The American Jewish Committee Opposing Amendment No. 1251
HATE CRIME STATISTICS ACT (Senate — February 8, 1990)
Congressional Record [S1069]
The American Jewish Committee, Washington, DC, July 14, 1989.
Dear Senator: The American Jewish Committee urges you to support S. 419, the Hate Crime
Statistics Act. The bill would require the collection and publication of data on crimes
that manifest prejudice based on race, religion, sexual orientation, or ethnicity.
The Act is an important measure in the battle to eradicate bias-motivated violence.
Such violence is on the increase, with crimes being committed by the Klan, Skinheads, and
other neo-Nazi groups. It is imperative that each of the listed categories—race,
religion, sexual orientation, and ethnicity—be included in the bill. Also, the act
must be adequately funded so that the Attorney General’s office, and the law
enforcement officials upon which that office will rely, will have available the resources
necessary to make the Act meaningful.
The bill has bi-partisan support, and was recently endorsed by the Justice Department.
We urge that the Senate pass S. 419, without weakening or irrelevant amendments, as an
important step in the battle to end bias-motivated violence. There should be no exception
to the principle that violence directed against an individual merely because of his or her
identity must be condemned.
Sincerely,
Sholom D. Comay, President.
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