The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“PERSONAL EXPLANATION” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Justice was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E1037-E1038 on April 30, 2009.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
PERSONAL EXPLANATION
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HON. MICHAEL C. BURGESS
of texas
in the house of representatives
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Mr. BURGESS. Madam Speaker, on Wednesday, April 29, 2009, on rollcall number 223 I am not recorded. This rollcall vote on H.R. 1913, the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009, to provide Federal assistance to States, local jurisdictions, and Indian tribes to prosecute hate crimes, and for other purposes, occurred while I was absent from the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.''
Violence, whether it's based on a perceived or actual threat, is of enormous concern when it is combined with constitutionally protected rights. Race. Color. National Origin. Religion. Gender. Disability. All of these fundamental rights are protected by our Constitution and hate crimes themselves have additional protection in Section 280003(a) of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994. Any hate crimes perpetrated in violation of either law should be fully prosecuted by the U.S. Department of Justice and we, as the DOJ's appropriators, should give them all the resources they need to prevent any hate crimes from occurring.
I believe existing federal law is more than adequate to prosecute hate crimes and, as such, should I have been present I would have voted
``nay.''
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