The Senate agreed to expand federal hate crimes protections Thursday, the AP reported, but a fighter jet provision complicates final passage.

After a 63 to 28 vote to silence Republican-led opposition, the bill was attached to a must-pass defense bill.

The Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Act adds disability, gender and sexual orientation to the list of hate crime protections. The law would also aid state and local governments prosecute hate crimes.

The bill is named after the University of Wyoming student who was killed in 1998 by two men he met in a gay bar. He was beaten and left to die shackled to a post along a rural road near Laramie.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid on Tuesday announced he would attach the bill to the $690 billion defense authorization bill.

Republicans, led by Arizona Senator John McCain, mostly oppose the legislation. McCain called the add-on an “abuse of power” Wednesday.

While amending the defense bill to include the hate crimes bill greatly increases its chances of passage and President Obama has urged lawmakers to approve the legislation, a fighter jet provision complicates the situation. Republicans favor spending $1.75 billion for additional F-22 fighter jets. But the president has threatened to veto the spending bill if it includes the fighter jet provision, which would also kill the now linked hate crimes bill.