House Attempts To Kill Gay Hate Crimes Bill

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http://www.365gay.com/Newscon06/03/030806hate.htm

Using a procedural maneuver Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI) the Chair of the House Judiciary Committee chopped an amendment to the Children's Safety and Violent Crimes Reduction Act that would have included gays, lesbians and the transgendered in federal hate crime laws.

The amendment was passed by the House last September on a 223 to 199 vote with 30 Republicans casting their votes in support of the measure.

"The United States Congress is not a card game. You can't just keep re-shuffling the deck if you don't like the first hand the majority deals you," said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese.

"The House has already passed hate crimes legislation by a clear majority. To callously disregard that vote signals how far out of step House leadership is with both the majority of Congress and the American people."