DODD STATEMENT ON PASSAGE OF HATE CRIMES AMENDMENT
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) released the following statement after the Senate passed the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Amendment to the Department of Defense Authorization Bill. Dodd was an original cosponsor of the amendment as well as the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009.
“We must never forget that this important amendment was borne out of tragedy,” said Dodd. “In 2007 there were more than 100 hate crimes in Connecticut— that is intolerable. The passage of this long-overdue measure makes a statement that the Senate considers hate crimes to be an affront to our core American values. This amendment makes it clear that in a country where so much unites us, there is simply no place for hatred and discrimination.”
In 2007, there were 7,624 reported cases of hate crime incidents in America; 131 in Connecticut alone.
The Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Amendment will change existing law for federal involvement in cases of a hate crime from only involving race, color, or natural origin to include sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or disability; and it will enable the Department of Justice to provide its non-federal partners with assistance to support their hate crimes enforcement efforts.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) released the following statement after the Senate passed the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Amendment to the Department of Defense Authorization Bill. Dodd was an original cosponsor of the amendment as well as the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009.
“We must never forget that this important amendment was borne out of tragedy,” said Dodd. “In 2007 there were more than 100 hate crimes in Connecticut— that is intolerable. The passage of this long-overdue measure makes a statement that the Senate considers hate crimes to be an affront to our core American values. This amendment makes it clear that in a country where so much unites us, there is simply no place for hatred and discrimination.”
In 2007, there were 7,624 reported cases of hate crime incidents in America; 131 in Connecticut alone.
The Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Amendment will change existing law for federal involvement in cases of a hate crime from only involving race, color, or natural origin to include sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or disability; and it will enable the Department of Justice to provide its non-federal partners with assistance to support their hate crimes enforcement efforts.
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