[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 7]
[House]
[Pages 9798-9799]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                            LGBT PRIDE MONTH

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Connecticut (Ms. Esty) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. ESTY. Mr. Speaker, June is national LGBT Pride Month, and so I 
rise today to honor and recognize the determination, advocacy, 
contributions, and talents of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender 
Americans.
  I was 15 years old, a high school student in a small town, when I 
gave my first gay rights speech. I did not know in 1975 that I would 
one day have the opportunity to be here on the floor of the House of 
Representatives to support equal rights, but I did know that it is 
wrong to discriminate against fellow Americans because of who they 
love.
  And I think I knew on some level that my brother Jamie was gay. I 
was, and still remain, committed to stand with those who fight bigotry, 
discrimination, and violence against those who love another.
  And looking back, I am so deeply thankful to stand here today and to 
celebrate the remarkable progress we have made in recent years. That 
progress is due to the tireless determination and enduring struggle of 
LGBT Americans and allies, like my brother Jamie and my mother, Mitzi 
Henderson.

                              {time}  1015

  Don't Ask, Don't Tell is a thing of the past, and it no longer forces 
our men and women in uniform to choose between serving this Nation and 
being open about who they are and who they love. Marriage equality is 
now a reality in 37 States and in Washington, D.C. That covers 70 
percent of all Americans. During LGBT Pride Month, we celebrate the 
progress we have made, but we also recommit to the continued fight for 
full equality.
  Congress needs to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, ENDA, 
to ensure that no one is fired because of one's gender identity or 
sexual orientation. Congress needs to pass the SAME Act, which I had 
the honor of helping to introduce, to ensure that all couples can 
receive the Social Security benefits that they have earned. Congress 
needs to pass the Respect for Marriage Act so that all couples are 
treated with equality and fairness no matter where they live or who 
they love.
  At this very moment, the pursuit of national marriage equality 
continues. The Supreme Court is currently considering a case that 
affords the Court a

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rare opportunity, the opportunity to make history while advancing 
justice. The Court may and--I hope--will rule that the Constitution's 
guarantee of the right to marry extends to same-sex couples throughout 
the United States.
  No matter how the Court rules in the days ahead, I know we still have 
a long road ahead to advance equal rights for all Americans, but I also 
know we will prevail. We will prevail because we will continue to have 
those courageous conversations one at a time. We will prevail because 
we advocate for something far more powerful than politics; we advocate 
for love.
  I am honored to join with Americans across this great country to 
celebrate national LGBT Pride Month and to stand with those who stand 
up every day to defend the right of all Americans to be proud of who 
they are, to be proud of who they love, and to proudly work together 
for the ongoing cause of true equality under the law.

                          ____________________