[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 499 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 499

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


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 25, 2021

 Ms. DelBene (for herself, Mr. Smith of Washington, Mr. Espaillat, Mr. 
 Lowenthal, Mr. Sires, Mr. Carson, Ms. Eshoo, Mr. Auchincloss, Ms. Lee 
  of California, Ms. McCollum, Mr. Pascrell, Mrs. Watson Coleman, Mr. 
 Schneider, Mrs. Lawrence, Mr. Higgins of New York, Mr. Ruppersberger, 
   Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney of New York, Mr. Crist, Ms. Pingree, Ms. 
  Houlahan, Mrs. Axne, Mr. Danny K. Davis of Illinois, Mr. Soto, Mr. 
    Cicilline, Mr. Phillips, Ms. Wasserman Schultz, Mr. Kilmer, Ms. 
DeGette, Ms. Titus, Mr. Payne, Mr. Norcross, Ms. Matsui, Mr. Evans, Mr. 
Blumenauer, Mr. Case, Mr. Perlmutter, Ms. Johnson of Texas, Ms. Norton, 
 Ms. Slotkin, Mr. Swalwell, Ms. Wilson of Florida, Mr. Connolly, Mrs. 
Napolitano, Ms. Meng, Mr. Meeks, Ms. Omar, Ms. Speier, Mrs. Hayes, Mr. 
  Langevin, Mr. McGovern, Mr. Raskin, Ms. Schakowsky, Mr. Nadler, Mr. 
Cooper, Mr. Himes, Mr. Panetta, Mr. Neguse, Mr. Larson of Connecticut, 
Mr. Yarmuth, Mrs. Beatty, Ms. Chu, Ms. Brownley, Mr. Kahele, Ms. Bass, 
   Ms. Clark of Massachusetts, Miss Rice of New York, Ms. Castor of 
Florida, Mr. Kildee, Ms. Sanchez, Ms. Blunt Rochester, Ms. Lois Frankel 
 of Florida, Ms. Roybal-Allard, Ms. Dean, Ms. Newman, Ms. Strickland, 
    Mr. Pocan, Mr. Takano, Ms. Waters, Mr. Quigley, Mr. Thompson of 
 California, Ms. Barragan, Ms. Williams of Georgia, Ms. Velazquez, Mr. 
    O'Halleran, Mr. Tonko, Mr. DeFazio, Ms. Jayapal, Ms. Tlaib, Mr. 
  Grijalva, Mr. Trone, Mr. Stanton, Mr. Cartwright, Mr. Torres of New 
  York, Ms. Kelly of Illinois, Mr. Kind, Mr. Gallego, Mr. Peters, Mr. 
  Sean Patrick Maloney of New York, Mr. Lynch, Ms. Wild, Mrs. Lee of 
Nevada, Ms. Bonamici, Mr. Deutch, Ms. Leger Fernandez, Ms. Sewell, Mr. 
 Suozzi, Mr. Malinowski, Mrs. Demings, and Mr. Keating) submitted the 
   following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the 
                               Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


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

Whereas the United States recognizes that all people should be treated equally;
Whereas Members of the 117th Congress support the rights and freedoms of 
        individuals who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer 
        (LGBTQ);
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 LGBTQ 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 LGBTQ 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 LGBTQ 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 LGBTQ 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 ``LGBTQ 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 ``LGBTQ Equality Day'';
            (3) encourages the celebration of ``LGBTQ 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.
                                 <all>