US Rejects Hate Crimes Bill

October 9, 2004

Source: India News Channel

http://www.123bharath.com/world-news/index.php?action=fullnews&id=27338

On October 9, 2004 India News Channel reported, "the US Congress has rejected a bill aimed at punishing those responsible for hate crimes based on race, colour, religion or national origin, disappointing the Sikh community which has been the target of such violence in the country of late. When the Senate-approved proposal was presented at the House of Representatives on Thursday, Republican negotiators rejected the bill, aimed at strengthening the hate crime law. The hate crime bill called Local Law Enforcement Enhancement Act (LLEEA), co-sponored by Senators Edward M Kennedy and Gordan Smith, was viewed to help in prosecution of hate crimes by removing unnecessary impediments in the prosecution procedures. It proposed to bring about changes in existing provisions to expand protection to all victims of hate crime including gays and lesbians and financial support for state and local investigations and prosecutions of hate crimes."