[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 17]
[Senate]
[Page 23814]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      MATTHEW SHEPARD ACT OF 2007

  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 Congress I have come to the floor to 
highlight a separate hate crime that has occurred in our country.
  On the night of August 9, 2007, three friends with developmental 
disabilities were verbally assaulted by four teens as they left a 
Cheektowaga, NY, restaurant. Two of the friends, a 22-year-old local 
man and his 19-year-old girlfriend, got into their vehicle and began to 
drive away. The teens continued to taunt the couple with derogatory 
names for the developmentally disabled. The four youths drove after the 
couple in two cars, reportedly swerving repeatedly at the victims' car 
and nearly hitting it. The disabled couple's car crashed as they tried 
to turn onto the Cheektowaga Thruway, causing significant damage to 
their vehicle. According to witnesses, the crash happened after the 
victim sped up to get away from the attackers' vehicles. The teens sped 
away, but thanks to witnesses and restaurant surveillance tapes, the 
police were able to apprehend the teens. Three of them were charged 
with perpetrating a hate crime.
  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 Matthew 
Shepard 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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