119-sres312

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 312 Introduced in Senate

    (IS) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
S. RES. 312

 Recognizing June 2025, as ``LGBTQ Pride Month''.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

 June 30, 2025

 Ms. Smith (for herself, Ms. Alsobrooks, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Bennet, Mr. 
 Booker, Mr. Blumenthal, Ms. Blunt Rochester, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Coons, 
 Ms. Cortez Masto, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Fetterman, Mr. 
 Gallego, Mrs. Gillibrand, Ms. Hassan, Mr. Heinrich, Mr. Hickenlooper, 
Ms. Hirono, Mr. Kaine, Mr. Kelly, Mr. Kim, Mr. King, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. 
 Lujan, Mr. Markey, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Murphy, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Ossoff, 
Mr. Padilla, Mr. Peters, Mr. Reed, Ms. Rosen, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Schatz, 
Mr. Schiff, Mrs. Shaheen, Ms. Slotkin, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Warner, Mr. 
 Warnock, Mr. Welch, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Wyden, and Ms. Warren) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
 on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

 RESOLUTION

 Recognizing June 2025, as ``LGBTQ Pride Month''.

Whereas the story of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer 
 (referred to in this preamble as ``LGBTQ'') community in the United 
 States is one of courage rising from marginalization, of joy forged in 
 the crucible of injustice, and of progress built by generations who 
 refused to be silent, invisible, or erased;
Whereas LGBTQ individuals live and thrive in every corner of the United States--
 from Alabama to Alaska, from barrios to boardrooms--bringing with them a 
 diversity of race, religion, ability, origin, political belief, and 
 lived experience that enriches the soul of the United States;
Whereas LGBTQ individuals have made indelible contributions across every sector 
 of society, including education, science, law, public service, the arts, 
 technology, business, and the ongoing struggle for civil rights, helping 
 to shape a more equitable and vibrant United States;
Whereas the persistent failure of Federal and State officials to collect full 
 and accurate data on sexual orientation and gender identity causes 
 tremendous harm to LGBTQ individuals in the United States, who remain 
 largely invisible to the government entities entrusted with ensuring 
 their health, safety, and well-being;
Whereas LGBTQ individuals in the United States serve, and have served, in the 
 United States Army, Coast Guard, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Space 
 Force honorably and with distinction and bravery;
Whereas a decades-long Federal policy, known as the ``Lavender Scare'', 
 threatened and intimidated Federal public servants from employment due 
 to their sexual orientation by alleging LGBTQ individuals posed a threat 
 to national security, preventing many more from entering the workforce;
Whereas an estimated number of more than 100,000 brave service members were 
 discharged from the Armed Forces between the beginning of World War II 
 and 2011 because of their sexual orientation, including the discharge of 
 more than 13,000 service members under the ``Don't Ask, Don't Tell'' 
 policy that was in place between 1994 and 2011;
Whereas transgender people had been able to serve openly in the military since 
 2016, but were arbitrarily banned from service in 2025;
Whereas LGBTQ individuals in the United States serve, and have served, in 
 positions in the Federal Government and State and local governments, 
 including as members of Congress, Cabinet Secretaries, Governors, 
 mayors, and city council members;
Whereas the demonstrators who protested on June 28, 1969, following a law 
 enforcement raid of the Stonewall Inn, an LGBTQ club in New York City, 
 are pioneers of the LGBTQ movement for equality;
Whereas, throughout much of the history of the United States, same-sex 
 relationships were criminalized in many States, and many LGBTQ 
 individuals in the United States were forced to hide their LGBTQ 
 identities while living in secrecy and fear;
Whereas, on June 26, 2015, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled in 
 Obergefell v. Hodges, 576 U.S. 644

    (2015) , that same-sex couples have a 
 constitutional right to marry and acknowledged that ``[n]o union is more 
 profound than marriage, for it embodies the highest ideals of love, 
 fidelity, devotion, sacrifice, and family'';
Whereas the HIV epidemic, worsened by government inaction and social stigma, 
 decimated LGBTQ communities--especially among Black and Brown gay men 
 and transgender women--and yet, the community responded not with despair 
 but with determination, launching a global movement for health justice;
Whereas people living with HIV continue to face discrimination in the United 
 States and, in certain States, may be subject to greater criminal 
 punishment than individuals without HIV;
Whereas the LGBTQ community maintains its unwavering commitment to ending the 
 HIV and AIDS epidemic;
Whereas LGBTQ individuals in the United States face disparities in employment, 
 healthcare, education, housing, and many other areas central to the 
 pursuit of happiness in the United States;
Whereas 17 States have no explicit ban on discrimination based on sexual 
 orientation and gender identity in the workplace;
Whereas 19 States have no explicit ban on discrimination based on sexual 
 orientation or gender identity in housing;
Whereas 22 States have no explicit ban on discrimination based on sexual 
 orientation or gender identity in public accommodations;
Whereas 30 States have no explicit ban on discrimination against LGBTQ 
 individuals in credit and lending services;
Whereas, as a result of discrimination, LGBTQ youth are at increased risk of--

    (1) suicidality;

    (2) homelessness;

    (3) becoming victims of bullying, violence, or human trafficking; and

    (4) developing mental health conditions, including anxiety and 
depression;

Whereas LGBTQ youth of color are overrepresented in child welfare and juvenile 
 justice systems;
Whereas the LGBTQ community has faced discrimination, inequality, and violence 
 throughout the history of the United States;
Whereas, at both the State and Federal levels, the LGBTQ community has been 
 repeatedly targeted by politically motivated legislation and executive 
 actions aimed at restricting LGBTQ rights, limiting access to essential 
 services, and erasing the visibility and recognition of LGBTQ 
 individuals;
Whereas LGBTQ individuals in the United States, in particular transgender 
 individuals, face a disproportionately high risk of becoming victims of 
 violent hate crimes;
Whereas members of the LGBTQ community have been targeted in acts of mass 
 violence, including--

    (1) the Club Q nightclub shooting in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on 
November 19, 2022, where 5 people were killed and 25 people were wounded;

    (2) the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida, on June 12, 2016, 
where 49 people were killed and 53 people were wounded; and

    (3) the arson attack at the UpStairs Lounge in New Orleans, Louisiana, 
on June 24, 1973, where 32 people died;

Whereas LGBTQ individuals face persecution, violence, and death in many parts of 
 the world, including State-sponsored violence like in Uganda, where 
 LGBTQ people live under threat of the death penalty;
Whereas, in the several years preceding 2019, hundreds of LGBTQ individuals 
 around the world were arrested and, in some cases, tortured or even 
 executed because of their actual or perceived sexual orientation or 
 gender identity in countries and territories such as Chechnya, Egypt, 
 Indonesia, and Tanzania;
Whereas the global movement for marriage equality continues to gain momentum, 
 with--

    (1) Thailand becoming the first Southeast Asian country to legalize 
same-sex marriage in January 2025;

    (2) Liechtenstein recently enacting its own marriage equality law; and

    (3) Taiwan, in 2019, making history as the first place in Asia to 
extend marriage rights to same-sex couples;

Whereas, since June 2019, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Northern Ireland, Switzerland, 
 Chile, Slovenia, Andorra, Cuba, Greece, and Estonia have extended 
 marriage rights to same-sex couples;
Whereas the LGBTQ community holds Pride festivals and marches in some of the 
 most dangerous places in the world, despite threats of violence and 
 arrest;
Whereas, in 2009, President Barack Obama signed the Matthew Shepard and James 
 Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act (division E of Public Law 111-84; 
 123 Stat. 2835) into law to protect all individuals in the United States 
 from crimes motivated by their actual or perceived sexual orientation or 
 gender identity;
Whereas LGBTQ individuals in the United States have fought for equal treatment, 
 dignity, and respect;
Whereas LGBTQ individuals in the United States have achieved significant 
 milestones, ensuring that future generations of LGBTQ individuals in the 
 United States will enjoy a more equal and just society;
Whereas, despite being marginalized throughout the history of the United States, 
 LGBTQ individuals in the United States continue to celebrate their 
 identities, love, and contributions to the United States in various 
 expressions of Pride;
Whereas, in June 2020, in Bostock v. Clayton County, 140 S. Ct. 1731

    (2020) , the 
 Supreme Court of the United States affirmed that existing civil rights 
 laws prohibit employment discrimination on the basis of sexual 
 orientation and gender identity, a landmark victory for the LGBTQ 
 community;
Whereas, in December 2022, Congress enacted the Respect for Marriage Act (Public 
 Law 117-228; 136 Stat. 2305), which repealed the discriminatory legal 
 definition of marriage as limited to a relationship between a man and a 
 woman, and the discriminatory definition of a spouse as a person of the 
 opposite sex; and
Whereas LGBTQ individuals in the United States remain determined to pursue full 
 equality, respect, and inclusion for all individuals regardless of 
 sexual orientation or gender identity: Now, therefore, be it
 Resolved, That the Senate--

    (1) supports the rights, freedoms, and equal treatment of 
 lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (referred to in 
 this resolution as ``LGBTQ'') individuals in the United States 
 and around the world;

    (2) acknowledges that LGBTQ rights are human rights that 
 are to be protected by the laws of the United States and 
 numerous international treaties and conventions;

    (3) supports efforts to ensure the equal treatment of all 
 individuals in the United States, regardless of sexual 
 orientation and gender identity;

    (4) supports efforts to ensure that the United States 
 remains a beacon of hope for the equal treatment of individuals 
 around the world, including LGBTQ individuals; and

    (5) encourages the celebration of June as ``LGBTQ Pride 
 Month'' in order to provide a lasting opportunity for all 
 individuals in the United States--
        (A) to learn about the discrimination and 
 inequality that the LGBTQ community endured and 
 continues to endure; and
        (B) to celebrate the contributions of the LGBTQ 
 community throughout the history of the United States.
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