IV 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 1234 

Supporting the goals and principles of Transgender Day of Remembrance 

of memorializing the lives lost this year to antitransgender violence. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

NOVEMBER 20, 2020 

Mr. KENNEDY (for himself, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Ms. JOHNSON of Texas, Ms. 

NORTON, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. QUIGLEY, Mr. GOMEZ, Ms. HAALAND, Ms. 

BONAMICI, Ms. WEXTON, Mr. PAPPAS, Mr. SOTO, Ms. DAVIDS of Kansas, Ms. ESCOBAR, Mr. KHANNA, Mr. PALLONE, Ms. SCANLON, Ms. 

VELA ́ZQUEZ, Ms. TITUS, Mr. MOULTON, Mr. KILDEE, Mr. CA ́RDENAS, 

Ms. MENG, Ms. SA ́NCHEZ, Mr. LYNCH, and Mr. POCAN) submitted the 

following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

RESOLUTION 

Supporting the goals and principles of Transgender Day 

of Remembrance of memorializing the lives lost this year 

to antitransgender violence. 

Whereas Transgender Day of Remembrance 2020 honors the 

memory of the transgender lives tragically lost in acts of 

antitransgender violence between October 1, 2019, and 

September 30, 2020; 

Whereas the United States is currently experiencing an epidemic of violence against transgender people; 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
2 

•HRES 1234 IH 

Whereas Transgender Day of Remembrance was created following the 1998 murder of Rita Hester, a transgender 

woman of color, whose murder has yet to be solved; 

Whereas the following year on November 20, 1999, Gwendolyn Ann Smith created the first Transgender Day of 

Remembrance in honor of Rita Hester and other 

transgender people whose lives were lost due to violence; 

Whereas 2020 marks one of the deadliest years on record for 

hate violence against transgender Americans including 

undocumented transgender immigrants; 

Whereas at least 37 transgender or gender nonconforming 

people were violently killed in 2020; 

Whereas at least 350 transgender or gender nonconforming 

people have been murdered worldwide in 2020 according 

to the Trans Murder Monitoring Project; 

Whereas violence against transgender Americans disproportionately targets transgender women of color; 

Whereas many incidences of violence against transgender individuals are unreported or misreported; 

Whereas the COVID–19 health pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on transgender Americans; 

Whereas transgender Americans face barriers to health care, 

such as lack of health insurance, stigma and discrimination, and higher rates of unemployment; 

Whereas transgender people disproportionately suffer from 

higher rates of homelessness, with reports suggesting as 

many as one-third of transgender people and one-half of 

transgender people who are Black, Middle Eastern, multiracial, or undocumented have experienced homelessness; 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
3 

•HRES 1234 IH 

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 asylum seekers and refugees who are transgender 

experience disproportionate rates of violence, including 

sexual violence, as they seek safety; 

Whereas transgender people who are housed in institutional 

settings, including jails, prisons, and immigration detention centers, are subject to high levels of violence and discrimination; 

Whereas transgender students are significantly more likely to 

experience bullying or harassment at school due to their 

gender identity; 

Whereas understanding and addressing the challenges faced 

by transgender Americans is hampered by a severe lack 

of data; 

Whereas Congress and the executive branch must act to protect and preserve the lives of all Americans, including 

transgender Americans, through inclusive legislation and 

policies that treat everyone with respect; 

Whereas the transgender community has shown great resilience in the face of adversity in all aspects of their lives, 

including housing, education, employment, and health 

care; 

Whereas six transgender candidates were elected to State office in the 2020 general election, increasing the total 

number of transgender elected officials in State legislatures to seven; 

Whereas voters in the State of Delaware elected the Nation’s 

first openly transgender State senator; and 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
4 

•HRES 1234 IH 

Whereas the transgender community has demonstrated tremendous leadership since the courageous actions of many 

community members, including Marsha P. Johnson, at 

the Stonewall uprising of 1969: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) supports the goals and principles of 

3 Transgender Day of Remembrance of memorializing 

4 the lives lost this year to antitransgender violence; 

5 (2) recognizes that the alarming trends of in6 creased violence against transgender Americans, par7 ticularly transgender women of color, are unaccept8 able, and that finding solutions to these issues must 

9 be a pressing priority for the United States Govern10 ment; 

11 (3) supports efforts to study, respond to, and 

12 prevent violence against transgender people; 

13 (4) affirms the principle that every person is 

14 endowed with basic human rights and that our Na15 tion’s commitment to this principle must encompass 

16 every single individual; and 

17 (5) recognizes the bravery and resilience of the 

18 transgender community as it fights for equal dignity 

19 and respect. 

Æ 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS