[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 7]
[Senate]
[Pages 9889-9890]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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 SENATE RESOLUTION 202--EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR THE DESIGNATION OF JUNE 
                   26, 2017, AS ``LGBT EQUALITY DAY''

  Ms. BALDWIN (for herself, Mr. Bennet, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Booker, Mr. 
Brown, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Carper, Mr. Casey, Mr. Coons, Ms. 
Cortez Masto, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Franken, Ms. Harris, Ms. Hassan, Mr. 
Heinrich, Ms. Heitkamp, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Kaine, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. 
Leahy, Mr. Markey, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Murphy, Mrs. Murray, 
Mr. Nelson, Mr. Peters, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Van Hollen, Ms. Warren, Mr. 
Whitehouse, Mr. Wyden, Mr. Schumer, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Sanders, and 
Mr. Warner) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
the Committee on the Judiciary:

                              S. Res. 202

       Whereas the United States recognizes that all people should 
     be treated equally;
       Whereas Members of the 115th Congress support the rights 
     and freedoms of individuals who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, 
     and transgender (in this preamble referred to as ``LGBT'');
       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 people 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 people and LGBT people of color are 
     disproportionately and uniquely burdened by such barriers, 
     including violence, discrimination, poverty, and societal 
     isolation;
       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, 2017, 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 people, 
     regardless of actual or perceived sexual orientation or 
     gender identity;
       (2) supports the designation of June 26, 2017, 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

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       (B) continue educating all people about the forms of 
     discrimination, harassment, and intolerance that lesbian, 
     gay, bisexual, and transgender people continue to face; and
       (4) acknowledges the need for further legislation to ensure 
     that people 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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