Hate Crimes Attached To....Tourism Bill?

An "unnamed source" at the Washington Blade is saying the the U.S. Senate's version of the hate crimes act may now be attached to a tourism bill. And says it should pass. By Wednesday.

The U.S. Senate is expected to approve hate crimes legislation by Wednesday, according to a Democratic source. Lawmakers are expected to pass the measure by amending S. 1023, or the Travel Promotion Act, said the source. The bill is geared toward establishing a national travel promotion program to communicate U.S. travel policies and to promote travel to the United States. "The idea is that that will be an amendment to the tourism bill that's going to be on the floor this week in the Senate, and we're thinking that the vote will happen probably [Tuesday] or Wednesday," said the source.

Top Obama gay John Berry told the crowd at DC Pride yesterday that he also expected the hate crimes act to pass this week. So far the act has been forecast to be attached to a Senate defense appropriations bill and a bill allowing licensed gun owners to carry their concealed weapons across state lines. And now this. Whatever works, I guess.