Senate Gives Final Approval To Hate Crimes Bill

The U.S. Senate yesterday by a largely party-line vote of 68-29 approved HR 2647, the 2010 National Defense Authorization Act as recommended by the Conference Committee. The bill contains an expansion of federal hate crimes legislation, the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crime Prevention Act. The House has already approved the Conference Committee version (see prior posting) and the bill now goes to President Obama who is expected to sign it. The Washington Post reports that Republicans who opposed the hate crimes provisions were upset that the Democrats attached them to a defense spending bill, daring them to vote against the military budget.