From the office of U.S. Sen. Barbara Mikulski:
IN RESPONSE TO ATTACKS IN ORLANDO, SENATE DEMOCRATS UNVEIL NEW PROPOSAL TO FULLY FUND DEPT. OF JUSTICE PROGRAMS THAT PROTECT ALL AMERICANS FROM DISCRIMINATION, STRENGTHEN ENFORCEMENT OF CIVIL RIGHTS AND HATE CRIME LAWS AND PREVENT TARGETED ATTACKS DRIVEN BY HATE
New Baldwin-Mikulski-Hirono Amendment Would Boost Funding For Department Of Justice Civil Rights Division And Community Relations Service And Expand Programs Aimed At Preventing, Investigating, and Prosecuting Hate Crimes And Enforcing Federal Civil Rights Laws
Just Yesterday, Senate Democrats Announced A Proposal To Fully Fund The FBI & Boost Grants That Give Local Law Enforcement Around The Country Resources To Train Against Active Shooters
Senate Democrats: We Must Do All We Can to Keep All Americans Safe From Terror Attacks, Discrimination and Hate Crimes
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senate Democrats, led by Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), Vice Chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, and Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) unveiled an amendment to the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies (CJS) Appropriations Act that would provide an additional $41 million to Department of Justice programs that prevent bias-motivated attacks and discrimination. In response to the bias-motivated attacks against the LGBT and Latino communities in Orlando, the new Senate Democratic amendment would ensure the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Divisions has the necessary resources to prevent, investigate and prosecute potential hate crimes throughout the country. Specifically, the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division (CRT) and Community Relations Service (CRS) would be allocated an additional $30 million and $11 million respectfully, under the Senate Democrats’ proposal.
In recent days, Senate Democrats have also pushed for Congress to pass legislation to prevent suspected terrorists from purchasing firearms and explosives and fully fund the FBI to prevent domestic terror attacks.
“We must have the courage stand up, speak out, and act. When we turn a blind eye to intolerance and discrimination against any community or group we allow the things that fuel hate crimes to go unchecked. We must do more,” said Senator Baldwin. “The targeted attack of terror on the LGBT community in Orlando should be a cold reminder to us all that hate crimes are sadly and tragically too common in America. It is my hope that the Senate will stand united in support of this investment to prevent and confront hate crimes. Communities need stronger support to take on discrimination and hate, and protect the freedoms that every American deserves.”
“What happened in Orlando was not just a lone wolf terrorist attack, but a hate crime,” said Senator Mikulski. “No hate crime should be tolerated against any community, against any group – ever. This is an emergency, which is why the Baldwin-Mikulski amendment provides emergency funding for the Civil Rights Division and the Community Relations Service. The Civil Rights Division enforces federal laws on the books to ensure that all Americans are free from discrimination and have equal access to education, employment and housing. The Community Relations Service helps relieve community tensions, and communities, like Orlando, recover and heal when violence strikes. We can’t afford to wait. Stopping hatred is urgent. The rising tide of discrimination is unforeseen. And with this funding, we hope the problem will be temporary.”
“Last weekend’s tragedy in Orlando should be a sobering moment for our country. It’s time to move beyond thoughts, prayer, and reflection. It’s time for action,” Senator Hirono said. “This massacre was not just an act of terror, it was a hate crime that took the lives of 49 innocent people far too soon. Our amendment provides emergency funding to prevent and mitigate future hate crimes that target vulnerable communities across the country. The Senate should adopt this amendment without delay.”
A full summary of the Baldwin-Mikulski-Hirono amendment and its provisions can be found in the below fact sheet:
Fact Sheet: Baldwin-Mikulski-Hirono Proposal To Boost Funding For Department of Justice and Targeted Attacks Driven By Hate
The Baldwin-Mikulski-Hirono amendment would provide an additional $41 million to H.R. 2578, the FY 2017 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. Of this amount, $30 million is dedicated to the Department of Justice (DOJ) Civil Rights Division (CRT), and $11 million is dedicated to the Community Relations Service. This raises funding for DOJ to $197.4 million above the Fiscal Year 2016 funding level.
Supports CRT’s fight against discrimination. An additional $30 million would bring total funding for CRT to $175 million and support DOJ efforts to protect Americans from discrimination because of their sexual orientation and gender identity, as well as their race, color, sex, disability, religion, familial status, and national origin, including the investigation and prosecution of hate crimes.
In 2006, 30, 405 civil rights lawsuits were filed in U.S. district courts. [BJS, 8/2008]
In 2014, federal law enforcement agencies reported 6, 727 victims of hate crimes. 46 of these individuals were the victims of multiple-bias crimes. [FBI, accessed 6/15/16]
o Of the 6,727 victims of hate crimes reported by federal law enforcement agencies in 2014, 18.7 percent (or 1, 248) of victims of single-bias crimes were targeted because of their sexual orientation; 1.6 percent (or 109) of victims of single-bias crimes were targeted because of their gender-identity; and .6 percent (or 40) of victims of single-bias crimes were targeted because of their gender. [FBI, accessed 6/15/16]
Additional CRT funding would allow for the hiring of an additional 100 attorneys focused on enforcing federal civil rights and hate crime laws.
Helps state and local officials resolve and prevent bias motivated conflict and violence. An additional $11 million would support several DOJ Community Relations Service (CRS) initiatives and bring total funding for this program to $25 million.
CRS helps State and local officials find solutions when faced with bias-motivated crises that threaten their communities.
Its work, which excludes the investigation or prosecution of cases, is dedicated to crimes motivated by a victim’s gender, gender identity, race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, or disability.
Additional CRS funding would allow for the hiring of 10 new mediation specialists to help mediate, train and facilitate in places across the country where tensions exist or hate crimes have occurred.
More government money. The leftist response to every problem. Let’s spend more money, resolve nothing and walk away saying we did what we could. Keep in mind, since the government is in deficit, this money will be paid back by our children and grandchildren, adding to the trillions we are already dumping on them.
Babs,
For God’s sake woman, all terrorist attacks on our country are hate crimes!! Do you think they are attacking us because they like us??
Ban the assault rifle already fer crimeney’s sake. These idiots walking around Walmart and the pizza parlor in Texas with their rifles look like complete idiots. Why should I be threatened because they want to lay their AR-15 on the table next to their pepperoni pizza??
Before you spout off, define “Assault Rifle” for our benefit.
They may look like complete idiots to you, however I am sure that they feel safe knowing that in any incident such as this, they can react and possibly save lives.
If you feel threatened because someone is carrying a gun, then you need not leave your house.
If the crap hits the fan in this Walmart or pizza parlor in Texas, you may want to thank that idiot
Less guns is not the answer. I am a teacher who with the exception of work carry everywhere I go. You’ll never know that I’m carrying but rest assured that when a pyscho tries this in a place where myself or others like me are, you will be safe. You won’t have the gun taking government to thank, but just a neighbor who knows the truth. Only you can protect yourself and family.
Pledging aligence to isis before and during an attack isnt a terrorist attack!
What planet do you live on babs?
The Senator is confused or just using a tragedy to promote an agenda. If we agree this was a “hate crime” then it was committed by a muslim who hates the infidels that we all are here in America. She seems to be presenting this as strictly a crime against the gay community. Her only response is more tax dollars for training against “active shooters”. I would hope all our law enforcers have already trained for such attacks as public attacks like this are nothing new.
I agree with you. How much “Active Shooter” training does it take to tell people to “Shelter in place,” sit back, cry, grab your blankie and suck your thumb while waiting to die. I’m sure Big Government Babs can figure out a way to dedicate $20,000,000,000 to it
Here’s a thought. How many hundred people were in that club vs one shooter. ATTACK. Bottles, glasses, chairs, He would have been quickly overcome.
An AR-15 fires one time per trigger pull. One time with a small diameter bullet. It’s not in any sense of the word a high powered firearm.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=IHKm51XIHuE&time_continue=297
Our world will be better once she leaves office. I’m sure some other liberal with no mind if their own will take her place like most politicians that represent this state.
I will take Szeliga over Van Boma any day.
According to this article, this series of programs is “supposedly” fully funded. Where are these funds coming from? What items in this new initiative render this program more effective than programs already on the books and are not working?
Insanity is defined as doing exactly the same thing over and over again while expecting a different outcome.
How will Ms M. and her and merry gang think throwing more money at a problem that doesn’t have a solution – or at least a solution that will make a difference. Perhaps before they go off hell bent on rooting the bastards out, they should define the who the bastards are in a little more detail.
This additional effort may have the effect of not trampling on the constitutional rights of the rest of us.
This is just what is happening in our airports. They throw a wide net hoping they will catch someone who might be the “enemy”. But how will forcing an older woman, suffering from arthritis, to take off her shoes going to reduce hate crimes in this country?
See what I mean when I say we need a little more detail about who the government is looking for. Or is it like Pogo said, “I have seen the enemy and he is us”.
Throwing money into programs that are not essentially different from existing programs will never solve the problem until we have a more complete understanding of what/who the problem is, and the scope of government involvement in the solution.
All the various federal law enforcing agencies need to consolidate their efforts to reduce repetition of work creating a tighter focus on who/what the enemy is, resulting in a better solution with less spending that will increase the federal deficit.
Have we come to the situation explored in the movie “THX 1138 (or a similar title)” where a criminal is pursued until either he is captured or the money budgeted for his arrest is exhausted?
Or maybe we should.
Hey Babs, would the attack be any less devastating if it wasn’t a hate crime? Take the 11 million you want to send to the Community Relations Service and spend it on ” gun free zone ” signs. That’s about as much good as it will do.
Barbara Mikulski is a “hate” crime!
The victims in the Orlando were targeted because the shooter, a radical Muslim, perceived them as infidels. Why do the likes of Obama and Mikulski continue to deny the issues and coddle these radical Muslims? The issue was not a targeted hate of a particular group it was an attack on infidels. It could have been Chritians, Jews, or any group they considered infidels.Radical Islam is the greatest threat to the safety of the people of this country and the world. Sadly, the so called peaceful Muslims do very little to rid their religion of these dangerous people. Muslims have been very successful in the past concealing their motives. Some of the 9/11 terrorist were described as good neighbors, friends, etc. The Boston marathon bomber was partying with college friends a night or two the bombing. These are a dangerous group of people that need to be watched extremely closely or our country could be in the same boat as Belgium, England, or France. The first step is for or leaders to identify and admit there is a problem and do something about it NOW!!!
This is my 7th. year with my Glock mini concealed safely in my holster…protecting my family and my property without going through bureaucracy. Feel safe in knowing that citizens like me will always be around to defend those that choose not to defend themselves.
How many have you killed so far tough guy?
Probably no one, I’d guess. What a dumbass comment, troll.
For the second time in less than a month I stopped at an Aberdeen gas station yesterday, this time by Ollie’s and I go inside, and the entire store inside is fuk’d up. Shelves tipped over, everything is on the floor. I’m filling up a gas can after I pay and a cop finally shows up, I guess I missed out by mere minutes of what happened.
The first time was at the Sunoco, yelling, then some physical, finally the guy gets in his car crashes into the back of another car and the gas pump. The gas pump is still leaning and taped off if you want to see for yourself before you call my bullshit out.
Babs,
In 3 phone calls to 911/police, the terrorist never once mentioned gays or homosexuals…. but instead swore a loyalty oath to ISIS and praised the religion of “peace”.
This ain’t no “crime”. It’s a War!
You are spot on and in many cases with Islamic guerrilla type factions picking away at our country from the inside. These people are a clear and present danger to our country but our president and the Democratic presidential candidate (saying her name sickens me) continue to down play the threat. Orlando is a perfect example. Why does the president coddle these Islamic terrorists?
…stop mischaracterizing acts of war as common “crimes”.
Oh my gosh! It was a hate crime? An actual hate crime? I guess that explains why 49 people were killed by one radical Muslim extremist. Wait, I’m not allowed to call him a radical Muslim extremist. I know! Let me just call him a ‘radical extremist hater’. Wait, I probably can’t refer to him as ‘radical’ either. So he was just a hater. A great big hater. An extreme hater!
Oh, and one more thing. Along with PETA, I personally take exception on referring to him as a lone ‘wolf’, Senator. We must learn to stop mis-characterizing our animal friends.
Judy,
You are right about the wolves. They only kill for food.