President Bush is threatening to veto a new hate crimes bill if it comes before his desk. On Thursday, the House approved a bill that would expand federal hate crime law to include attacks motivated by the victims’ gender or sexual orientation. Under current law, federal officials are only able to investigate and prosecute attacks based on race, color, national origin and religion. This is Democratic Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin, the first openly lesbian to serve in Congress.

Rep. Tammy Baldwin: “These characteristics are included in this hate crimes legislation, not because they deserve any special protection, as opponents of this legislation claim, but because of the history of particularly heinous and violent crimes committed against individuals based on such characteristics.”

Many right-wing groups opposed the bill. Focus on the Family founder James Dobson called it “insidious legislation.”