Hate Crimes Law To Get Presidential Signature


10/27/09-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
440px-Official_portrait_of_Barack_ObamaThe White House announced today that President Obama would hold two White House signing ceremonies tomorrow for the FY 10 defense authorization bill.

After a signing ceremony for the $680 billion defense-spending bill in the White House Rose Garden, the President will host a second event on a new law attached to the defense bill, the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act.

That act will make it a federal crime to assault a person because of his or her sexual orientation, disability or gender identity and is named for Matthew Shepard, a gay teenager from Wyoming who was tied to a fence and beaten to death and James Byrd. Jr., a black man from Texas who was tied to a pick-up track and dragged to death.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates and members of Congress will attend the actual defense bill signing ceremony, the later tomorrow evening the President will host a reception to commemorate the enactment of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act.

Obama is also scheduled to deliver brief remarks around 6:05 PM, and will be joined by Attorney General Eric Holder, civil rights community leaders and others.

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]


Related Posts with Thumbnails

3 Comments

Trackbacks and Pingbacks

Leave a Reply