Barney Frank on the Senate hate crime measure

A hate crimes bill, which has passed the Senate three times before, is now stalled because of disagreements over extending specific protections for gender identity, according to Congressman Barney Frank (D-Mass.). The report from washingtonblade.com. The Senate version of the bill, sponsored by Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) and Gordon Smith (R-Ore.), includes protection based on sexual orientation and real or perceived gender. Unlike the House version, there is no explicit language calling for transgender crime victims to be included.