III 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 247 

Recognizing June 2019 as ‘‘LGBTQ Pride Month’’. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JUNE 12, 2019 

Mr. BROWN (for himself, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Ms. SMITH, Mr. SCHUMER, Ms. 

BALDWIN, Mr. BENNET, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, Mr. BOOKER, Ms. CANTWELL, Mr. CARDIN, Mr. CARPER, Mr. CASEY, Mr. COONS, Ms. CORTEZ

MASTO, Ms. DUCKWORTH, Mr. DURBIN, Mrs. GILLIBRAND, Ms. HARRIS, 

Ms. HASSAN, Mr. HEINRICH, Ms. HIRONO, Mr. JONES, Mr. KAINE, Mr. 

KING, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Mr. LEAHY, Mr. MANCHIN, Mr. MARKEY, Mr. 

MENENDEZ, Mr. MERKLEY, Mr. MURPHY, Mrs. MURRAY, Mr. PETERS, 

Mr. REED, Ms. ROSEN, Mr. SANDERS, Mr. SCHATZ, Mrs. SHAHEEN, Ms. 

SINEMA, Ms. STABENOW, Mr. TESTER, Mr. UDALL, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, 

Mr. WARNER, Ms. WARREN, Mr. WHITEHOUSE, and Mr. WYDEN) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 

the Judiciary 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing June 2019 as ‘‘LGBTQ Pride Month’’. 

Whereas individuals who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (referred to in this preamble as 

‘‘LGBTQ’’) include individuals from— 

(1) all States, territories, and the District of Columbia; and 

(2) all faiths, races, national origins, socioeconomic 

statuses, education levels, and political beliefs; 


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•SRES 247 IS 

Whereas LGBTQ people in the United States have made, and 

continue to make, vital contributions to the United States 

and to the world in every aspect, including in the fields 

of education, law, health, business, science, research, economic development, architecture, fashion, sports, government, music, film, politics, technology, literature, and 

civil rights; 

Whereas LGBTQ people in the United States serve as law 

enforcement officers, firefighters, and first responders in 

all States and the District of Columbia; 

Whereas LGBTQ people in the United States serve, and have 

served, the United States Army, Coast Guard, Navy, Air 

Force, and Marines honorably and with distinction and 

bravery; 

Whereas an estimated number of more than 100,000 brave 

service members were discharged from the Armed Forces 

of the United States 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 in place between 1994 and 2011; 

Whereas LGBTQ people in the United States serve, and have 

served, in positions in the Federal Government and State 

and local governments, including as members of Congress, Governors, mayors, and city council members; 

Whereas the demonstrators who protested on June 28, 1969, 

50 years ago this year, 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 


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•SRES 247 IS 

States and many LGBTQ people 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, 135 S. Ct. 

2584, 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 Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (referred to 

in this preamble as ‘‘AIDS’’) has disproportionately impacted LGBTQ people in the United States, due in part 

to a lack of funding and research devoted to finding effective treatment for AIDS and the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (referred to in this preamble as ‘‘HIV’’) 

during the early stages of the HIV and AIDS epidemic; 

Whereas gay and bisexual men and transgender women of 

color have a higher risk of contracting HIV; 

Whereas the LGBTQ community has maintained its unwavering commitment to ending the HIV and AIDS 

epidemics; 

Whereas LGBTQ people 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 30 States have no explicit ban on discrimination 

based on sexual orientation and gender identity in the 

workplace, housing, or public accommodations, and 35 

States have no explicit ban on discrimination against 

LGBTQ individuals in education; 


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•SRES 247 IS 

Whereas LGBTQ youth are at increased risk of suicide, 

homelessness, and becoming victims of bullying and violence; 

Whereas the LGBTQ community has faced discrimination, 

inequality, and violence throughout the history of the 

United States; 

Whereas LGBTQ people 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 Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida, 

on June 12, 2016, where 49 people were killed; and 

(2) the arson attack at the UpStairs Lounge in New 

Orleans, Louisiana, on June 24, 1973, where 32 people 

died; 

Whereas LGBTQ people in the United States face persecution, violence, and death in many parts of the world, including State-sponsored violence; 

Whereas in the several years preceding 2019, hundreds of 

LGBTQ people 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 people and countries around the world have come together in condemnation of attacks on LGBTQ communities in many countries, including in Brunei, where a 

draconian new set of laws was enacted in April 2019 that 

would impose the death penalty for same-sex relations; 


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•SRES 247 IS 

Whereas, in May 2019, Taiwan became the first place in Asia 

to extend 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 people in the United States 

from crimes motivated by the actual or perceived sexual 

orientation or gender identity of an individual; 

Whereas LGBTQ people in the United States have fought for 

equal treatment, dignity, and respect; 

Whereas LGBTQ people in the United States have achieved 

significant milestones, ensuring that future generations 

of LGBTQ people in the United States will enjoy a more 

equal and just society; 

Whereas, despite being marginalized throughout the history 

of the United States, LGBTQ people in the United 

States continue to celebrate their identities, love, and 

contributions to the United States in various expressions 

of Pride; and 

Whereas the inclusion of LGBTQ people in the United States 

continues to expand every day and LGBTQ people in the 

United States remain determined to pursue equality, respect, and inclusion for all individuals regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) supports the rights, freedoms, and equal 

3 treatment of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and 


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•SRES 247 IS 

1 queer (referred to in this resolving clause as 

2 ‘‘LGBTQ’’) people in the United States and around 

3 the world; 

4 (2) acknowledges that LGBTQ rights are 

5 human rights that are to be protected by the United 

6 States Constitution and numerous international 

7 treaties and conventions; 

8 (3) supports efforts to ensure the equal treat9 ment of all people in the United States, regardless 

10 of sexual orientation and gender identity; 

11 (4) supports efforts to ensure that the United 

12 States remains a beacon of hope for the equal treat13 ment of people around the world, including LGBTQ 

14 individuals; and 

15 (5) encourages the celebration of June as 

16 ‘‘LGBTQ Pride Month’’ in order to provide a lasting 

17 opportunity for all people in the United States— 

18 (A) to learn about the discrimination and 

19 inequality that the LGBTQ community en20 dured, and continues to endure; and 

21 (B) to celebrate the contributions of the 

22 LGBTQ community throughout the history of 

23 the United States. 

Æ 


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