On Wednesday, President Obama signed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act into law. The Act expands coverage of the 1969 federal hate crimes law to include victims targeted based on their sexual orientation, disability, and gender identity as it strengthens existing hate crimes protections for other categories, including race, color, religion, national origin, and ethnicity.
The Hate Crimes provision further grants federal officials greater authority to:
Investigate and prosecute hate crimes
Provides greater funding for state and local agencies to investigate hate crimes
For the first time, allows hate crimes prosecution without requiring proof that the victim was attacked because he or she was engaged in a federally protected activity.
The bill was first introduced in 1999, a year after Mathew Shepard, a homosexual teenager from Wyoming, was beaten to death due to his sexual orientation, and James Byrd, Jr., an African American from Texas, was tied to a pick-up truck and dragged to death because of his race. The hate crimes bill languished in Congress for ten years, unable to gain enough support for its passage. However, an increase of hate crimes within the previous years has prompted renewed urgency of the need to pass federal hate crimes legislation.
Ethnic and racial groups will benefit from this increased protection as they continue to be subjected to bias-motivated violence and intimation. Floyd Mori, National Executive Director of the JACL, who was in attendance at the White House celebration of the passage and signing, stated: "We were happy to be on the frontlines working to improve the hate crimes law that now will include additional categories of impacted communities. The critical provision that allows the federal authorities to broaden their jurisdiction to assist local law enforcement will aid in future prosecutions against those who commit hate crimes."
Thursday morning, Speaker Nancy Pelosi revealed the 1,990 page merged House Health Care bill. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates the House bill will cost $1.05 trillion, about $150 billion dollars over-budget of the projected $900 billion President Obama had hoped for. As soon as the Senate announces their merged heath bill, the floor debate to reconcile the Senate and House bills can begin here in the Nation's capital.
Here are some key points of the merged House bill:
Access: Gives 36 million more people access to insurance, extending coverage to about 96 percent of the U.S. population.
Public option: Creates a public option in which the government would negotiate rates with providers instead of tying rates to Medicare.
Insurance exchange: Greatly expands an insurance exchange under which people not covered by employers or working for small businesses could choose private plans or the public option.
Restrictions: Bans insurers from canceling policies when people get sick and limiting lifetime coverage, while giving people access to the exchange who can't otherwise get coverage because of pre-existing conditions.
Surtax: Imposes a 5.4 percent surtax on individuals earning more than $500,000 a year and couples earning $1 million.
Japanese Latin American Commission Bill Passes House Judiciary Committee
This past Tuesday, the House Judiciary Committee voted to favorably report the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Latin Americans of Japanese Descent Act (H.R. 42). This bill would create a study for Japanese Latin American internees during World War II, similar to the 1980 Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians that created an official governmental study of Executive Order 9066 (the order to force Japanese Americans to internment camps during WWII).
We ask that our supporters spread the word to their contacts to push for passage of the bill in the House of Representatives. For more information, please contact Christine Oh, CFJ Legislative Director, at (213) 500-9346 or info@campaignforjusticejla.org.
Founded in 1929, the National JACL is the largest civil rights organization in the country focused on Americans of Japanese ancestory. Our mission is uphold and secure the civil rights of Japanese Americans and all Americans, while preserving the cultural heritage of our people. The Mile-Hi JACL as we are known, has been an active civil rights and educational organization since 1938. The Mile-Hi JACL's first president, Dr. Shimpei Sakaguchi, set the path and leadership that has endured and prospered.
Annual Installation Banquet
We had a great turnout for the 2010 Installation Banquet, and met our fundraising goal for the Mile-Hi JACL Scholarship! Check out the photos from the luncheon!
Amache Project Summer Internship
The University of Denver Amache Project is seeking a high school or college student who had family at the Amache camp in Colorado to intern for a one-month field course in historical archaeology and museum studies at Amache. Stipend or partial tuition waiver will be available to the student chosen for the internship.
Are you interested in getting more involved with the Mile Hi JACL? We are always looking for more members to participate in our various committees and help plan future events. Here are some ways that you can get involved:
Youth: Recognizing the importance of empowering current young leaders, we are striving to engage our younger members and develop programs specifically designed for high school and college students as well as young professionals.
Advocacy: JACL has a long history of advocating for policies that protect and promote the welfare of Japanese Americans, Asian Americans, and other communities. Current focus areas includehealth care, immigration, education, and the census.
Publicity: Our chapter plays an integral part in keeping the Japanese American community of Colorado informedabout various community events through our website and newsletter.
Day of Remembrance: Working in collaboration with the University of Denver, this annual event honors those whose lives were forever changed by the signing of Executive Order 9066 which paved the way for the internment of people of Japanese ancestry during World War II.
Socials and Special Events: Our chapter brings the Japanese American commmunity together through a variety of social events including our quarterly socials, annual Installation Banquet, OCA/JACL Lunar New Years Dinner, Graduation Banquet, Memorial Day service, etc.
