http://www.family.org/cforum/feature/a0032255.cfm
May 27, 2004
by Pete Winn, associate editor
Prominent Republican seeks to add special protections for "sexual orientation" to the federal hate-crimes statute.
Federal hate-crimes legislation is back on Capitol Hill, with the Senate expected to vote next week on an amendment to the defense authorization bill that would extend special protections to homosexuals.
"Sen. Hatch (R-Utah) has let it be known that he and Sen. Gordon Smith of Oregon plan to offer an amendment dealing with hate crimes," explained Michael Schwartz, vice president of governmental relations at Concerned Women for America.
"The probability is that this, in substance, will be similar to or identical with the hate-crimes bill that Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass) has sponsored, which has 49 cosponsors."
That bill is the Local Law Enforcement Enhancement Act, S. 966.