From the Washington Post:
The Senate cleared a historic hate crimes bill Thursday for President Obama's signature, approving new federal penalties for attacks on gay men and lesbians.
The legislation, which was attached to the conference report for the bill outlining the Pentagon's budget, marks the culmination of a years-long fight by civil rights groups to codify the expanded protections.
The measure would extend the current definition of federal hate crimes -- which covers attacks motivated by race, color, religion or national origin -- to include those based on sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability. It also would make it a federal crime to attack U.S. military personnel because of their service.
The measure was approved, 68 to 29, with a majority of Republicans voting against it. The House passed the same bill Oct. 8, also with most Republicans opposed.
Gay rights groups praised the Senate's action.
"We look forward to President Obama signing it into law: our nation's first major piece of civil rights legislation for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people," said Joe Solmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign. "Too many in our community have been devastated by hate violence. We now can begin the important steps to erasing hate in our country."
Obama says he will sign the bill. During his two terms Bush threatened to veto such a bill if it ever reached his desk.
Although we're not getting all we want out of the Democratic president and Congress, having members of the party occupy the office of president and in the majority in Congress makes a difference. Why would any decent person oppose a hate crime bill? Republicans say the bill violates the First Amendment. We shall see.
This is the best news of the day! Perhaps the decade!
ReplyDeleteIt's been a long struggle, Margaret.
ReplyDeleteI cannot understand why, if other hate crimes legislation has been able to pass constitutional muster, that this one would not.
ReplyDeleteI wonder also how public this signing will be.