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Press Release
National Asian
Pacific American Legal Consortium
Press Release
For Immediate Release
June 12, 2002
Contact:
Sharon Scanlon
202-296-2300
Link To Release:
http://www.napalc.org/programs/antiviolence/pr/LLEEA_Senate_6-12-02.htm
NAPALC Condemns Senator Lott and His Colleagues for Blocking the Senate from
Voting on Hate Crimes Legislation
Washington, D.C.- The National Asian Pacific American Legal Consortium (NAPALC),
together with its Affiliates-the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund
(AALDEF), the Asian Law Caucus (ALC), and the Asian Pacific American Legal
Center (APALC)-is outraged by Senator Lott's actions blocking a vote by the
Senate on S. 625 the Local Law Enforcement Enhancement Act (LLEEA). Under
the bill, federal prosecutors will be given wider authority to provide state and
local authorities with assistance and, in addition, targets based on gender,
sexual orientation, and disability will be ensured protective coverage.
Currently, federal hate crime law only covers crimes based on race, national
origin, and religion. With Republican Senators Lincoln Chafee (R-RI), Susan
Collins (R-ME), Gordon Smith (R-OR) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) joining the
Democrats, it was a 54 to 43 vote and Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle was not
able to get the Senate to agree to close debate and vote.
Karen K. Narasaki, President and Executive Director of NAPALC said, "It is truly
unconscionable that Senator Trent Lott pushed his colleagues to ignore the tide
of hate-motivated violence that has swept the nation. How many hate crimes must
be committed before Senators Trent Lott (R-MS) and Orrin Hatch (R-UT) will allow
the Senate to consider stronger hate crimes prevention legislation?"
Stewart Kwoh, Executive Director of APALC said, "The LLEEA will be an important
step forward in bolstering existing federal hate crime laws. In light of the
September 11th attacks and the spate of unprecedented violence against the South
Asian, Muslim, and Arab American communities, it is hard to believe that the
Senate has failed to realize the urgent need for more expansive hate crimes
legislation."
"The people of this country want expanded hate crimes legislation and we won't
stop until we achieve that goal," said Margaret Fung, Executive Director of
AALDEF. "We urge all Americans to contact their Senators, laud those who support
LLEEA, and condemn those who failed to consider the measure."
"The Senate's unwillingness to move to consider the bill is a step backwards,
but the bill is by no means dead. The bill has won broad, bipartisan support in
the House and though we did not win this battle we not going to lose sight of
the goal!" said Adrienne Pon, Executive Director of the ALC.
To contact your senator go to www.senate.gov
or call 202-224-3121.
###
The National Asian Pacific American Legal Consortium is a national civil rights
organization dedicated to advancing and defending the civil rights of Asian
Pacific Americans. The Asian Law Caucus of San Francisco is the oldest Asian
Pacific American legal group in the nation. The Asian American Legal Defense and
Education Fund is the first organization on the East Coast dedicated to
promoting the legal rights of Asian Americans. The Asian Pacific American Legal
Center is the only organization in Southern California dedicated to providing
the Asian Pacific American community with multilingual, culturally sensitive
legal services and civic education.
YEAs --- 54
Akaka (D-HI)
Baucus (D-MT)
Bayh (D-IN)
Biden (D-DE)
Bingaman (D-NM)
Boxer (D-CA)
Breaux (D-LA)
Byrd (D-WV)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Carnahan (D-MO)
Carper (D-DE)
Chafee (R-RI)
Cleland (D-GA)
Clinton (D-NY)
Collins (R-ME)
Conrad (D-ND)
Corzine (D-NJ)
Dayton (D-MN)
Dodd (D-CT)
Dorgan (D-ND)
Durbin (D-IL)
Edwards (D-NC)
Feingold (D-WI)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Graham (D-FL)
Harkin (D-IA)
Hollings (D-SC)
Inouye (D-HI)
Jeffords (I-VT)
Johnson (D-SD)
Kennedy (D-MA)
Kerry (D-MA)
Kohl (D-WI)
Landrieu (D-LA)
Leahy (D-VT)
Levin (D-MI)
Lieberman (D-CT)
Lincoln (D-AR)
Mikulski (D-MD)
Miller (D-GA)
Murray (D-WA)
Nelson (D-FL)
Nelson (D-NE)
Reed (D-RI)
Reid (D-NV)
Rockefeller (D-WV)
Sarbanes (D-MD)
Schumer (D-NY)
Smith (R-OR)
Snowe (R-ME)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Torricelli (D-NJ)
Wellstone (D-MN)
Wyden (D-OR)
NAYs --- 43
Allard (R-CO)
Allen (R-VA)
Bennett (R-UT)
Brownback (R-KS)
Bunning (R-KY)
Burns (R-MT)
Campbell (R-CO)
Cochran (R-MS)
Craig (R-ID)
Daschle (D-SD)*
DeWine (R-OH)
Domenici (R-NM)
Ensign (R-NV)
Enzi (R-WY)
Fitzgerald (R-IL)
Frist (R-TN)
Gramm (R-TX)
Grassley (R-IA)
Gregg (R-NH)
Hagel (R-NE)
Hatch (R-UT)
Hutchinson (R-AR)
Hutchison (R-TX)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Kyl (R-AZ)
Lott (R-MS)
Lugar (R-IN)
McCain (R-AZ)
McConnell (R-KY)
Murkowski (R-AK)
Nickles (R-OK)
Roberts (R-KS)
Santorum (R-PA)
Sessions (R-AL)
Shelby (R-AL)
Smith (R-NH)
Specter (R-PA)
Stevens (R-AK)
Thomas (R-WY)
Thompson (R-TN)
Thurmond (R-SC)
Voinovich (R-OH)
Warner (R-VA)
Not Voting --- 3
Bond (R-MO)
Crapo (R-ID)
Helms (R-NC)
* Senator Daschle (D-SD) changed his vote to NO as they were closing the count
as procedural vote to ensure he could at a later time ask for a motion for
further consideration.
Sharon Scanlon
Communications Manager
National Asian Pacific American Legal Consortium
sscanlon@napalc.org
202-296-2300 (tel)
202-296-2318 (fax)
*** BACKLASH: When America Turned On Its Own ***
Read the Executive Summary at:
http://www.napalc.org/literature/annual_report/index.html
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