[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 886 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 886

 Supporting the goals and principles of Transgender Day of Remembrance 
 by recognizing the epidemic of violence toward transgender people and 
                memorializing the lives lost this year.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           November 21, 2023

 Ms. Jayapal (for herself, Ms. Jacobs, Ms. Adams, Ms. Blunt Rochester, 
 Ms. Bonamici, Mr. Bowman, Mr. Cardenas, Mr. Carter of Louisiana, Mr. 
 Casar, Ms. Crockett, Ms. Davids of Kansas, Ms. DelBene, Mr. Deluzio, 
 Mr. DeSaulnier, Mr. Doggett, Mr. Espaillat, Mr. Evans, Mrs. Fletcher, 
Mr. Frost, Mr. Garcia of Illinois, Mr. Robert Garcia of California, Ms. 
   Garcia of Texas, Mr. Goldman of New York, Mr. Green of Texas, Mr. 
  Grijalva, Mr. Higgins of New York, Ms. Jackson Lee, Mr. Johnson of 
Georgia, Ms. Kamlager-Dove, Mr. Khanna, Mr. Kildee, Mr. Krishnamoorthi, 
 Ms. Lee of California, Ms. Leger Fernandez, Mr. Lynch, Ms. McCollum, 
   Mr. McGovern, Mr. Mullin, Mr. Nadler, Ms. Norton, Mr. Peters, Mr. 
Phillips, Mr. Pocan, Ms. Pressley, Mr. Quigley, Mrs. Ramirez, Mr. Ruiz, 
 Ms. Schakowsky, Ms. Stevens, Mr. Swalwell, Mr. Takano, Ms. Tlaib, Mr. 
Tonko, Mr. Torres of New York, Ms. Velazquez, Mrs. Watson Coleman, Ms. 
Wexton, Ms. Williams of Georgia, Ms. Balint, and Mr. Sherman) submitted 
 the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the 
                               Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Supporting the goals and principles of Transgender Day of Remembrance 
 by recognizing the epidemic of violence toward transgender people and 
                memorializing the lives lost this year.

Whereas Transgender Day of Remembrance was created following the 1998 killing of 
        Rita Hester, a transgender woman of color, whose murder has yet to be 
        solved;
Whereas, the following year on November 20, 1999, Gwendolyn Ann Smith created 
        the first Transgender Day of Remembrance in honor of Rita Hester and 
        other transgender people whose lives were lost due to violence;
Whereas Transgender Day of Remembrance 2023 honors the memory of the lives of 
        transgender people tragically lost in acts of violence between October 
        1, 2022, and September 30, 2023;
Whereas the United States is currently experiencing an epidemic of violence 
        against transgender Americans;
Whereas at least 33 transgender or gender nonconforming people were violently 
        killed in the United States in 2023, a number many believe to be much 
        higher due to the prevalence of underreporting or misreporting violence 
        against this community;
Whereas the lives of Tiffany Banks, Kelly Loving, Daniel Aston, Diamond Jackson-
        McDonald, Destiny Howard, Mar'Quis ``MJ'' Jackson, Caelee Love-Light, 
        Jasmine ``Star'' Mack; KC Johnson, Unique Banks, Zachee Imanitwitaho, 
        Maria Jose Rivera Rivera, Chashay Ashanti Henderson, Paris Aminah, 
        Tortuguita, Ta'Siyah Woodland, Ashley Burton, Koko Da Doll, Banko Brown, 
        Ashia Davis, Chanell Perez Ortiz, Jacob Williamson, Camdyn Rider, 
        DeVonnie J'Rae Johnson, Thomas ``Tom-Tom'' Robertson, YOKO, Luis Angel 
        Diaz Castro, Sherlyn Marjorie, Emma Borhanian, Clayton Stephens, Ome 
        Gandhi, Lovely Page, Bre'Asia Banks, Alexa Sokova were tragically lost 
        in acts of violence between October 1, 2022, and September 30, 2023;
Whereas following the introduction of the Transgender Day of Remembrance 
        Resolution of 2022, the lives of Morgan Moore, Kylie Monali, and London 
        Starr were reported to have been lost to acts of violence between 
        October 1, 2021, and September 30, 2022;
Whereas at least 285 transgender or gender nonconforming people have been 
        murdered worldwide in 2023, according to the Transgender Day of 
        Remembrance memorial page from Trans Lives Matters;
Whereas on the eve of Transgender Day of Remembrance in 2022, two transgender 
        people--Kelly Loving and Daniel Aston--and three others--Derrick Rump, 
        Ashley Paugh, and Raymond Green Vance--were murdered, and dozens more 
        injured, inside Club Q in an act of anti-LGBTQI+ extremism;
Whereas violence against transgender Americans disproportionately impacts 
        transgender women of color;
Whereas Black transgender women are the most targeted group to experience 
        violence in the United States;
Whereas transgender Americans face barriers to health care, such as lack of 
        health insurance, stigma and discrimination, higher rates of 
        unemployment, and, in an increasingly higher number of States, legal 
        barriers to accessing medical care;
Whereas transgender people disproportionately suffer from higher rates of 
        homelessness, with reports suggesting as many as one-third of 
        transgender women and one-half of transgender women who are Black, 
        Middle Eastern, multiracial, or undocumented have ever experienced 
        homelessness;
Whereas almost half of all transgender people in the United States will attempt 
        suicide at least once, and over 1 in 20 will attempt suicide each year, 
        a rate that is almost 10 times higher than the rest of the United States 
        population;
Whereas asylum seekers and refugees who are transgender experience 
        disproportionate rates of violence, including sexual violence, as they 
        seek safety;
Whereas transgender immigrants have died in American detention centers due to 
        medical neglect, injury, and abuse at the hands of staff;
Whereas transgender people who are housed in institutional settings such as 
        jails and prisons are subject to high levels of violence and 
        discrimination;
Whereas transgender students are significantly more likely to experience 
        bullying or harassment at school due to their gender identity;
Whereas understanding and addressing the challenges faced by transgender 
        Americans is hampered by a severe lack of data;
Whereas Congress and the executive branch must act to protect and preserve the 
        lives of all Americans, including transgender Americans, through 
        inclusive legislation and policies that treat everyone with dignity and 
        respect;
Whereas the continued introduction of anti-transgender legislation has fueled 
        violence against transgender Americans;
Whereas efforts to restrict access to gender-affirming healthcare has stripped 
        many transgender people of access to medically necessary care, led to a 
        spike in poor mental health and suicidality among transgender youth and 
        adults, increased bullying and assault in schools, and left parents 
        afraid their children may be removed from their homes because they 
        support their transgender child;
Whereas the transgender community has shown great resilience in the face of 
        adversity in all aspects of their lives, including housing, education, 
        employment, and health care; and
Whereas the transgender community has demonstrated tremendous leadership since 
        the courageous actions of many community members, including Marsha P. 
        Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, at the Stonewall uprising of 1969: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports the goals and principles of Transgender Day of 
        Remembrance by recognizing the epidemic of violence toward 
        transgender people and memorializing the lives lost this year;
            (2) recognizes that the alarming trends of increased 
        violence against transgender Americans, particularly 
        transgender women of color, are unacceptable, and that finding 
        solutions to these issues must be a pressing priority for the 
        United States Government;
            (3) supports efforts to study, respond to, and prevent 
        violence against transgender people;
            (4) affirms the principle that every person is endowed with 
        basic human rights and that our Nation's commitment to this 
        principle must encompass every single individual;
            (5) recognizes the bravery and resilience of the 
        transgender community as it fights for equal dignity and 
        respect; and
            (6) recognizes the multitude of contributions and cultural 
        impact the transgender community has had on American society.
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