III 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 627 

Recognizing June 2020 as ‘‘LGBTQ Pride Month’’. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JUNE 17, 2020 

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

MARKEY, Ms. BALDWIN, Mr. WYDEN, Mr. JONES, Mr. SANDERS, Ms. 

SINEMA, Mr. MENENDEZ, Mr. KAINE, Mr. CASEY, Mr. BENNET, Mr. 

CARPER, Mr. KING, Mr. WHITEHOUSE, Ms. HARRIS, Mr. MERKLEY, Mr. 

BLUMENTHAL, Ms. CANTWELL, Mr. TESTER, Ms. WARREN, Mrs. MURRAY, Ms. ROSEN, Ms. DUCKWORTH, Mrs. SHAHEEN, Mr. COONS, Mr. 

WARNER, Mr. DURBIN, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, Mr. MURPHY, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Ms. HIRONO, Ms. CORTEZ MASTO, Mr. SCHATZ, Mr. LEAHY, 

Mr. PETERS, Mr. MANCHIN, Mr. UDALL, Ms. STABENOW, Mr. CARDIN, 

Mrs. GILLIBRAND, Mr. SCHUMER, Mr. REED, Mr. BOOKER, and Mr. 

HEINRICH) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on the Judiciary 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing June 2020 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 627 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 the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (referred to in this 

preamble as ‘‘COVID–19’’) pandemic compounds the systemic inequality that LGBTQ people face in the 

healthcare, employment, and housing systems in the 

United States, leading to a disparate impact on LGBTQ 

people; 

Whereas the persistent failure of Federal and State officials 

to collect full and accurate data on sexual orientation and 

gender identity, particularly in the current COVID–19 

pandemic, causes tremendous harm to LGBTQ people in 

the United States, who remain largely invisible to the 

government entities entrusted with ensuring their health, 

safety, and well-being; 

Whereas LGBTQ people in the United States serve on the 

front lines during the COVID–19 pandemic as doctors, 

nurses, medical professionals, 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 

servicemembers were discharged from the Armed Forces 


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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 servicemembers 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, 

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 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; 


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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 28 States have no explicit ban on discrimination 

based on sexual orientation and gender identity in the 

workplace, housing, or public accommodations, and 34 

States have no explicit ban on discrimination against 

LGBTQ individuals in education; 

Whereas LGBTQ youth are at increased risk of— 

(1) suicide; 

(2) homelessness; 

(3) becoming victims of bullying, violence, and 

human trafficking; and 

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

Whereas only 13 States and the District of Columbia have 

explicit policies in place to protect foster youth from discrimination based on both sexual orientation and gender 

identity; 

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; 


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

to extend marriage rights to same-sex couples; 

Whereas, since June 2019, Ecuador, Northern Ireland, and 

Costa Rica have extended marriage rights to same-sex 

couples, the most recent country-wide extensions of those 

rights in the world; 

Whereas policies such as the Migrant Protection Protocol and 

safe third country agreements with the countries of the 

Northern Triangle of Central America force LGBTQ asylum seekers to remain in dangerous conditions without 

adequate protections; 


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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; 

Whereas Pride is a celebration of visibility in spite of 

marginalization, and the LGBTQ community will continue to observe this significant cultural practice even 

though physical Pride celebrations may be compromised 

in June 2020 due to the health and safety needs of all 

individuals involved; 

Whereas, in June 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; and 


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Whereas LGBTQ people 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 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

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

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

4 queer (referred to in this resolution as ‘‘LGBTQ’’) 

5 people in the United States and around the world; 

6 (2) acknowledges that LGBTQ rights are 

7 human rights that are to be protected by the laws 

8 of the United States and numerous international 

9 treaties and conventions; 

10 (3) supports efforts to ensure the equal treat11 ment of all people in the United States, regardless 

12 of sexual orientation and gender identity; 

13 (4) supports efforts to ensure that the United 

14 States remains a beacon of hope for the equal treat15 ment of people around the world, including LGBTQ 

16 individuals; and 

17 (5) encourages the celebration of June as 

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

19 opportunity for all people in the United States— 

20 (A) to learn about the discrimination and 

21 inequality that the LGBTQ community en22 dured, and continues to endure; and 


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1 (B) to celebrate the contributions of the 

2 LGBTQ community throughout the history of 

3 the United States. 

Æ 


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