Protect Military Personnel From Hate Crimes

Floor Speech

Mr. FLEMING. Mr. Speaker, on June 1 two U.S. servicemen were gunned down at an Army recruiting station in Little Rock, Arkansas. Private William Long lost his life in the attack, and another soldier remains in critical condition. Based on the attacker's own statements, these soldiers were targeted because of their affiliation with the U.S. Army. There is evidence that others were being targeted, and this is not the first time.

Under recently passed hate crimes legislation, H.R. 1913, these heroes would receive no additional Federal protections. I think we can all agree that if there is any class of citizens who deserve special protection from political or religiously motivated crimes, it is our men and women in uniform who put their lives on the line each day to protect this country.

So I have introduced House bill 2677, the Military Personnel Protection Act of 2009. This legislation will right this egregious wrong and ensure those who answered our Nation's call to service are extended the same protections afforded to other protected classes of citizens. I urge my colleagues to join me in passing this legislation and extend Federal hate crimes protections to active, Guard, Reserve and retired members of the armed services. That is the least we can do for them.

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