[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 247 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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116th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. RES. 247
Recognizing June 2019 as ``LGBTQ Pride Month''.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
June 12, 2019
Mr. Brown (for himself, Mrs. Feinstein, Ms. Smith, Mr. Schumer, Ms.
Baldwin, Mr. Bennet, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Booker, Ms. Cantwell, Mr.
Cardin, Mr. Carper, Mr. Casey, Mr. Coons, Ms. Cortez Masto, Ms.
Duckworth, Mr. Durbin, Mrs. Gillibrand, Ms. Harris, Ms. Hassan, Mr.
Heinrich, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Jones, Mr. Kaine, Mr. King, Ms. Klobuchar,
Mr. Leahy, Mr. Manchin, Mr. Markey, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Merkley, Mr.
Murphy, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Peters, Mr. Reed, Ms. Rosen, Mr. Sanders, Mr.
Schatz, Mrs. Shaheen, Ms. Sinema, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Tester, Mr. Udall,
Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Warner, Ms. Warren, Mr. Whitehouse, and Mr. Wyden)
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee
on the Judiciary
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Recognizing June 2019 as ``LGBTQ Pride Month''.
Whereas individuals who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer
(referred to in this preamble as ``LGBTQ'') include individuals from--
(1) all States, territories, and the District of Columbia; and
(2) all faiths, races, national origins, socioeconomic statuses,
education levels, and political beliefs;
Whereas LGBTQ people in the United States have made, and continue to make, vital
contributions to the United States and to the world in every aspect,
including in the fields of education, law, health, business, science,
research, economic development, architecture, fashion, sports,
government, music, film, politics, technology, literature, and civil
rights;
Whereas LGBTQ people in the United States serve as law enforcement officers,
firefighters, and first responders in all States and the District of
Columbia;
Whereas LGBTQ people in the United States serve, and have served, the United
States Army, Coast Guard, Navy, Air Force, and Marines honorably and
with distinction and bravery;
Whereas an estimated number of more than 100,000 brave service members were
discharged from the Armed Forces of the United States between the
beginning of World War II and 2011 because of their sexual orientation,
including the discharge of more than 13,000 service members under the
``Don't Ask, Don't Tell'' policy in place between 1994 and 2011;
Whereas LGBTQ people in the United States serve, and have served, in positions
in the Federal Government and State and local governments, including as
members of Congress, Governors, mayors, and city council members;
Whereas the demonstrators who protested on June 28, 1969, 50 years ago this
year, following a law enforcement raid of the Stonewall Inn, an LGBTQ
club in New York City, are pioneers of the LGBTQ movement for equality;
Whereas, throughout much of the history of the United States, same-sex
relationships were criminalized in many States and many LGBTQ people in
the United States were forced to hide their LGBTQ identities while
living in secrecy and fear;
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 acknowledged that ``[n]o union is more
profound than marriage, for it embodies the highest ideals of love,
fidelity, devotion, sacrifice, and family.'';
Whereas Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (referred to in this preamble as
``AIDS'') has disproportionately impacted LGBTQ people in the United
States, due in part to a lack of funding and research devoted to finding
effective treatment for AIDS and the Human Immunodeficiency Virus
(referred to in this preamble as ``HIV'') during the early stages of the
HIV and AIDS epidemic;
Whereas gay and bisexual men and transgender women of color have a higher risk
of contracting HIV;
Whereas the LGBTQ community has maintained its unwavering commitment to ending
the HIV and AIDS epidemics;
Whereas LGBTQ people in the United States face disparities in employment,
healthcare, education, housing, and many other areas central to the
pursuit of happiness in the United States;
Whereas 30 States have no explicit ban on discrimination based on sexual
orientation and gender identity in the workplace, housing, or public
accommodations, and 35 States have no explicit ban on discrimination
against LGBTQ individuals in education;
Whereas LGBTQ youth are at increased risk of suicide, homelessness, and becoming
victims of bullying and violence;
Whereas the LGBTQ community has faced discrimination, inequality, and violence
throughout the history of the United States;
Whereas LGBTQ people in the United States, in particular transgender
individuals, face a disproportionately high risk of becoming victims of
violent hate crimes;
Whereas members of the LGBTQ community have been targeted in acts of mass
violence, including--
(1) the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida, on June 12, 2016,
where 49 people were killed; and
(2) the arson attack at the UpStairs Lounge in New Orleans, Louisiana,
on June 24, 1973, where 32 people died;
Whereas LGBTQ people in the United States face persecution, violence, and death
in many parts of the world, including State-sponsored violence;
Whereas in the several years preceding 2019, hundreds of LGBTQ people around the
world were arrested and, in some cases, tortured or even executed,
because of their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender
identity in countries and territories such as Chechnya, Egypt,
Indonesia, and Tanzania;
Whereas people and countries around the world have come together in condemnation
of attacks on LGBTQ communities in many countries, including in Brunei,
where a draconian new set of laws was enacted in April 2019 that would
impose the death penalty for same-sex relations;
Whereas, in May 2019, Taiwan became the first place in Asia to extend marriage
rights to same-sex couples;
Whereas the LGBTQ community holds Pride festivals and marches in some of the
most dangerous places in the world, despite threats of violence and
arrest;
Whereas, in 2009, President Barack Obama signed the Matthew Shepard and James
Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act (division E of Public Law 111-84;
123 Stat. 2835) into law to protect all people in the United States from
crimes motivated by the actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender
identity of an individual;
Whereas LGBTQ people in the United States have fought for equal treatment,
dignity, and respect;
Whereas LGBTQ people in the United States have achieved significant milestones,
ensuring that future generations of LGBTQ people in the United States
will enjoy a more equal and just society;
Whereas, despite being marginalized throughout the history of the United States,
LGBTQ people in the United States continue to celebrate their
identities, love, and contributions to the United States in various
expressions of Pride; and
Whereas the inclusion of LGBTQ people in the United States continues to expand
every day and LGBTQ people in the United States remain determined to
pursue equality, respect, and inclusion for all individuals regardless
of sexual orientation or gender identity: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) supports the rights, freedoms, and equal treatment of
lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (referred to in
this resolving clause as ``LGBTQ'') people in the United States
and around the world;
(2) acknowledges that LGBTQ rights are human rights that
are to be protected by the United States Constitution and
numerous international treaties and conventions;
(3) supports efforts to ensure the equal treatment of all
people in the United States, regardless of sexual orientation
and gender identity;
(4) supports efforts to ensure that the United States
remains a beacon of hope for the equal treatment of people
around the world, including LGBTQ individuals; and
(5) encourages the celebration of June as ``LGBTQ Pride
Month'' in order to provide a lasting opportunity for all
people in the United States--
(A) to learn about the discrimination and
inequality that the LGBTQ community endured, and
continues to endure; and
(B) to celebrate the contributions of the LGBTQ
community throughout the history of the United States.
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