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[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 202 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>

115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 202

  Expressing support for the designation of June 26, 2017, as ``LGBT 
                            Equality Day''.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 26, 2017

 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

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
  Expressing support for the designation of June 26, 2017, as ``LGBT 
                            Equality Day''.

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
                    (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.
                                 <all>
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