[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 58 (Thursday, March 30, 2023)]
[House]
[Page H1662]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 SUPPORTING INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS

  (Mr. ROBERT GARCIA of California asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. ROBERT GARCIA of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support 
of the International Human Rights Defense Act, which I am honored to 
have joined with Senator Markey and Representative Jacobs in 
introducing just this week.
  Now, this is the first bill I have introduced as a Member of Congress 
and it is an issue that is very personal to me. As the first LGBTQ+ 
immigrant to serve in this body, I know how important it is for the 
U.S. to stand for human rights around the world.
  Right now, there are nearly 70 countries around the world where 
LGBTQ+ people are criminalized just for being themselves. In 11 
countries, you can be executed for loving your partner, and we know 
that discrimination exists all across the country and the globe.
  Here in the U.S., even our freedoms are being rolled back as we see 
what happened just this last week in this very Chamber attacking trans 
people. Our bill ensures that regardless of who sits in the Oval 
Office, our foreign policy should always reflect a strong commitment to 
human rights.
  This bill permanently creates an LGBTQ+ global envoy office at 
ambassador-rank level and codifies numerous goals and initiatives 
within the State Department. LGBTQ+ rights are human rights.

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