Posted on 09/15/2005 6:48:47 AM PDT by Antoninus
Below is the roll call vote.
The link you provided is the final vote on the whole bill. It appears to have received bipartisan support.
Just before that vote, another vote was held on the amendment by Rep. John Conyers which inserted the "Hate Crimes" provision.
| AYES | NOES | PRES | NV | |
| REPUBLICAN | 30 | 194 | 6 | |
| DEMOCRATIC | 192 | 5 | 5 | |
| INDEPENDENT | 1 | |||
| TOTALS | 223 | 199 | 11 |
| REPUBLICANS VOTING AYE | DEMOCRATS VOTING NO | |
| Bass Biggert Boehlert Bono Castle Dent Diaz-Balart, L. Diaz-Balart, M. Fitzpatrick (PA) Foley Gerlach Johnson (CT) Kelly Kirk Kolbe |
LaHood Leach LoBiondo McCotter Platts Reichert Ros-Lehtinen Saxton Schwarz (MI) Shays Shimkus Simmons Walden (OR) Weldon (PA) Weller |
Berry Boren Davis (TN) Tanner Taylor (MS) |
And here is the full text of the heinous amendment, from the Congressional Record:
H.R. 3132 Offered By: Mr. Conyers
AMENDMENT NO. 25: At the end of the bill, add the following new title:
TITLE VI--LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT HATE CRIMES PREVENTION SECTION 601. SHORT TITLE.
This title may be cited as the ``Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2005''.
SEC. 602. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) The incidence of violence motivated by the actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability of the victim poses a serious national problem.
(2) Such violence disrupts the tranquility and safety of communities and is deeply divisive.
(3) State and local authorities are now and will continue to be responsible for prosecuting the overwhelming majority of violent crimes in the United States, including violent crimes motivated by bias. These authorities can carry out their responsibilities more effectively with greater Federal assistance.
(4) Existing Federal law is inadequate to address this problem.
(5) The prominent characteristic of a violent crime motivated by bias is that it devastates not just the actual victim and the family and friends of the victim, but frequently savages the community sharing the traits that caused the victim to be selected.
(6) Such violence substantially affects interstate commerce in many ways, including--
(A) by impeding the movement of members of targeted groups and forcing such members to move across State lines to escape the incidence or risk of such violence; and
(B) by preventing members of targeted groups from purchasing goods and services, obtaining or sustaining employment, or participating in other commercial activity.
(7) Perpetrators cross State lines to commit such violence.
(8) Channels, facilities, and instrumentalities of interstate commerce are used to facilitate the commission of such violence.
(9) Such violence is committed using articles that have traveled in interstate commerce.
(10) For generations, the institutions of slavery and involuntary servitude were defined by the race, color, and ancestry of those held in bondage. Slavery and involuntary servitude were enforced, both prior to and after the adoption of the 13th amendment to the Constitution of the United States, through widespread public and private violence directed at persons because of their race, color, or ancestry, or perceived race, color, or ancestry. Accordingly, eliminating racially motivated violence is an important means of eliminating, to the extent possible, the badges, incidents, and relics of slavery and involuntary servitude.
(11) Both at the time when the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments to the Constitution of the United States were adopted, and continuing to date, members of certain religious and national origin groups were and are perceived to be distinct ``races''. Thus, in order to eliminate, to the extent possible, the badges, incidents, and relics of slavery, it is necessary to prohibit assaults on the basis of real or perceived religions or national origins, at least to the extent such religions or national origins were regarded as races at the time of the adoption of the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments to the Constitution of the United States.
(12) Federal jurisdiction over certain violent crimes motivated by bias enables Federal, State, and local authorities to work together as partners in the investigation and prosecution of such crimes.
(13) The problem of crimes motivated by bias is sufficiently serious, widespread, and interstate in nature as to warrant Federal assistance to States and local jurisdictions.
SEC. 603. DEFINITION OF HATE CRIME.
In this title, the term ``hate crime'' has the same meaning as in section 280003(a) of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (28 U.S.C. 994 note).
SEC. 604. SUPPORT FOR CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS AND PROSECUTIONS BY STATE AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS.
(a) Assistance Other Than Financial Assistance.--
(1) IN GENERAL.--At the request of a law enforcement official of a State or Indian tribe, the Attorney General may provide technical, forensic, prosecutorial, or any other form of assistance in the criminal investigation or prosecution of any crime that--
(A) constitutes a crime of violence (as defined in section 16 of title 18, United States Code);
(B) constitutes a felony under the laws of the State or Indian tribe; and
(C) is motivated by prejudice based on the actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability of the victim, or is a violation of the hate crime laws of the State or Indian tribe.
(2) PRIORITY.--In providing assistance under paragraph (1), the Attorney General shall give priority to crimes committed by offenders who have committed crimes in more than 1 State and to rural jurisdictions that have difficulty covering the extraordinary expenses relating to the investigation or prosecution of the crime.
(b) Grants.--
(1) IN GENERAL.--The Attorney General may award grants to assist State, local, and Indian law enforcement officials with the extraordinary expenses associated with the investigation and prosecution of hate crimes.
(2) OFFICE OF JUSTICE PROGRAMS.--In implementing the grant program, the Office of Justice Programs shall work closely with the funded jurisdictions to ensure that the concerns and needs of all affected parties, including community groups and schools, colleges, and universities, are addressed through the local infrastructure developed under the grants.
(3) APPLICATION.--
(A) IN GENERAL.--Each State that desires a grant under this subsection shall submit an application to the Attorney General at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by or containing such information as the Attorney General shall reasonably require.
(B) DATE FOR SUBMISSION.--Applications submitted pursuant to subparagraph (A) shall be submitted during the 60-day period beginning on a date that the Attorney General shall prescribe.
(C) REQUIREMENTS.--A State or political subdivision of a State or tribal official applying for assistance under this subsection shall--
(i) describe the extraordinary purposes for which the grant is needed;
(ii) certify that the State, political subdivision, or Indian tribe lacks the resources necessary to investigate or prosecute the hate crime;
(iii) demonstrate that, in developing a plan to implement the grant, the State, political subdivision, or tribal official has consulted and coordinated with nonprofit, nongovernmental victim services programs that have experience in providing services to victims of hate crimes; and
(iv) certify that any Federal funds received under this subsection will be used to supplement, not supplant, non-Federal funds that would otherwise be available for activities funded under this subsection.
(4) DEADLINE.--An application for a grant under this subsection shall be approved or disapproved by the Attorney General not later than 30 business days after the date on which the Attorney General receives the application.
(5) GRANT AMOUNT.--A grant under this subsection shall not exceed $100,000 for any single jurisdiction within a 1 year period.
(6) REPORT.--Not later than December 31, 2006, the Attorney General shall submit to Congress a report describing the applications submitted for grants under this subsection, the award of such grants, and the purposes for which the grant amounts were expended.
(7) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.--There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2006 and 2007.
SEC. 605. GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) Authority to Make Grants.--The Office of Justice Programs of the Department of Justice shall award grants, in accordance with such regulations as the Attorney General may prescribe, to State and local programs designed to combat hate crimes committed by juveniles, including programs to train local law enforcement officers in identifying, investigating, prosecuting, and preventing hate crimes.
(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section.
SEC. 606. AUTHORIZATION FOR ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL TO ASSIST STATE AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT.
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Department of Justice, including the Community Relations Service, for fiscal years 2006, 2007, and 2008 such sums as are necessary to increase the number of personnel to prevent and respond to alleged violations of section 249 of title 18, United States Code, as added by section 607.
SEC. 607. PROHIBITION OF CERTAIN HATE CRIME ACTS.
(a) In General.--Chapter 13 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:``§249. Hate crime acts
``(a) In General.--
``(1) OFFENSES INVOLVING ACTUAL OR PERCEIVED RACE, COLOR, RELIGION, OR NATIONAL ORIGIN.--Whoever, whether or not acting under color of law, willfully causes bodily injury to any person or, through the use of fire, a firearm, or an explosive or incendiary device, attempts to cause bodily injury to any person, because of the actual or perceived race, color, religion, or national origin of any person--
``(A) shall be imprisoned not more than 10 years, fined in accordance with this title, or both; and
``(B) shall be imprisoned for any term of years or for life, fined in accordance with this title, or both, if--
``(i) death results from the offense; or
``(ii) the offense includes kidnaping or an attempt to kidnap, aggravated sexual abuse or an attempt to commit aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to kill.
``(2) OFFENSES INVOLVING ACTUAL OR PERCEIVED RELIGION, NATIONAL ORIGIN, GENDER, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, GENDER IDENTITY, OR DISABILITY.--
``(A) IN GENERAL.--Whoever, whether or not acting under color of law, in any circumstance described in subparagraph (B), willfully causes bodily injury to any person or, through the use of fire, a firearm, or an explosive or incendiary device, attempts to cause bodily injury to any person, because of the actual or perceived religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability of any person--
``(i) shall be imprisoned not more than 10 years, fined in accordance with this title, or both; and
``(ii) shall be imprisoned for any term of years or for life, fined in accordance with this title, or both, if--
``(I) death results from the offense; or
``(II) the offense includes kidnaping or an attempt to kidnap, aggravated sexual abuse or an attempt to commit aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to kill.
``(B) CIRCUMSTANCES DESCRIBED.--For purposes of subparagraph (A), the circumstances described in this subparagraph are that--
``(i) the conduct described in subparagraph (A) occurs during the course of, or as the result of, the travel of the defendant or the victim--
``(I) across a State line or national border; or
``(II) using a channel, facility, or instrumentality of interstate or foreign commerce;
``(ii) the defendant uses a channel, facility, or instrumentality of interstate or foreign commerce in connection with the conduct described in subparagraph (A);
``(iii) in connection with the conduct described in subparagraph (A), the defendant employs a firearm, explosive or incendiary device, or other weapon that has traveled in interstate or foreign commerce; or
``(iv) the conduct described in subparagraph (A)--
``(I) interferes with commercial or other economic activity in which the victim is engaged at the time of the conduct; or
``(II) otherwise affects interstate or foreign commerce.
``(b) Certification Requirement.--No prosecution of any offense described in this subsection may be undertaken by the United States, except under the certification in writing of the Attorney General, the Deputy Attorney General, the Associate Attorney General, or any Assistant Attorney General specially designated by the Attorney General that--
``(1) he or she has reasonable cause to believe that the actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability of any person was a motivating factor underlying the alleged conduct of the defendant; and
``(2) he or his designee or she or her designee has consulted with State or local law enforcement officials regarding the prosecution and determined that--
``(A) the State does not have jurisdiction or does not intend to exercise jurisdiction;
``(B) the State has requested that the Federal Government assume jurisdiction;
``(C) the State does not object to the Federal Government assuming jurisdiction; or
``(D) the verdict or sentence obtained pursuant to State charges left demonstratively unvindicated the Federal interest in eradicating bias-motivated violence.
``(c) Definitions.--In this section--
``(1) the term `explosive or incendiary device' has the meaning given the term in section 232 of this title;
``(2) the term `firearm' has the meaning given the term in section 921(a) of this title; and
``(3) the term `gender identity' for the purposes of this chapter means actual or perceived gender-related characteristics.
``(d) Rule of Evidence.--In a prosecution for an offense under this section, evidence of expression or associations of the defendant may not be introduced as substantive evidence at trial, unless the evidence specifically relates to that offense. However, nothing in this section affects the rules of evidence governing impeachment of a witness.''.
(b) Technical and Conforming Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 13 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
``249..Hate crime acts.''.
SEC. 608. STATISTICS.
Subsection (b)(1) of the first section of the Hate Crimes Statistics Act (28 U.S.C. 534 note) is amended by inserting ``gender and gender identity,'' after ``race,''.
SEC. 609. SEVERABILITY.
If any provision of this title, an amendment made by this title, or the application of such provision or amendment to any person or circumstance is held to be unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act, the amendments made by this Act, and the application of the provisions of such to any person or circumstance shall not be affected thereby.
Because "hate crimes" are already considered crimes. Think about it, w/o hate crimes legislation, if you beat the crap out of a gay man, you are going to jail. IMNTBHO, all hate crimes legislation is just leftist congressional leaders trying to spread the myth among minorities that they aren't already being protected by current laws. Thus, those minorities will always vote for someone who "wants to protect them". It's all a bunch of fraud.
If you want on/off the ping list let me and little jeremiah know.
Unfortunately 5 of these 30 spineless Republicans came from Illinois. (and we only have 9 Republicans in total!) Biggert (sorry to say she's my rep), Kirk, LaHood, Shimkus, and Weller voted for this mess. I wonder if there was some pork in the bill form Illinois. Even it that were so, it still makes me sick!
Charlie Dent voted for this. We lost Toomey for this POS RINO.
The Christ also did not sup with every tax collector, he did not pick the first 12 people he came across, he vacationed at the med, he didn't let just any whore wash his feet, and he always knew when someone touched him to be healed. He was unable to hate, but he picked his people with divine wisdom and prudence.
We may be commanded to love but that doesn't mean we have to be friends with them. We are commanded to abhore sin, and homosexuality (not the person) is an abomination.
Curt Weldon voted for this?
Thats what i intend to do. Thank goodness my congressman had the good sense to vote No.
There is the matter of Constitutionality. American conservatism, if it has any meaning, is based on the concept that the U.S. Constitution should be interpreted according to the original intent of its framers. The powers of the Federal government are specifically delineated in the Constitution, in Article I, Section 8. None of the outlined powers deal with the protection of people who are the victims of crimes motivated by "hate." The Tenth Amendment states that "the powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people."
The Fourteenth Amendment states that "No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws." The intent of this amendment was to prevent the legislatures of the Southern states, readmitted into the Union following the Civil War, from enforcing "black codes" that were intended to deny the newly freed slaves the same freedom to buy, own, and sell property, possess firearms, offer their labor to the highest bidder, etc., as was afforded to whites. However, the Fourteenth Amendment was intended to address discriminatory action on the part of state and local governments. It was not written to address discrimination by private individuals, as opposed to governments.
In summary, there is no Constitutional justification for "hate crimes" legislation of any sort, irrespective of the class of people protected.
The second argument is the general power of the state (by which I mean all levels of government: Federal, state, and local) vs. the individual. The greatest tragedy of the last century was the mass murder on the parts of governments, particularly Communist nations, but also Nazi Germany, Imperial Japan, various fascist regimes, and the Tsarist and Ottoman Empires. Over 100 million people were killed by dictatorial regimes, with Mao tse-Tung alone responsible for over 20 million deaths. The lesson we must learn from the last century is the extreme danger from powerful and intrusive government.
Governments, even totalitarian ones, do not increase their power suddenly, but incrementally. Stalin's elimination of the Kulaks (landowning farmers) and Hitler's genocide against the Jews occurred well over a decade after Russia and Germany were taken over by the Communists and the Nazis, respectively. Preceding the mass extermination were various laws and regulations restricting the freedoms and rights of the Kulaks and the Jews. The state's propaganda organs fed the masses unremitting propaganda condemning the classes who would later be exterminated.
The "gay rights" movement is an outgrowth of the New Left of the 1960s, whose leadership was made up of the so-called red diaper babies whose parents were Communists or fellow travelers. The New Left ideology adopted the Marxist-Leninist strategy of class warfare to extend the idea of class struggle to include racial minorities, women, and sexual deviants. The intent was to use racial, gender, and sexual identity in North America and Western Europe in the same manner economic class was used in the Soviet Union and its satellites: to topple the old regime and traditional society and establish a centralized, socialist government and a society entirely dependent on that government from cradle to grave.
The homosexual rights advocates, along with black activists and feminists, are merely pawns in a game to destroy American society. As has occurred in Canada, Sweden, Britain, and elsewhere, relatively modest laws like ones to give crimes motivated by racial or other prejudice an extra measure of punishment are the first step in making opposition to radical egalitarianism in print, electronic form, or speech a criminal act. Ministers in Canada and Sweden have been subject to government persecution merely for preaching what the Bible teaches on homosexuality. In Britain, undercover police have gone to pubs and arrested people for making disparaging remarks against racial minorities in conversations on which they eavesdropped.
America is on a slippery slope toward a socialistic police state. Perhaps you may trust President Bush with the power of the Patriot Act, but in three and one half years, that power could be in the hands of Hillary Clinton or someone like her. Rest assured that those powers will be used against patriots and not against terrorists.
An aide answered and hung up on me.
Aide: Hello, Congressman Simmons' office.
Me: Did Congressman Simmons vote for that pro-homosexual legis....(CLICK)
REDIAL
Aide: Hello, Congressman Simmons' office.
ME: Did you just hang up on me?
Aide: I said Hello three times and no one was there.
ME: Look son, I know you've had a tough day and it's just begun. But don't make things worse by telling lies and insulting your boss's constituents. Now, this is XXX from Woodstock, CT calling and I want to know if your boss, whom I worked my butt off to get elected over Sam Gedjensen, voted for the pro-homosexual legislation contained in H.R. 3132 Ammendment 25 yesterday?
Aide: Um, what was that bill again?
Me: H.R. 3132 - Ammendment 25 about pro-homosexual legislation for hate crimes, giving homosexuals more protection under the law than other citizens. And your tone of voice tells me you are insulting my intelligence by pretending not to know what I am talking about.
Aide: Um, let me check on that.
Me: You do that Sonny-boy.
(On Hold for 2 minutes - I timed it)
Aid: Um. Hello, sir.
Me: Yes, Son.
Aide: Um, yes sir he did vote for it.
Me: Well, you tell Robbie-boy he just lost 5 votes and contributions in my family for his pathetic pandering to the homosexuals in New London and Groton. And you can expect more phone calls from everyone I talk to up here. Now you have a wonderful day Kiddo and don't insult any more of the people who pay your salary and hold the power of your job and your Boss's job in their voting fingers.
Me: Oh, and tell Robbie-boy to watch out when he comes begging for money up here again. Cause I will be waiting for him.
Hmm, and a certain Open Borders Rino treid to tell me yesterday that Tancredo voted for this abomination.
Ping.
For some districts, certainly, they should get nationally supported primaries. If it's one's own district, absolutely, every time. But in a lot of cases, you don't get a lot of bang for the buck sponsoring primary challenges, most of which are very tough to pull off. Best to concentrate efforts on Open Seat Primaries (best chance of making a difference), with the occasional primary to an incumbent, as well as targeting vulnerable liberal Dems.
I am disgusted that Mike Fitzpatrick voted for this piece of shiat legislation. He took a lot of heat in his campaign for being pro-life and pro-family, and was supposedly "too conservatuve" for this district. His special election opponent just dropped out of the 2004 race and the remaining Democrats are unknowns. Why did he think he needed to vote for this? It's not like there are hundreds of hate crimes against homos happening in Bucks County! And the homos around here aren't going to vote for him anyway. Jeeeeeez.
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