Hate crimes legislation passed a cloture vote moments ago in the Senate. The Senate now has up to 30 hours to vote on the final defense authorization bill. The measure passed 64-35. A cloture vote effectively moves the legislation forward and shuts off unlimited debate and focusing debate on the underlying question.
Originally, it looked like the Senate would skip the 30 hour debate period, but Senate leadership couldn't work out an agreement so now we go into the homestretch. A full vote is expected this evening or tomorrow morning and the President should sign it into law next week. A formal signing ceremony for hate crimes legislation is not expected since it was passed with a larger defense bill.
HRC's Joe Solmonese quickly shot over a statement:
"While there is strong support for the hate crimes provision, today's cloture vote in the Senate demonstrates that those in the civil rights community need to remain ever vigilant. While the Senate achieved cloture, it is clear that the opposition remains strong. We look forward to final passage when the critical hate crimes legislation will be on its way to the President's desk."
As I write this, Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) is standing at the podium speechifying why he doesn't support hate crimes legislation. The show goes on. We'll keep you up to date as the measure progresses.
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6 Comments
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Thanks for the explanation on the 30 hour thing.
mcc | October 22, 2009 3:04 PM
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Any idea where we can find the roll call vote? I'd like to know how our high maintenance Senators voted to get a better read on ENDA.
Dr. Jillian T. Weiss | October 22, 2009 3:23 PM
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Okay, I found it: http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=111&session=1&vote=00326
Interesting votes, ones that make me smile, except for the first one listed below:
LeMieux (R-FL) Nay
Baucus (D-MT) Yea
Bayh (D-IN) Yea
Byrd (D-WV)Yea
Carper (D-DE) Yea
Conrad (D-ND) Yea
Hagan (D-NC)Yea
Johnson (D-SD)Yea
Kaufman (D-DE)Yea
Lugar (R-IN) Yea
Murkowski (R-AK) Yea
Nelson (D-FL) Yea
Pryor (D-AR) Yea
Rockefeller (D-WV) Yea
Voinovich (R-OH)Yea
Dr. Jillian T. Weiss | October 22, 2009 3:40 PM
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Thanks for the information on this, I've been looking all over the LGBT web. Finally saw it on CNN. This is at the top of our list of equality legislation. Take nothing for granted until the bill is signed. Thank you Dr. Weiss for cross walking the votes and sharing the results.
Our community should be watching this closely.
T2inDC | October 22, 2009 5:13 PM
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it's a shame that something like this could not stand on its own instead of being attached to an unrelated bill.
Oh well, it is for the greater good.
Chris R | October 23, 2009 12:52 PM
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Saxby Chambliss has always been a "speechifyer". he got put into office after an even worse senator, can't remember his name, from the illustrious Cobb County (Home of Newt Gingrich and Bob Barr) was killed in an airplane crash.
If the huge gay community in Atlanta and Georgia---all over Georgia would get out and vote instead of partying so much he could be gotten rid of. They turn out for Pride, even coming up from the hinterlands of Valdosta, but the don't get rid of the bad politicians, even though there has always been hope for Georgia as the most advanced state in the South. Georgians are lucky. Go to Louisiana where your liberal Senator is a Blue Dog and your Republican (Bill Cassidy) belies his medical training and your state rep thinks its ok to date prostitutes but not for gays to marry (David Vitter) and you will see what hopelessness is.
twinkie1cat | October 23, 2009 1:31 PM
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