1. Daschle said he would try to include the hate crimes measure in the massive catch-all spending bill that Congress must pass before adjourning for the year. 2. Judy Shepard, the mother of Matthew Shepard, said that Bush should reconsider his opposition to including sexual orientation in hate crimes measure. 3. The House could also attach the hate crimes measure to another bill, Kennedy said. 4. The House Armed Service Committee, chaired by Rep. Floyd Spence, R-S.C., agreed Friday to complete the defense authorization bill without the hate crimes measure. 5. Thompson predicted Bush would not veto the hate crimes measure, with the sexual orientation provision, if it lands on his desk. 6. Negotiators who reconciled the two ultimately left the hate crimes measure out of the final version Congress sent to the White House. 7. Two years ago, a hate crimes measure stalled after critics complained it created unnecessary distinctions for homosexuals. |