Hate Crimes Bill to Improve U.S. Policy at Home, Abroad

Human Rights First Testimony outlines clear need for U.S. leadership to combat hate crimes globally

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Washington, DC – Passage and enactment of the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act (S. 909) will strengthen protections against violent hate crime in the United States, said Human Rights First in written testimony submitted today for the Senate Judiciary Committee’s hearing on this critical legislation. The organization also offered a series of concrete recommendations that - when coupled with the statutory changes contained within S.909 - would provide the basis for a more vigorous U.S. response to bias-motivated violence.

“Hate crime is a serious problem in the United States, and we have been concerned by certain omissions in the government response,” noted Elisa Massimino, Human Rights First’s CEO and Executive Director. “The adoption and implementation of S.909 is an important step toward a comprehensive response to the problem at home, and toward ensuring continued U.S. leadership to combat the scourge of hate crime globally.”

Human Rights First noted that in 2007, the Federal Bureau of Investigations documented 7,624 U.S. hate crimes directed against institutions and individuals because of their race, religion, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, or disability. According to HRF’s 2008 Hate Crimes Survey, similar crimes are on the rise across Europe and the former Soviet Union. Though the United States has led efforts to confront this scourge through its foreign policy and engagement in multilateral institutions such as the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, HRF today told the Senate Judiciary Committee that passage of S. 909 and implementation of a series of other key reforms would strengthen the efforts of the United States to lead by example and encourage other nations to combat these acts of violence

In the testimony, Human Rights First provided concrete recommendations of the key domestic steps that could fortify the nation’s response to hate crime at home. The testimony also outlined foreign policy recommendations that would demonstrate the United States’ global leadership on this issue. The need for U.S. leadership is highlighted by the finding that many countries in Europe and the former Soviet Union are failing to adequately address the problem of hate crime.

In endorsing the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act, Human Rights First noted the bill will strengthen existing laws by permitting federal authorities to assist local and state governments in hate crimes investigations. This legislation has been endorsed by 26 state Attorneys General, a number of the nation’s most important law enforcement organizations, more than 275 national civil rights, professional, civic, education, and religious groups. A similar measure won widespread support in the 110th Congress, including 60 Senate votes. Last month, by a vote of 249-175, the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act (H.R. 1913), its own version of S. 909. The Obama Administration has indicated that it supports the bill and plans to sign it into law. 

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