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The New York Times
OPINION
Caving In on Hate
Crimes
EDITORIAL,
nytimes.com on the Web, December 10, 2007
Congressional leaders, who have
disappointed frequently this year, have done it again. This time, the
House leadership has failed to find a way to get a bipartisan law against hate
crimes passed and signed into law. Racial, religious, sexual and other
minorities have waited long enough. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has to do
more than just express her support for the bill; she must find a way to make it
the law.
The Matthew Shepard Act would expand the definition of hate crimes and make
important improvements in the federal response. To categories already
covered by federal law, which include race and religion, it would add crimes
committed because of the victim’s sexual orientation, gender identity, gender or
disability. It would also broaden the federal government’s authority to
investigate these hateful acts.
The bill has been a top priority of civil rights groups since Mr. Shepard, who
was gay, was beaten to death in Laramie, Wyo., in 1998. It also has strong
support from law enforcement, including the National Sheriffs’ Association and
the National District Attorneys Association. The House passed it 237-180,
with significant Republican support, and the Senate passed a similar bill by
voice vote, after a 60-39 cloture vote.
President Bush has suggested he would veto the bill. It’s an unfortunate
threat, but one he is certainly capable of carrying out. House and Senate
leaders planned to get around that threat by attaching it to a Department of
Defense Authorization bill, which Mr. Bush would have had trouble vetoing.
But House leaders decided last week that since some liberals did not want to
vote for the defense bill and some conservatives did not want to vote for the
hate crimes bill, they could not piece together a majority to get it through.
Ms. Pelosi says she is still committed to getting the Matthew Shepard Act
passed, perhaps early next year. That’s nice, but it is time for her to
explain how she intends to do it — and then to make it happen.
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