[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 511 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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114th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 511

  Expressing support for the designation of June 26, 2016, as ``LGBT 
                            Equality Day''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 23, 2016

  Ms. Baldwin (for herself, Mrs. Murray, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Markey, Ms. 
 Cantwell, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Booker, Mr. Wyden, Mr. Brown, Mr. Franken, 
  Mr. Merkley, Ms. Heitkamp, Mr. Schumer, Mr. Coons, Mr. Sanders, Mr. 
Heinrich, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Blumenthal, Ms. Mikulski, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. 
Peters, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Casey, Mr. Leahy, Mr. Carper, Mr. Menendez, 
  Mr. Kaine, Mrs. Boxer, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Reid, Mr. Murphy, and Mr. 
 Schatz) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                       Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Expressing support for the designation of June 26, 2016, as ``LGBT 
                            Equality Day''.

Whereas the United States recognizes that all individuals should be treated 
        equally;
Whereas Members of the 114th Congress support the rights and freedoms of 
        individuals who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (in this 
        preamble referred to as ``LGBT people'');
Whereas, on June 26, 2003, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled in 
        Lawrence v. Texas, 539 U.S. 558, that States could no longer criminalize 
        the private conduct in which same-sex couples engage;
Whereas, on June 26, 2013, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled in 
        United States v. Windsor, 133 S. Ct. 2675, that section 3 of the Defense 
        of Marriage Act (Public Law 104-199; 110 Stat. 2419) 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 Supreme Court of the United States ruled in 
        Obergefell v. Hodges, 135 S. Ct. 2584, 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 decisions handed down by the Supreme Court of the United States on June 
        26 in 2003, 2013, and 2015 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 more than 60 years 
        to make progress toward achieving full equality for all individuals in 
        the United States, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity;
Whereas LGBT people in the United States continue to face many barriers that 
        cannot be solved through courtroom litigation alone;
Whereas transgender individuals and LGBT people of color are disproportionately 
        and uniquely burdened by such barriers, including violence, 
        discrimination, poverty, and societal isolation;
Whereas LGBT people continue to be targets for violence based on who they are 
        and who they love, as demonstrated most recently by the terrible 
        massacre at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, on June 12, 2016, 
        in which 49 individuals tragically lost their lives;
Whereas, although victories at the Supreme Court of the United States have 
        affirmed the dignity and equality of millions of same-sex couples, 
        statutory reforms are needed to ensure that LGBT people in the United 
        States are free from discrimination and have equal access to the 
        American dream; and
Whereas June 26, 2016, would be an appropriate date to designate as ``LGBT 
        Equality Day'': Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) supports equal rights and protections for all 
        individuals, regardless of actual or perceived sexual 
        orientation or gender identity;
            (2) supports the designation of June 26, 2016, as ``LGBT 
        Equality Day'';
            (3) encourages the celebration of ``LGBT Equality Day'' 
        to--
                    (A) commemorate the significance of decisions 
                handed down by the Supreme Court of the United States 
                on June 26 in 2003, 2013, and 2015; and
                    (B) continue educating all people about the forms 
                of discrimination, harassment, and intolerance that 
                lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals 
                continue to face; and
            (4) acknowledges the need for further legislation to ensure 
        that individuals 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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