The Senate is poised to vote on the Matthew Shepard Act THIS WEEK.

The Senate is poised to vote on the Matthew Shepard Act THIS WEEK. But our allies are reporting an avalanche of 300,000 letters and calls from right-wing groups trying to stop it.
Anti-LGBT leaders like Focus on the Family's James Dobson are now calling the bill "utter evil." They're even referring to it as the "Pedophile Protection Act."
With a vote on hate crimes coming any day, we desperately need senators to hear from fair-minded people like you.
It takes about 45 seconds to call each one of your senators – and each one of them needs to hear from you today. It's just as important for supportive senators to hear from us – they've promised to pass this bill, and they need to know we're counting on them to keep fighting.
So set yourself a reminder on your computer. Make the call on your way to lunch. Or stop reading this and do it right now. Whatever you do, make sure to CALL YOUR SENATORS TODAY.
If you've never called Congress, let me assure you, it's incredibly easy.
Before 5 p.m. ET, call Sen. Charles 'Chuck' E. Schumer (202) 224-6542 and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (202) 224-4451 .
Most likely, one of your senator's interns will answer and ask where you're calling from and why. You're calling to urge the Senator to vote for the Matthew Shepard Act (S. 909). Most calls end right there. But if you like, you can add:
Hate crimes against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people are on the rise.
One out of every six hate crimes is because of the victim's sexual orientation.
Hate crimes have more than one victim. They are intended to create an atmosphere of fear and terrorize entire communities.
IMPORTANT: After you hang up, click here to let us know that you made the call. Don't skip this step! It helps us track our progress.
We have the truth on our side – and we need you to speak the truth today to counter our opponents' outrageous lies. Please make your phone calls right now.
Then, please pass this email on to your friends and family.