House OKs hate crime shield for gays

WASHINGTON, May 3 (UPI) -- The House of Representatives Thursday approved legislation to extend hate crime protection to those who are victimized because of their sexuality.

On a vote of 237 to 180, the House voted to expand federal hate crime law to cover crimes motivated by a victim's "gender, sexual orientation or gender identity." Current hate crime law applies only in cases in which victims are targeted for their race, religion, color or national origin.

Thursday's vote could lead to a veto showdown between Congress and President George W. Bush, The New York Times reported.

Before the House vote, the White House said the president would be inclined to veto the bill because he thinks it is "unnecessary and constitutionally questionable."

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said Thursday's vote represented "a statement of what America is, a society that understands that we accept differences."

Dr. James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family, urged his followers to oppose the legislation.

"The hate-crimes bill is another outrageous attempt to silence opposition to the political agenda of homosexual activists," he said on his organization's Web site.