U.S. Senate passes hate crime bill
XETV Fox 6, San Diego
Sept. 28, 2007

The U.S. Senate has approved a bill that expands federal hate crime protections to gays, lesbians and transgender people.

Known as the Matthew Shepard Act, the legislation would require federal prosecutors to investigate crimes motivated by sexual orientation like the justice department currently does for crimes that are racially or religiously motivated.

"It is needed and it's need on a federal level because you're talking about a basic, civil right that should be available to everybody," said Paul Goode.

But critics say the bill gives gays and lesbians special protections and criminalizes anyone who speaks out against homosexuality.

Randy Thomasson, the president of the Campaign for Children and Families says, "This bill is completely unnecessary because every violent crime is a crime of hate. In actuality, this is more about promoting homosexuality, bisexuality, and transsexuality than it is about preventing crime."

The legislation is an amendment that's been attached to a national defense bill.

The president promises to veto the legislation. Some people worry that could jeopardize military pay raises and programs for wounded veterans.

The president has only vetoed three bills while in office. One of those bills was for emergency war funding but it also included a troop withrawal timetable for Iraq.