IV 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 628 

Recognizing the Transgender Day of Remembrance. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

NOVEMBER 16, 2017 

Mr. KENNEDY (for himself, Mr. MCEACHIN, Ms. NORTON, Ms. SPEIER, Mr. 

QUIGLEY, and Mr. GRIJALVA) submitted the following resolution; which 

was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the Transgender Day of Remembrance. 

Whereas in 1998 Rita Hester, a transgender woman of color 

was murdered, and her murder has yet to be solved; 

Whereas the following year Gwendolyn Ann Smith created 

the first Transgender Day of Remembrance in honor of 

Rita Hester and other transgender people who had lost 

their lives to violence; 

Whereas 42 percent of transgender people in the United 

States have reported mistreatment by health care providers; 

Whereas nearly half of the transgender community in the 

United States has been verbally harassed and nearly one 

in ten has been physically attacked; 


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•HRES 628 IH 

Whereas nearly a third of transgender people in the United 

States had experienced homelessness in 2015; 

Whereas 15 percent of transgender people in the United 

States who were employed in 2015 were verbally harassed, physically attacked, or sexually assaulted at work 

because of their gender identity or expression; 

Whereas around the world, countries outlaw transgender people living as their authentic selves; 

Whereas almost half of all transgender people in the United 

States will attempt suicide at one point in their lifetime, 

a rate that is eight times higher than the rest of the 

United States population; 

Whereas the United States has one of the highest rates of 

murder of transgender people; 

Whereas, as of November 20, 2017, at least 25 transgender 

people have been killed as a result of hate, fear, and violent attacks in 2017; 

Whereas there is significant incidence of misgendering or 

misnaming transgender victims of crime in police reports, 

indicating that the number of transgender victims of violence and murder is likely far higher than what is officially reported, and local law enforcement is not required 

to, and frequently fails to, report hate crimes, including 

murder, specific to the LGBT community; 

Whereas Congress and the executive branch must act to protect and preserve the lives of all minorities through inclusive legislation; and 

Whereas transgender Americans are making historic 

progress, highlighted by nondiscrimination laws enacted 

in several States and an increasing number of trans elected officials, signaling greater public support for 


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•HRES 628 IH 

transgender equality and respect for their contributions 

to society: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) recognizes and supports the goals and prin3 ciples of Transgender Day of Remembrance; 

4 (2) supports an increase in the amount and ac5 curacy of Federal collection and reporting of data 

6 for violence against transgender people; and 

7 (3) calls on Federal and State governments to 

8 study, respond to, and prevent violence against 

9 transgender people. 

Æ 


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