[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 83 (Thursday, June 4, 2009)]
[House]
[Page H6158]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              PROTECT MILITARY PERSONNEL FROM HATE CRIMES

  (Mr. FLEMING asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. FLEMING. Mr. Speaker, on June 1 two U.S. servicemen were gunned 
down at an Army recruiting station in Little Rock, Arkansas. Private 
William Long lost his life in the attack, and another soldier remains 
in critical condition. Based on the attacker's own statements, these 
soldiers were targeted because of their affiliation with the U.S. Army. 
There is evidence that others were being targeted, and this is not the 
first time.
  Under recently passed hate crimes legislation, H.R. 1913, these 
heroes would receive no additional Federal protections. I think we can 
all agree that if there is any class of citizens who deserve special 
protection from political or religiously motivated crimes, it is our 
men and women in uniform who put their lives on the line each day to 
protect this country.
  So I have introduced House bill 2677, the Military Personnel 
Protection Act of 2009. This legislation will right this egregious 
wrong and ensure those who answered our Nation's call to service are 
extended the same protections afforded to other protected classes of 
citizens. I urge my colleagues to join me in passing this legislation 
and extend Federal hate crimes protections to active, Guard, Reserve 
and retired members of the armed services. That is the least we can do 
for them.

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