Urge Sen. Edward Kennedy to Put Forth a Trans-Inclusive Hate Crimes Bill in the Senate!

As a Massachusetts resident, you have a unique opportunity to help make history — and make hate crimes protections the law of the land. A month ago, the U.S. House of Representatives passed, for the first time, transgender-inclusive hate crimes protections' as an amendment to the Children's Safety Act. Fortunately, Sen. Kennedy, a long-time civil rights champion, is considering ways to add a hate crimes amendment to a similar crime bill in the U.S. Senate.

This Thursday, the Senate will begin considering their crime bill. If Kennedy decides to offer a hate crimes amendment, we want him to offer the same amendment that passed the House last month. The House amendment clearly adds protections on the basis of "gender identity," but the Senate amendment does not. This issue is too critical to risk ambiguity.

Call the senator today and tell him: "Please introduce the House hate crimes bill language, with express protections for "gender identity," in the Senate so that all LGBT people will be protected by clearly transgender–inclusive hate crimes legislation." Call 202.224.4543 or 617.565.3170.

Or, if you prefer, send him a free fax by via the letter below.

The Senate Judiciary Committee will be considering this bill later this week, so it is imperative that Senator Kennedy hear from you as soon as possible.

Regards,

The Task Force

Sample Letter for Campaign

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

As your constituent, I am writing to urge you to advance hate crimes legislation in the Senate by using the hate crimes language that passed in the House last month.

As you know, there are important differences between the House and Senate hate crimes bills this year. Specifically, the House language makes clear that anti-transgender hate crimes are covered by the legislation.

I support the House version of the bill for that reason: we must only support hate crimes laws that cover all LGBT people. Transgender people are especially vulnerable to violence and they must be clearly covered by this legislation.

The best chance for hate crimes legislation to survive a House-Senate conference committee is for the language of the hate crimes provisions to be the same. Because the House passed its hate crimes legislation with 30 Republicans, and so that we have the best chance possible to protect hate crimes provisions in any conference committee, please adopt the House bill language in your hate crimes amendment to the pending Senate crime bill.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
October 17, 2005