House Passes Bill , To Make Lynching, a Federal Hate Crime.
'The Hill' reports that on Feb. 28, the House
passed the bill, which is named after 14-year-old
Emmett Till, who was lynched in 1955.
'The Hill' reports that on Feb. 28, the House
passed the bill, which is named after 14-year-old
Emmett Till, who was lynched in 1955.
The bill's passage comes 120 years after the
first anti-lynching legislation was proposed by the only
Black Congress member at the time, George Henry White.
The bill's passage comes 120 years after the
first anti-lynching legislation was proposed by the only
Black Congress member at the time, George Henry White.
Today, we acknowledge this disgraceful
chapter in American history, and we send
a clear message that such violent actions — motivated by hatred and bigotry —
will not be tolerated in this country, Jerry Nadler, House Judiciary
Committee Chairman, via 'The Hill'.
The bill would make lynching punishable
by up to 30 years in prison.
While it passed with overwhelming bipartisan support, three Republicans voted against it.
Those Republicans are Reps. Andrew Clyde (GA), Thomas Massie (KY) and Chip Roy (Texas).
Those Republicans are Reps. Andrew Clyde (GA), Thomas Massie (KY) and Chip Roy (Texas).
Those Republicans are Reps. Andrew Clyde (GA), Thomas Massie (KY) and Chip Roy (Texas).
Sen. Rand Paul objected to a previous version of the bill because he said it might
"conflate lesser crimes" as lynching.
But he says he supports the current version of the legislation, which "ensures the language of this bill defines lynching as the absolutely heinous crime that it is.".
According to the NAACP, over 4,700 lynchings took place in the U.S. between 1882 and 1968