By CHRIS JOHNSON, Washington Blade
Oct 26 2009, 12:22 PM |
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President Obama intends to sign into law Wednesday a long-sought
hate crimes protection measure as part of a major defense bill, according to an
administration source.
The president plans to pen his name to the fiscal year 2010
defense authorization bill, which includes a provision known as the Matthew
Shepard & James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. The measure would make
illegal hate crimes based on actual or perceived sexual orientation and gender
identity, among other categories, and would allow the Justice Department to
assist in the prosecution of such crimes.
The legislation has languished in Congress for 12 years, and with
strong support this congressional session, lawmakers put the finishing touches
on the bill this month.
The House on Oct. 8 voted in favor of the defense conference
report with the hate crimes measure, 281-146, and the Senate on Thursday
approved the same report, 68-29.
The defense bill includes a hate crimes provision because in July
the Senate amended its version of the legislation to include such a measure.
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