by Eric Holder

About the author: Eric Holder is the assistant attorney general of the United States.

Editor’s Note: The following viewpoint is the statement of assistant attorney general Eric Holder before the House Judiciary Committee on Hate Crimes on August 4, 1999. The committee was hearing testimony concerning the passage of H.R. 1082, the Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 1999.

In 1990 and 1994, the committee [House Judiciary Committee] strongly supported the enactment of the Hate Crime Statistics Act and the Hate Crimes Sentencing Enhancement Act. In 1996, the committee responded in time of great national need by quickly enacting the Church Arson Prevention Act.

And I hope that you will respond once again to the call for a stronger federal stand against hate crimes, and that you will join law enforcement officials and community leaders across the country in support...