Velázquez Bill Would Establish National Hate Crimes Hotline

Press Release

Following a rash of hate crimes across the country and public reports that such acts are on the rise in New York City, Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) has introduced legislation to establish a federal "Hate Crimes Hotline." The bill, H.R. 6328, the "National Hate Crimes Hotline Act of 2016" would also invest in online assistance for victims of bias-based violence and better educate law enforcement on preventing such crimes.

"Like most New Yorkers, I've been shocked and saddened by the rising tide of hate crimes seen throughout the country in recent weeks and months," Velázquez noted. "This bill will improve reporting of these horrific acts and invest in community resources to prevent and prosecute them."

The most recent data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation found an increase of hate crimes with 5,850 incidents reported to police in 2015, a 6.8 percent increase over 2014. The same report found anti-Muslim hate crimes rose by 67% over the course of a year. Incidents targeting the Jewish community had risen 9%. In New York City, the police department said yesterday that the number of hate crimes has risen 31.5 percent in 2016 compared to 2015 numbers.

"These numbers are astonishing and terrifying," Velázquez noted. "Irresponsible rhetoric and a toxic environment can engender harmful, violent consequences and I fear we are seeing some of that play out."

Under Velázquez's measure, the U.S. Attorney General would be charged with establishing a national, toll-free hotline so hate crimes could be more centrally reported. An analysis from June by the Associated Press suggested that these crimes go heavily underreported with 2,800 local police departments failing to report any hate crimes in a year. The bill would also establish a secure Internet site to facilitate reporting of these acts.

"The first part of solving any problem requires admitting there is one," Velázquez noted. "We need a mechanism for improving the reporting of these crimes so that we can better tackle the problem."

The bill would also invest federal resources in improving training for local law enforcement to solve hate crimes and partner with groups whose members are at risk.

"No one should be made to feel unsafe because of their race, religion, documentation status, gender, or sexual orientation," Velázquez added. "We need to work at all levels of government to stamp out hate crimes and this bill will take important steps toward that goal."

Velázquez's Congressional District, New York's 7th, is widely recognized as one of the most diverse in the country, at one point being home to speakers of 86 different languages. With Congress slated to leave in a few weeks after completing its budget work, Velázquez promised to reintroduce her bill when the body reconvenes in January.

"Sadly, the problem of hate crimes appears to be growing, not fading," Velázquez concluded. "I fully intend to push this legislation forward as we move into 2017."

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