Good news - Word is that the Matthew Shepard Act has passed the Senate.

President Bush has threatened to veto, but since it’s tacked on to a defense spending bill the White House desperately wants, it’s not clear whether he’ll follow through.

Joe Solmonese, the head of HRC, which battled hard for the passage of the bill, said:

“For over a decade our community has worked tirelessly to ensure protections to combat violence motivated by hate and today we are the closest we have ever been to seeing that become a reality.

“Congress has taken an historic step forward and moved our country closer to the realization that all Americans, including the GLBT community, are part of the fabric of our nation. The new leadership in Congress fully understands that for too long our community has been terrorized by hate violence. And today, the US Senate has sent a clear message to every corner of our country that we will no longer turn a blind eye to anti-gay violence in America.”

It’s a good day. Celebrate and enjoy it.