According to a FBI report released this week, the number of U.S. hate crimes involving race and religion declined last year.  But hate crimes against LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender) individuals increased dramatically in 2007.

While incidents motivated by racial bias decreased 3.2 percent and incidents involving religious bias decreased 4.2 percent, hate crimes motivated by sexual orientation were up 5.5 percent from 2006.   The FBI offered no explanation for the changes, saying its reports are entirely statistical. 

Two rapes and nine murders were reported last year as hate crimes, compared with three killings and six rapes in 2006. Of the offenses classified as hate crimes against persons in 2007, approximately 52 percent were assaults and 47 percent involved intimidation. Nearly 63 percent of known offenders were white, and 21 percent were black.

In May the U.S. House of Representatives, with a strong bipartisan vote of 237-180, passed the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act. The act would add sexual orientation to the federal hate crimes law.

On a voice vote the Senate approved a nearly-identical piece of legislation, the Matthew Shepard Act, as an amendment to the Department of Defense Authorization bill.

President Bush has said he would use his veto to block any attempt to extend federal hate crimes laws to LGBT people. 

Senator Barack Obama, the Democratic candidate for the President of the U.S., has promised to “place the weight of my administration behind the enactment of the Matthew Shepard Act.”