[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 16]
[House]
[Page 23151]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                      PASS HATE CRIMES LEGISLATION

  (Ms. SCHAKOWSKY asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, at a time when we are waging war around 
the world against terrorism, oppression and hate, we must be sure that 
we are sending a clear message at home to all Americans, especially our 
children, that hate crimes will not be tolerated, period.
  President Bush has repeatedly called on Americans to resist all acts 
of bigotry and hate; and yet since the terrorist attacks on September 
11, thousands of assaults have been reported across the country against 
people of South Asian, Arab, Muslim, and Sikh backgrounds. Some of 
those occurred in my district, one of the most diverse districts in the 
Nation.
  The Conyers bill, H.R. 1343, is the right antidote. It is not just 
talk; it is action. We must elevate the status of hate crimes within 
Federal law to ensure that the punishment fits the seriousness of the 
crime. Congress has given law enforcement new tools to fight terrorism, 
and we must not delay in adding new tools to fight hate here at home.

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