Chapel Hill, North Carolina – Senator John Edwards released the following statement following the U.S. Senate's vote to support new federal hate crime legislation:

"Every American deserves the right to live without fear of physical violence -- law enforcement should have all the resources and tools it needs to protect every community in America. I have long supported strengthening our hate crimes laws to show that Americans will not tolerate or condone hateful violence of any kind.

"With 25 hate crimes committed every day by the FBI's count -- one every hour -- it is embarrassing that the White House says stronger law enforcement tools are 'unnecessary.' Nine years after the heinous murders of Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr., these tools are more necessary than ever."