Hate crimes bill put on Pentagon measure

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Source: ap



Hate crimes bill put on Pentagon measure

By LAURIE KELLMAN, Associated Press Writer 21 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - The Senate on Thursday attached legislation to help states prosecute attacks on homosexuals to a bill funding the war in Iraq in an effort to force President Bush to sign it into law. Opponents, citing a Bush veto threat, predicted it ultimately would fail.

"The president is not going to agree to this social legislation on the defense authorization bill," said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.

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.

The Democratic-controlled House passed the same hate crimes legislation as a stand-alone bill earlier this year despite Bush's veto threat. That makes a repeat of 2004, when the Senate passed a similar amendment to the same bill only to see it stripped out during negotiations with the Republican-led House, less likely this time around. President Bush, who says the bill is not needed, could then be faced with vetoing the vast defense authorization bill containing the same provision.......

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070927/ap_on_go_co/congress_hate_crimes;_ylt=AqiE9vnkemginD18fQ4LJ3qs0NUE