House Approves Bill to Protect Gay Workers

The House has approved a bill to protect gay men and lesbians from employment discrimination.

Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., said he would introduce similar legislation in the Senate, the New York Times reports.

Many Democrats expected President Bush to veto the bill, although a White House spokesman said no final decision had been made. The House vote was 45 votes short of the number needed to override a veto.

Sponsors made some concessions to win more votes for the bill, Reuters reports. It does not cover transsexual and transgender people, a move that angered gay rights groups. Civil liberties groups were dismayed by another concession that exempts religious employers from the bill’s provisions.