Matthew Shepard Act passes - thank your senators

[and-justice-for-all]

I have great news to share: the Senate has passed the Matthew Shepard Act!

The bill will soon be on its way to President Obama's desk, where he'll get a chance to make good on his promise to sign it.

This vote came on the heels of tremendous pressure from radical right-wing groups that used every trick in the book.

They called the bill the "Pedophile Protection Act," among other outrageous claims. They dismissed the barbaric hate crime that took Matthew Shepard's life as a "hoax." They flooded the Senate with hundreds of thousands of letters and calls.

But your calls, emails, and financial support for our work helped make sure the truth prevailed in the end. Without you, this victory for equal rights would not have been possible.

Will you do one last important thing? Both of your senators voted "Yes" on the bill and both need to know we appreciate their courage under fire.

Please call and thank your senators today

Once you've called, please report your call. Don't skip this step! It helps us track all the calls.

A simple 'thank you' after the vote is just as important as all the calls and emails before the vote. It lets lawmakers know that their constituents are engaged, and makes them more likely to pay attention when we need their help again. This is a tremendous step forward for full equality for LGBT Americans, but we most certainly will need their help again.

Please take a minute from your busy day to make these two quick calls.

Thank you for all your help!

Warmly,



Joe Solmonese
Joe Solmonese
President

[justiceischeap]

1. Woohoo!!!!!!

That's so good to hear!

[Ian David]

2. And did it pass along with the Republicans adding the death penalty to it? n/t

[Bill219]

5. correct..

even with the "poison pills" that the Rushican's added to it

[justiceischeap]

6. Here's more info on this

One amendment, SA 1615, adds the death penalty to the provisions of the Matthew Shepard Act. The Amendment was offered by and supported by Senators who oppose the Matthew Shepard Act in an effort to derail the Act. Fortunately, a side-by-side- amendment offered by Senator Kennedy was also added to the bill. The Kennedy amendment provides for additional restrictions in the use of the death penalty under the Act.

[Political Tiger]

3. GREAT NEWS!! n/t

[YOY]

4. RIP Matthew.

Your senseless death now has served to better the country.

We're that it would never have been needed.

[Renew Deal]

7. Is it still attached to the defense bill with the F22 in it?

Obama said he would veto that. Is this a done deal?

[justiceischeap]

8. According to a friend who works at HRC

Yes, it does. And if it gets vetoed, it will go back through the house. This bill will eventually be passed.

[Raine1967]

12. F-22 Amendment has been stripped. Breaking right now.

[justiceischeap]

14. Hot damn! Good news. (eom)

[Ian David]

17. If they named The F-22 after Matthew Shepard, the Republicans wouldn't want them. n/t

[justiceischeap]

20. Some Repugs thought they'd put military vets under hate crimes protection

thinking it would derail the bill and those in favor of the bill, were like, sure, we'll include them and the repugs backed off it. Basically said, "nevermind."

[Raine1967]

9. Was the F-22 Amendment stripped?

From the Advocate:

The Senate is expected to vote Tuesday, around 12:00 p.m. EST, on whether to strip $1.75 billion in funding for F-22 fighter jets from the Department of Defense authorization, the bill to which the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act was attached last week.

Though President Barack Obama supports the hate crimes measure, he has pledged to veto the DOD bill if it includes funding for the F-22 program. Senators Carl Levin of Michigan and John McCain of Arizona have offered a bipartisan amendment to eliminate spending on the program. If adopted, the Levin-McCain amendment would remove one barrier to hate crimes being signed into law.

http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid99813.asp


Obama has said he would veto this if the F-22 Funding was still in the bill.

[Raine1967]

11. YES INDEED!!! Breaking from the NYT:

NYT NEWS ALERT: Senate Votes to Strip $1.75 Billion for F-22s From Defense Bill (via Twitter)


There should be no obstacles to his signing the bill into law!

[SpartanDem]

19. It's still in the already passed House bill

although it should stripped in conference

[vaberella]

15. Obama said he wouldn't sign it if was still it in it, if I remember correctly. n/t

[chill_wind]

10. Good news indeed. K & R.

[BlooInBloo]

13. \o/

[vaberella]

16. Good news. Thanks Congress and President Obama. n/t

[Arkana]

18. I thought this was going to be an amendment to a bill--it made it on its own?

Excellent!

[mscuedawg]

21. Wonderful news! R.I.P. Matthew...you are not forgotten... n/t

[DesertRat]

22. Great news that it passed, no thanks to my 2 Senators

McCain and Kyl succumbed to the tremendous pressure from radical right-wing groups and voted NO. :(