The Hate Crimes Bill is headed to the President’s desk for signature. Here is the statement from the Matthew Shepard Foundation.

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October 22, 2009

Today, the United States Senate took an historic step toward ensuring
justice for the victims of hate crimes targeted for violence due to their
sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or disability.

“Dennis and I are extremely proud of the Senate for once again passing this
historic measure of protection for victims of these brutal crimes,” said
Judy Shepard, president of the Matthew Shepard Foundation Board. “Knowing
that the president will sign it, unlike his predecessor, has made all the
hard work this year to pass it worthwhile. Hate crimes continue to affect
far too many Americans who are simply trying to live their lives honestly,
and they need to know that their government will protect them from violence,
and provide appropriate justice for victims and their families.”

By voting overwhelmingly to extend to these often-targeted Americans our
nation¹s decades-old bias crime legislation, senators sent the message that
hate crimes will not go unpunished, and local governments and law
enforcement agencies will not run out of financial resources to provide
justice to these victims and their loved ones.

The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Hate Crimes Prevention Act was attached
earlier this year to the annual Defense Department spending bill, and
Thursday¹s 68-29 Senate vote to approve the final House-Senate compromise on
the defense bill now sends this important law enforcement provision to
President Obama, who has vowed to sign it.

Under the legislation, federal prosecutors could step in to try violent
hate-crime cases if local authorities cannot or will not secure an
appropriate conviction. It also opens up federal funding for law enforcement
to handle the typically high cost of investigation and judicial proceedings
in such cases, and would make grants available for training and prevention
programs at the local level.

The act is named to honor Matthew Shepard as well as James Byrd, an
African-American resident of Texas brutally dragged to death in 1998 in a
notorious hate crime. Matthew¹s parents Dennis and Judy Shepard have
campaigned for the legislation¹s passage for more than a decade since their
son¹s murder in Laramie, Wyoming, in 1998 in an anti-gay hate crime.

The Matthew Shepard Foundation applauds Congress and President Obama for
their steady and successful efforts throughout 2009 to bring the legislation
to this point. We eagerly anticipate its final enactment and wish to thank
the countless organizations and individuals who have worked tirelessly for
its passage.