[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 85 (Thursday, June 23, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Page S7289]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT ENHANCEMENT ACT OF 2005

  Mr. SMITH. Mr. President, I rise today to speak about the need for 
hate crimes legislation. Each Congress, Senator Kennedy and I introduce 
hate crimes legislation that would add new categories to current hate 
crimes law, sending a signal that violence of any kind is unacceptable 
in our society. Likewise, each day I have come to the floor to 
highlight a separate hate crime that has occurred in our country.
  In Chicago, a bisexual Latina student was threatened by a white male 
at a local university because of her sexual orientation. Sometime after 
the incident, the victim was walking outside of her dorm when the same 
male student followed her into an alley and assaulted her. She was 
punched and kicked repeatedly in the stomach.
  I believe that the Government's first duty is to defend its citizens, 
to defend them against the harms that come out of hate. The Local Law 
Enforcement Enhancement Act is a symbol that can become substance. I 
believe that by passing this legislation and changing current law, we 
can change hearts and minds as well.

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