The U.S. House of Representatives today approved the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act, H.R. 1592, in a vote of 237 to 180. The Senate will soon consider its own, identical version of the bill, renamed the Mathew Shepard Act.

Civil rights activists were hopeful House would disregard a furious, 11th-hour opposition campaign by anti-gay groups and vote to approve the hate crimes bill that includes protections for gays and transgender persons.

As debate got underway Thursday, the White House issued a statement that senior advisers would recommend that President Bush veto the measure.

“The Administration favors strong criminal penalties for violent crime, including crime based on personal characteristics, such as race, color, religion, or national origin. However, the Administration believes that H.R. 1592 is unnecessary and constitutionally questionable. If H.R. 1592 were presented to the President, his senior advisors would recommend that he veto the bill,” the statement read.

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