Statement by Senator Feinstein
in Support of the Hate Crimes Prevention Act
March 27, 2001
Washington, DC -- Senator Feinstein today expressed her support for “The Local Law Enforcement Act of 2001,” introduced today by Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA). Senator Feinstein is an original cosponsor of the legislation, which is more commonly known as the “Hate Crimes Prevention Act.”
“I have seen first-hand the devastating impact that hate crimes have on victims, their families and their communities. Hate crimes divide neighborhoods and breed a sense of mistrust and fear within communities. This is why I have long supported legislation aimed at protecting citizens from crimes based on race, ethnicity, religion, gender, disability, or sexual orientation.
The Local Law Enforcement Act of 2001would:
While past efforts to enact this legislation have received strong bipartisan support, I believe that we must now work to ensure that this legislation is not simply supported, but actually approved and signed into law by the President.
Despite the fact that hate crimes are frequently under-reported and therefore underprosecuted, we know that hate crimes occur more often than we might think. In 1991, the first that statistics were available, 4,588 hate crimes were reported nationwide. In 1998, that number rose to 7,755.
To combat the problem, I sponsored the Hate Crimes Sentencing Enhancement Act in 1993, which was subsequently signed into law as part of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994. This act increased penalties for hate crimes -- committed during federally protected activities such as attending school, or voting -- that targeted individuals because of their race, color, religion, national origin, gender, disability or sexual orientation.
Our current laws, however, do not extend to the thousands of people who are victimized because of their gender, sexual orientation or disability who were not engaged in federally protected activities.
The perpetrators of hate crimes have no respect for boundaries. They are neither confined to any one region of the country, nor any one age group. The perpetrators of these crimes target individuals not because of what the victims have, or what they have done, but for who they are. Hate crimes are not like other crimes of violence. Their impact is pervasive.
In essence, hate crimes have been shown to produce deep psychological wounds in the victim, and engenders a sense of disunity and division within the community, which undermines the basic tenets on which this nation was founded. As a country that prides itself on its diversity, our nation cannot continue to withstand these acts of hatred and intolerance.
No American should have to live in fear because of his or her perceived race, sexual orientation, ethnicity or disability. No American should be afraid to walk down the street for fear of a gender-motivated attack. No American should be deterred by intimidation from living in the home of his or her choice. And certainly no American should be deterred from reporting a hate-based crime because they are afraid that the police lack the will or the resources necessary to protect them.
This legislation is not only overdue, it is necessary for the safety and well being of millions of Americans. It is necessary for our National unity.
The Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2001 will ensure that those who commit acts of violence because of an individual’s gender, religion, race, sexual orientation, or disability will be prosecuted because every single American has the fundamental right to be able to go to school, work, travel, or simply walk down the street without fear of violence.”