[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

  (Mr. SHERMAN asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. SHERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise along with the gentleman from 
Michigan (Mr. Conyers) and the gentlewoman from California (Ms. 
Woolsey) and 199 cosponsors in support of a Federal hate crimes 
statute. We must show the world that we are not engaged in a war on 
Islam, but instead are forming our laws to reflect the fact that we are 
building the most diverse country in the history of the world.
  Mr. Speaker, it is said that a single act of violence should not be 
subject to different levels of punishment. But the fact is that we 
often enhance punishment due to the motivations of the perpetrator, and 
racial and religious hatred is one motivation that deserves enhanced 
punishment. We also adjust punishment when the perpetrator causes a 
greater harm; and hate crimes not only hurt the physical victim, but 
also tear at the fabric of our society.
  There was a hate crime in my district 2 years ago. The Jewish 
Community Center was invaded and children were shot. Not only were 
their families victims of this act, but there was fear at Jewish 
community centers from one end of this country to the other. It is time 
that we reflect this higher level of harm with a higher level of 
punishment by passing the Federal hate crimes statute.

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