Elijah Cummings: “under the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, Congress has defined a hate crime as ``any act of…”

“under the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, Congress has defined a hate crime as ``any act of violence against a person or property based on the victims' race, color, gender, national origin, religion, sexual orientation or disability.'' We have all seen the many forms that crimes of hate can take. We have witnessed crimes perpetrated against persons based on their ethnicity or race; due to a person's sexual orientation; or based on a person's religion. Recently, we have witnessed numerous, heinous crimes against Muslims and Shiks based on their identity and religion. These are crimes of hate perpetrated against Americans and should be prosecuted with a heightened sense of responsibility. FBI statistics revel that in 1999, a total of 7,876 bias-motivated criminal incidents were reported. Of these incidents: 4,295 were motivated by racial bias; 1,411 by religious bias; 1,317 by sexual- orientation bias; 829 by ethnicity/national origin bias; 19 by disability bias; and 5 by multiple bias. As we discuss this issue, I believe that there are two questions our nation must answer. First, why should we care? I submit to you today that we should care because our nation was built on a foundation of democracy and independence for all.…”