[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 5]
[Senate]
[Page 6129]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    THE MATTHEW SHEPARD ACT OF 2007

  Mr. SMITH. Madam 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 strengthen and 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.
  Early in the morning of September 9, 2007, a gay man was walking home 
when he was attacked near the Georgetown University campus. According 
to the victim, two men at a college party began following him while 
yelling homophobic slurs. As the victim turned a corner, one of the men 
began punching him in the head, resulting in cuts and bruises to his 
face, and a broken thumb. The victim immediately reported the incident 
to the Georgetown campus police. The attack was investigated as a bias-
related crime based on the victim's sexual orientation and the 
circumstances of the attack. However, the Washington, DC, Metropolitan 
Police Department has charged Philip Cooney, a 19-year-old Georgetown 
sophomore, with simple assault.
  I believe that the Government's first duty is to defend its citizens, 
to defend them against the harms that come out of hate. Federal laws 
intended to protect individuals from heinous and violent crimes 
motivated by hate are woefully inadequate. This legislation would 
better equip the Government to fulfill its most important obligation by 
protecting new groups of people as well as better protecting citizens 
already covered under deficient laws. I believe that by passing this 
legislation and changing current law, we can change hearts and minds as 
well.

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