Stonewall Democrats Urge Action

Washington, DC - Today, the National Stonewall Democrats applauded the passage of the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act in the United States House of Representatives. The action quickly drew a premature veto threat from the White House, although the legislation still needs to be approved by the United States Senate. The legislation would apply equal federal resources to domestic terror crimes that target an individual based on disability, sexual orientation, gender or gender identity. Currently, these resources are only provided to local law enforcement agencies if a crime targets an individual based on race, color, national origin or religion.

"By issuing a premature veto threat, President Bush fails to understand that he is not the sole decider regarding the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act," said Jo Wyrick, NSD Executive Director. "Once again, the majority of American oppose the position of the President, and that is why we are urging the Senate Leadership to quickly move on this important legislation. We need Senate Democrats to step up before President Bush can step down."

The legislation passed the United States House of Representatives by a 237 to 180 vote. The vast majority of Democrats (212) voted for the legislation along with 25 Republicans. 166 Republicans voted against the bill, joined by only 14 Democratic members.

The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act, would extend federal grants to local law enforcement agencies in order to more thoroughly investigate and prosecute domestic terror crimes that target individuals based on disability, sexual orientation, gender or gender identity. Under existing hate crimes laws, such grants are routinely provided to local agencies for similar crimes which target victims based on race, color, national origin or religion.

Presidential candidates Joe Biden, Chris Dodd, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are introductory co-sponsors of the Senate version of the legislation as was Representative Dennis Kucinich of the House version. Senators John Edwards and Mike Gravel, along with New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson have also taken positions supporting such legislation.

Supporters of the White House position have disingenuously argued that the legislation would prohibit free speech. Organizations like the Concerned Women of America and the Family Research Council have routinely cited measures to limit hate speech adopted by Canada and Sweden as examples. Unlike these countries, the United States provides constitutional protections that guarantee the freedom of speech.

The Family Research Council has also argued that the implementation of the legislation would create a create a special caste system that grants special resources to victims who happen to be gay. However, the legislation would actually correct an imbalance in federal law to provide for equal prosecution of such crimes. Currently, federal law does treats domestic terror crimes based on disability, sexual orientation, gender or gender identity with less weight than similar crimes. The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention act seeks to correct that imbalance.

A 2007 poll conducted by Peter Hart Research associates found that three out of four Americans supported the expansion of federal hate crimes law to include crimes based on disability, sexual orientation, gender or gender identity. Support cut across partisan, ethnic and religious lines. 74% of African Americans support the legislation along with 74% of Whites and 72% of Latinas/os. 63% of Evangelical Christians support the legislation according to the poll, as do 56% of Republican men.

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National Stonewall Democrats is the only national organization of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender Democrats, with more than 90 local chapters across the nation. NSD is committed to working through the Democratic Party to advance the rights of all people regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.