Washington, D.C.--Congressman Eliot Engel enthusiastically voted for legislation to bolster the prevention of hate crimes, the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. This measure passed the House as part of the FY 2010 Defense Authorization Conference Agreement on Thursday by a vote of 281 to 146. Rep. Engel has been a long-time co-sponsor of legislation to grant state and local law enforcement the tools and resources they need to prevent and prosecute hate crimes.

“Since 1991, there have been more than 118,000 hate crimes documented by the FBI. This kind of violence has no place in America, and this legislation will extend hate crime protection to more Americans. Hopefully, there will be no more Matthew Shepards and James Byrds for us to mourn,” said Rep. Engel. “All Americans have a right to feel safe in their community. We all remember when Matthew Shepard was brutally murdered in Wyoming, and James Byrd in Texas, because of bias and hatred. Congress has been debating hate crime legislation for over a decade, and it is long overdue for this legislation to finally be passed.”

The measure defines hate crimes as those motivated by prejudice and based on a victim’s race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability. It would provide grants for state and local authorities to investigate and prosecute hate crimes, and it would empower the federal government to prosecute cases if states asked for help or were reluctant to exercise their own authority.

Passage of the conference report by the House and Senate will send federal hate crimes legislation to President Obama’s desk to become law. Over 300 law enforcement, religious, civil rights, disability organizations support the measure, including the International Association of Chiefs of Police, National Sheriffs’ Association, Police Executive Research Forum, Police Foundation and National District Attorneys Association.

Rep. Engel added, “The bill only applies to bias-motivated crimes of violence and does not impede freedom of speech or religion in any way. In fact, the bill contains language protecting First Amendment religious speech or expressive conduct from prosecution or admissibility at trial. This is designed to stop violence and murder; it is not intended to stifle legitimate forms of expression.”