[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 549 Introduced in House (IH)]

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114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 549

 Expressing support for the designation of June 26 as ``LGBT Equality 
                                 Day''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            December 3, 2015

Ms. DelBene (for herself, Mr. Lowenthal, Mr. Larsen of Washington, Mr. 
Pocan, Mr. Jeffries, Mr. Hastings, Mr. Engel, Mr. Takano, Mr. Keating, 
 Mrs. Watson Coleman, Mr. Kilmer, Mr. Ted Lieu of California, Mr. Van 
Hollen, Ms. Norton, Mr. Polis, Mr. Hinojosa, Mr. Grijalva, Ms. Lee, Ms. 
Speier, Ms. Castor of Florida, Mr. Ashford, Mr. Gallego, Ms. Hahn, Mr. 
Loebsack, Mr. Carson of Indiana, Mr. Rush, Mr. Lewis, Mr. Moulton, Ms. 
Velazquez, Mrs. Davis of California, Mr. Schiff, Ms. Matsui, Ms. Clark 
 of Massachusetts, Mr. Higgins, Ms. DeGette, Mr. Smith of Washington, 
Mr. Rangel, Mr. Swalwell of California, Mr. Cicilline, Mr. Delaney, Ms. 
  Titus, Ms. Slaughter, Mr. Norcross, Mr. Pascrell, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. 
Langevin, Mr. Honda, Ms. Esty, Ms. Meng, Mr. Brady of Pennsylvania, Mr. 
   Murphy of Florida, Mr. Garamendi, Ms. Judy Chu of California, Mr. 
 Pallone, Ms. Clarke of New York, Mr. Yarmuth, Mr. Heck of Washington, 
 Ms. Lofgren, Ms. McCollum, Ms. Tsongas, Mr. McDermott, Mrs. Dingell, 
 Mrs. Capps, Mr. Blumenauer, Ms. Bass, Ms. Brownley of California, Mr. 
Gutierrez, Ms. Wilson of Florida, Mr. Serrano, Mr. Nadler, Mr. Kildee, 
  Mr. Brendan F. Boyle of Pennsylvania, Mr. Cardenas, Ms. Sinema, Mr. 
   Sean Patrick Maloney of New York, Mrs. Bustos, Mr. McNerney, Mr. 
Thompson of California, Mr. Kind, Mr. Grayson, Ms. Moore, Ms. Bonamici, 
Ms. Pingree, Miss Rice of New York, Ms. Schakowsky, Mr. DeSaulnier, Ms. 
Frankel of Florida, Ms. Kuster, Ms. Wasserman Schultz, Mr. Crowley, Mr. 
 Michael F. Doyle of Pennsylvania, Mr. Cartwright, Mr. Beyer, and Ms. 
 Duckworth) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
                     the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing support for the designation of June 26 as ``LGBT Equality 
                                 Day''.

Whereas the United States recognizes that all people should be treated equally;
Whereas Members of the 114th Congress support the rights and freedoms of 
        individuals who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT);
Whereas, on June 26, 2003, the United States Supreme Court ruled in Lawrence v. 
        Texas that States could no longer criminalize the private conduct in 
        which same-sex couples engage;
Whereas, on June 26, 2013, the United States Supreme Court ruled in United 
        States v. Windsor that section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) 
        was unconstitutional and the Federal Government could no longer restrict 
        married same-sex couples from receiving Federal benefits and 
        protections;
Whereas, on June 26, 2015, the United States Supreme Court ruled in Obergefell 
        v. Hodges that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry and 
        States could no longer discriminate against same-sex couples when 
        recognizing or licensing a marriage;
Whereas Supreme Court decisions handed down on June 26 ended marriage 
        discrimination and the criminalization of same-sex private intimate 
        conduct under the law;
Whereas LGBT people and their allies have worked together for over 60 years to 
        make progress toward achieving full equality for all people in the 
        United States, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity;
Whereas LGBT people in the United States continue to face many barriers to the 
        American dream that cannot be solved through courtroom litigation alone;
Whereas transgender people and LGBT people of color are disproportionately and 
        uniquely burdened by such barriers, including violence, discrimination, 
        poverty, and societal isolation;
Whereas although victories at the Supreme Court have affirmed the dignity and 
        equality of millions of same-sex couples, statutory reforms are needed 
        to ensure LGBT people in the United States are free from discrimination 
        and have equal access to the American dream; and
Whereas June 26 would be an appropriate date to designate as ``LGBT Equality 
        Day'': Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports equal rights and protections for all people, 
        regardless of actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender 
        identity;
            (2) supports the designation of ``LGBT Equality Day'';
            (3) encourages the celebration of ``LGBT Equality Day'' to 
        commemorate the significance of Supreme Court decisions handed 
        down on June 26 in 2003, 2013, and 2015, and to continue 
        educating all people about the forms of discrimination, 
        harassment, and intolerance that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and 
        transgender people continue to face; and
            (4) acknowledges the need for further legislation to ensure 
        people in the United States are free from all forms of 
        discrimination on the basis of actual or perceived sexual 
        orientation or gender identity, including in employment, 
        housing, public accommodations, education, Federal funding, 
        credit, and jury service.
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