WASHINGTON (ABP) — In a surprise move while most of the political world's attention was focused elsewhere, the House of Representatives voted Sept. 14 to add sexual orientation to federal hate-crimes protections.
On a 223-199 vote, the chamber added the “Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act” to a bill designed to crack down on child molesters. The amended bill then passed overwhelmingly.
Democrats enlisted 30 Republicans to help them get the measure passed. It would add crimes apparently motivated by the victim's sexual orientation to the list of ethnicity-, gender- and religion-motivated crimes for which local law-enforcement agencies can enlist federal help in investigating.
Many groups concerned over gay-rights issues were paying attention to the Senate confirmation hearings for John Roberts, President Bush's nominee to become the 17th chief justice of the United States, when the vote took place.
“It is shocking that a bill designed to protect children from sexual predators is now being used to protect the sexual preference of homosexuals,” said Tony Perkins, president of the conservative Family Research Council, in a statement on the bill's passage. “The Senate should reject the House's attempt to advance the political agenda of homosexuals at the expense of children.”
Gay-rights advocates hailed the bill, versions of which had repeatedly been blocked by Republicans in the last several sessions of Congress. “Members of the House, Democrats and Republicans alike, historically signaled today that local law-enforcement officials deserve the tools this bill would provide toward fighting the scourge of hate crimes,” said Joe Solmonese, president of the Washington-based Human Rights Campaign.