The Senate adopted an amendment to the fiscal 2008 defense authorization bill Thursday that would create federal penalties for an array of hate crimes, defying warnings that the move would draw a presidential veto.

The amendment was added by voice vote after the Senate agreed 60-39 to limit debate on the measure.

The amendment, by Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., would create stand-alone federal penalties for certain hate crimes, including those based on gender, disability and sexual orientation.

The House passed related legislation (HR 1592) in May in the face of a White House veto threat. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., predicted Bush would veto the defense measure with the hate crimes language.

“We’re going to put in jeopardy the things the military does need,” Graham said.

Proponents of the amendment said current statutes do not readily allow federal law enforcement officials to assist state and local officials who prosecute hate crimes committed against people because of their sexual orientation or gender.

“When victims are selected for violence because of who they are – because of the color of their skin or their sexual orientation – it is a crime that wounds all of us,” Kennedy said in a prepared statement.

Republicans opposed to the amendment made both substantive and procedural objections to attaching it to the defense authorization measure (HR 1585).

“This amendment has nothing to do, nothing to do, with our military,” said Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas.