[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 69 (Wednesday, May 6, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1072]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT HATE CRIMES PREVENTION ACT OF 2009

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. GARY C. PETERS

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                         Wednesday, May 6, 2009

  Mr. PETERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as a proud co-sponsor of H.R. 
1913, the ``Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009.'' 
According to FBI statistics, 118,000 hate crimes have been reported 
since 1991. During the same period of time, reported bias motivated 
crimes based on sexual orientation has more than tripled, yet the 
federal government currently has no jurisdiction to assist states and 
municipalities in dealing with even the most violent hate crimes 
against gay and lesbian Americans. The FBI's 2007 Uniform Crime Reports 
showed that reported violent crimes based on sexual orientation 
constituted approximately one out of six hate crimes committed in 2007, 
with 1,265 reported for the year.
  The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009 will 
provide assistance to state and local law enforcement agencies and 
amend federal law to facilitate the investigation and prosecution of 
violent, bias-motivated crimes. This important legislation is backed by 
a number of major law enforcement organizations, including the 
International Association of Chiefs of Police, the National District 
Attorneys Association, and the National Sheriffs Association.
  This bill will strengthen existing federal law by expanding its 
jurisdiction to provide protections for crimes directed at individuals 
because of their gender, gender identity, sexual orientation or 
disability. The bill only applies to bias-motivated violent crimes and 
does not impinge public speech or writing.
  This bill includes an explicit First Amendment free speech 
protection. Pastors, Sunday school teachers, and religious leaders 
cannot be prosecuted for the content of their speech. Many religious 
groups have expressed support for the bill, including the Episcopal 
Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, the Interfaith 
Alliance, the Presbyterian Church, the United Synagogue of Conservative 
Judaism, the United Methodist Church, and the Congress of National 
Black Churches.
  I am proud to support the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes 
Prevention Act of 2009 because it is grounded in fundamental American 
values: recognizing the dignity of every person, protecting religious 
freedom, and freedom of speech. This legislation protects people from 
violence based on who they are, and has explicit protections to ensure 
that the law does not punish what people think, feel, or believe, but 
rather actions that physically harm others. I urge passage of the Local 
Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009.

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