US HOUSE PASSES MATTHEW SHEPARD HATE CRIMES BILL

The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act, better known as the Matthew Shepard Act, passed the US House of Representatives yesterday by a vote of 249-175.

The Senate will now have to vote on their version of the bill which was introduced by Democratic Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA) and sponsored by Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Olympia Snowe (R-ME) and the now Democratic Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania.

President Barack Obama has vowed to sign the bill once it reaches his desk. Standing behind his campaign promise to do everything he can to get this bill passed, Obama released the following statement on Tuesday (the day before the House vote was taken):

STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT ON H.R. 1913, THE LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT HATE CRIMES PREVENTION ACT OF 2009
This week, the House of Representatives is expected to consider H.R. 1913, the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009. I urge members on both sides of the aisle to act on this important civil rights issue by passing this legislation to protect all of our citizens from violent acts of intolerance – legislation that will enhance civil rights protections, while also protecting our freedom of speech and association. I also urge the Senate to work with my Administration to finalize this bill and to take swift action.

There was one very unfortunate and astoundingly insensitive speech delivered on the floor of the House in opposition to HR1913 before the vote was taken.

Republican representative Virginia Foxx of North Carolina claimed that Matthew Shepard's murder was a hoax. She said that it was a simple robbery and not a hate crime and that the incident shouldn't be used as a reason to pass the Hate Crimes bill. She gave this speech while Matthew's mother was sitting in the gallery.

Below is Keith Olbermann's brilliant response to Foxx's pathetic and shameful speech. He named her as his "Worst Person In The World."

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Once again....THANK YOU KEITH OLBERMANN!

People like Foxx are disgusting, pathetic and shameful human being wanna-bes who need to be confronted and exposed at every possible opportunity. They are the epitome of wolves-in-sheep's-clothing.