Hate-Crimes Bill on Tap in House and Senate

[babylonsister]

Hate-Crimes Bill on Tap in House and Senate
By Kerry Eleveld



The LGBT-inclusive federal hate-crimes bill was introduced in the Senate Tuesday and is slated to reach the House floor for a vote Wednesday.

Joe Solmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign, expected the bill to pass the House without incident and then move to the Senate for a vote that he said will likely take place before the end of the year.

"We're confident that we'll make progress in the Senate as well," Solmonese said. "We're in conversations with Senator {Harry} Reid and other leaders in the Senate to try to determine the most expeditious way to move the bill and one that keeps that bill intact and gets it to the president's desk."

President Obama issued a statement Tuesday, putting his full weight behind the measure: "I urge members on both sides of the aisle to act on this important civil rights issue by passing this legislation to protect all of our citizens from violent acts of intolerance – legislation that will enhance civil rights protections, while also protecting our freedom of speech and association. I also urge the Senate to work with my Administration to finalize this bill and to take swift action."

The bipartisan Senate bill is being carried by Democrat Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts and Republican Olympia Snowe of Maine. Other cosponsors include Democrat Patrick Leahy of Vermont, Republican Susan Collins of Maine, and Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, who switched his affiliation Tuesday from Republican to Democrat.

more...

http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid81116.asp

And btw, this is the bill that is making boehner want to throw up...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=5559035&mesg_id=5559035

[firedupdem]

1. Rec'd n/t