[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 464 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 464

 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 SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           November 15, 2023

 Ms. Hirono (for herself, Ms. Baldwin, Ms. Butler, Mr. Fetterman, Mr. 
 Markey, Ms. Warren, Mr. Wyden, Mr. Merkley, and Mr. Schatz) 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 people of the United States;
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'Ssiyah 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, and 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 Matter;
Whereas violence against transgender people of the United States 
        disproportionately impacts transgender women of color;
Whereas Black transgender women are the most targeted group to experience 
        violence in the United States;
Whereas the COVID-19 global health pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on 
        transgender people of the United States;
Whereas transgender people of the United States face barriers to health care, 
        such as lack of health insurance, stigma and discrimination, and higher 
        rates of unemployment;
Whereas transgender people disproportionately suffer from higher rates of 
        homelessness, with reports suggesting as many as \1/3\ of all 
        transgender women and \1/2\ of transgender women who are Black, Middle 
        Eastern, multiracial, or undocumented have 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 detention centers in the United 
        States 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 and harassment at school due to their gender identity;
Whereas understanding and addressing the challenges faced by transgender people 
        of the United States is hampered by a severe lack of data;
Whereas Congress and the executive branch must act to protect and preserve the 
        lives of all people of the United States, including those that are 
        transgender, 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 people of the United States;
Whereas the pressure some State legislatures have pushed on State and local 
        authorities to treat gender-affirming health care as child abuse has led 
        to a spike in bullying and assault in schools, worsening mental health 
        among transgender youth and adults, and parents who are afraid their 
        children will be deprived of medical care or be removed from their 
        homes;
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 Senate--
            (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 people of the United States, 
        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 the commitment of the United States 
        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 the society of the 
        United States.
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