Bipartisan ‘Justice for Victims of Hate Crimes Act’ Will Strengthen Key Federal Law
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Kenny Yi, [email protected], 202-466-2735
WASHINGTON – Vanita Gupta, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement on the Justice for Victims of Hate Crimes Act, a bipartisan bill introduced by Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska):
“This bill will strengthen the enforcement of the Matthew Shepard & James Byrd Hate Crimes Prevention Act, helping to protect communities across the country from systemic, pervasive hate violence. The current split in interpretation of the motive requirement is detrimental to enforcement and prevents prosecutors from seeking full justice for victims.
“All people deserve to live free from hate violence — no matter the individual’s race, color, religion, sexual orientation, or national origin. We applaud Senators Klobuchar and Murkowski for introducing the Justice for Victims of Hate Crimes Act and urge its speedy passage in the Senate.”
The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 220 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.