[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 101 (Thursday, June 23, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Page S4553]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE RESOLUTION 511--EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR THE DESIGNATION OF JUNE 
                   26, 2016, AS ``LGBT EQUALITY DAY''

  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:

                              S. Res. 511

       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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