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ATTORNEY GENERAL RENO STATEMENT

"As the present Congressional session is about to conclude, there is still some very important work that needs to be done. The Congress needs to pass new hate crimes legislation.

"Last month, the House of Representatives voted 232-192 to instruct conferees of the then pending DOD Conference to include this hate crimes legislation. In June, the Senate voted 57-42 for this legislation. Thus, for the first time, Congress has shown that there is a bipartisan majority supporting a stronger hate crime law. Unfortunately, the provision was dropped from the bill. Now, the only realistic chance for the passage of this important legislation is to include it in the remaining appropriations measures pending at the end of the session.

"I urge Congress to do this and to pass this hate crime provision. There are several reasons why I strongly feel that this must be done.

"First, with respect to race-based hate crimes, it eliminates from existing law the requirement that prosecutors prove the victim was engaged in one of six federally protected activities. Although local law enforcement will continue to handle the vast majority of hate crimes, federal prosecutors need expanded jurisdiction because local prosecutors do not always have adequate resources.

"Secondly, the legislation would extend the law to cover hate crimes committed based on the victim's sexual orientation, gender, or disability. Hate crimes based on sexual orientation are among the three top reported hate crimes, after race and religion. Our law should not ignore that reality.

"Some people argue that all crimes are hate crimes, and that hate crime legislation sends a message to crime victims that some lives are more important than others.

"I disagree. Hate crimes are different from other crimes because they are not just crimes against individual victims. The victim is selected only because of the group to which they belong. Just as our laws punish crimes more severely when guns are involved, or when there is deliberate planning and premeditation, so should they do the same when there is bias motivation.

"That is why Congress passed the original hate crime bill in 1968 in the wake of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It is why many states have passed hate crime laws. And it is why the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously concluded in 1993 that hate crime sentencing enhancement statutes are lawful and indeed necessary to serve the cause of justice.

"There is a strong law enforcement need for a new federal hate crime law. A bipartisan majority in both houses is on record in support of one. The American people support this effort. Congress cannot outlaw hatred, but it should do all it can to combat hate-motivated violence before going out of session. This is the time and I think justice requires it. "

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