[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 35, Number 41 (Monday, October 18, 1999)]
[Pages 2024-2025]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on Hate Crimes Legislation

October 13, 1999

    It has been a year since the murder of Matthew Shepard, and 2 years 
since I first proposed to strengthen the Nation's hate crime laws. 
During this time, hundreds of Americans have been injured or killed, 
simply because of who they are. In response to

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this epidemic of violence, people around the country have joined me in 
calling on Congress to pass this important legislation.
    Earlier this year, the Senate passed my legislation, which, if 
enacted, would strengthen current law by making it easier to prosecute 
crimes based on race, color, religion, and national origin and by 
expanding coverage to include crimes based on sexual orientation, 
gender, and disability.
    Congress has the opportunity to complete work on that legislation 
and to send it to me for signature. I call on Congress to do the right 
thing and enact hate crime legislation before the end of this session. 
The Nation cannot afford to wait.