Senate passes amendment on hate crimes

The White House would take the unprecedented step of vetoing a major defense bill if hate-crimes language that the Senate adopted stays intact, senators said Thursday.
   
{mosads}The Senate on Thursday approved an amendment by Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) to boost federal assistance for state and local prosecution of crimes tied to racial, religious and sexual discrimination. The measure would establish for the first time federal penalties for hate crimes against homosexuals, prompting strong protests from the religious base of the Republican Party.
   
Nine Republicans joined all the chamber’s Democrats to end debate on the amendment, by 60-39. The amendment was later adopted by voice vote. The Senate is expected to vote Friday to limit debate on the underlying defense bill.
   
The Bush administration has already issued a veto threat over several provisions in the $460 billion defense authorization bill, but Republican senators said Thursday that adoption of the hate-crimes amendment makes that threat very real.
   
“A vote for Senator Kennedy’s hate-crime amendment regretfully puts this whole bill in jeopardy,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said before the vote.
   
White House spokeswoman Dana Perino would not definitively say Thursday whether President Bush would veto the measure.
   
“We believe that … state and local law enforcement agencies are effectively using their laws to the full extent that they can,” Perino said.

But after the vote, Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), who is close to the White House, said he was told Bush would oppose the bill, which would mark the first time a defense bill had ever been vetoed.
   
Republicans argue that Congress should not create special classes for victims and should not authorize the federal government to get involved in prosecutions and investigations at the local level.
   
Democrats say the legislation would provide much-needed protection for gays and others who can be easily targeted.
   
“This legislation is absolutely essential, I think, in bringing America to where it should be,” said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.).