This is maddening.
The Senate voted 63-28 Thursday night to end discussion on the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which was subsequently adopted by unanimous consent as an amendment to the Department of Defense reauthorization bill.
[...]
Though the amendment garnered three votes more than necessary to reach cloture, the fate of the hate-crimes measure is now partially linked to the $1.75 billion in funding for F-22 fighter jets also included in the DOD legislation.
President Barack Obama and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates both oppose the F-22 program and a White House spokesman said the president will not sign a DOD bill that continues to fund the program.
Why on earth does legislative "sausage making" have to include garbage maneuvers like this one? I strongly urge the Senate to pass a
clean bill with the hate crimes legislation in it and protect Americans against bias crimes due to their actual or perceived gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, or disability status. A few overpriced, unneeded fighter planes should not stand in the way.
