutes in another eighteen states fall short of full protection. Even 
in a state such as Rhode Island, where we have strong laws against hate 
crimes, law enforcement officials recorded 50 cases of bias-motivated 
offenses in 2000. Because the current federal hate crimes law only 
covers crimes motivated by racial, religious or ethnic prejudice, 
Congress must enact legislation to establish a strong national standard 
for prosecuting all hate crimes.
  To ensure that no American is targeted for violence based on 
prejudice, I am an original cosponsor of the Local Law Enforcement Hate 
Crimes Prevention Act, which would provide federal assistance to state 
and local authorities in prosecuting hate crimes. Additionally, the 
legislation would expand the federal definition of hate crimes to 
include violent acts motivated by prejudice against the victim's sexual 
orientation, gender or disability.

[[Page E154]]

  I urge my colleagues to cosponsor this important piece of legislation 
and to demand its immediate consideration in the House. I also wish to 
express my gratitude to the bill's author, Congressman John Conyers, as 
well as to Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey, for their leadership on this 
important issue. I am confident that we will be able to work in a 
bipartisan fashion to pass H.R. 1343 and bring an end to hate-based 
crimes in the United States.

                          ____________________