House passes gay hate crimes measure, sends bill to Senate
Despite objections that it would infringe on the religious liberty of pastors and other faith leaders, the U.S. House Thursday passed a defense bill that includes historic hate crimes protections for homosexuals.
The 2010 defense authorization bill, which passed 281-146, has little if anything to do with hate crimes but is being used as a vehicle to pass hate crimes legislation, which was attached to the defense bill. The defense bill (H.R. 2647) now goes to the Senate, where a similar version already passed earlier this year....