BBC: Graham (R- S.C.) claims Bush will Veto money for troops [View All]

[Coexist]

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Senate attached hate crimes legislation to a must-pass Pentagon spending bill Thursday, but opponents predicted it ultimately would fail either in negotiations with the House or by presidential veto.

``The president is not going to agree to this social legislation on the defense authorization bill,'' said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. ``This bill will get vetoed.''

Nonetheless, the Senate agreed by voice vote - with no dissenting votes - to attach the hate-crimes provision to a pending defense authorization bill that designates billions of federal dollars to the Defense Department and the Iraq war.

Writing violent attacks on gays into federal hate crime laws is an appropriate add-on to legislation funding the war, Democrats argued, because both initiatives are aimed at combating terrorist acts.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6953772,00.html