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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 901 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>

118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 901

 Supporting the goals and principles of Transgender Day of Remembrance 
 by recognizing the epidemic of violence toward transgender people and 
                memorializing the lives lost this year.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           November 20, 2024

 Ms. Hirono (for herself, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Booker, Ms. 
 Duckworth, Mr. Fetterman, Mr. Heinrich, Mr. Markey, Mr. Merkley, Mr. 
 Padilla, Mr. Schatz, Ms. Warren, Mr. Welch, and Mr. Wyden) submitted 
 the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the 
                               Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
 Supporting the goals and principles of Transgender Day of Remembrance 
 by recognizing the epidemic of violence toward transgender people and 
                memorializing the lives lost this year.

Whereas Transgender Day of Remembrance was created following the 1998 killing 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 Transgender Day of Remembrance 2024 honors the memory of the lives of 
        transgender people tragically lost in acts of violence between October 
        1, 2023, and September 30, 2024;
Whereas the United States is currently experiencing an epidemic of violence 
        against transgender people of the United States;
Whereas at least 38 transgender or gender nonconforming people were violently 
        killed in the United States between October 1, 2023, and September 30, 
        2024, a number many believe to be much higher due to the prevalence of 
        underreporting or misreporting violence against this community;
Whereas the lives of Chyna Long, A'nee Johnson, Lisa Love Turman, Dominic Dupree 
        (Dominic Palace), London Price, Amiri Reid, Kejuan Richardson, Jean 
        Butchart, Savannah Ryan Williams, Meghan Riley Lewis, Amber Minor, Kitty 
        Monroe (Marcos Lugo), Righteous TK ``Chevy'' Hill, Diamond Brigman, Alex 
        Franco, Meraxes Medina, Africa (``Emma'') Parrilla Garcia, Tee Arnold 
        (``Lagend Billions''), Nevaeh River Goddard, Adrea Doria Dos Passos, 
        Sasha Williams, Starr Brown, Kita Bee, Reyna Hernandez, Brandon ``Tayy 
        Dior'' Thomas, Michelle Henry, Yella (Robert) Clark Jr., Jazlynn 
        Johnson, Liara Tsai, Pauly Likens, Shannon Boswell, Kenji Spurgeon, 
        Monique Brooks, Dylan Gurley, Tai'Von Lathan, Vanity Williams, Redd 
        (Barbie), and Kassim Omar were tragically lost in acts of violence 
        between October 1 2023, and September 30, 2024;
Whereas following the introduction of the Transgender Day of Remembrance 
        Resolution of 2023, the lives of LaKendra Andrews and Skyler Gilmore 
        were reported to have been lost to acts of violence between October 1, 
        2020, and September 30, 2023;
Whereas at least 327 transgender or gender nonconforming people have been 
        murdered worldwide between October 1, 2023, and September 30, 2024, 
        according to the Transgender Day of Remembrance memorial page from Trans 
        Lives Matter;
Whereas non-fatal anti-transgender violence can still have lethal impacts, such 
        as in the suicide of 16-year-old Nex Benedict in Oklahoma, who took 
        their own life following months of school based bullying and a physical 
        attack in their school restroom;
Whereas violence against transgender people of the United States 
        disproportionately impacts transgender women of color;
Whereas Black transgender women are the most targeted group to experience 
        violence in the United States;
Whereas transgender people of the United States face barriers to health care, 
        such as lack of health insurance, stigma and discrimination, higher 
        rates of unemployment, and, in an increasingly higher number of States, 
        legal barriers to accessing medical care;
Whereas transgender people disproportionately suffer from higher rates of 
        homelessness, with reports suggesting as many as \1/3\ of transgender 
        women and \1/2\ of transgender women who are Black, Middle Eastern, 
        multiracial, or undocumented have ever experienced homelessness;
Whereas almost \1/2\ of all transgender people in the United States will attempt 
        suicide at least once, and over 1 in 20 will attempt suicide each year, 
        a rate that is almost 10 times higher than the rest of the United States 
        population;
Whereas over \1/2\ of all transgender youth in the United States have considered 
        attempting suicide at least once in the last year and over a quarter 
        have attempted suicide, almost 2.5 times that of United States youth as 
        a whole;
Whereas asylum seekers and refugees who are transgender experience 
        disproportionate rates of violence, including sexual violence, as they 
        seek safety;
Whereas transgender immigrants have died in detention centers in the United 
        States due to medical neglect, injury, and abuse at the hands of staff;
Whereas transgender people who are housed in institutional settings such as 
        jails and prisons 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 people 
        of the United States is hampered by a severe lack of data;
Whereas Congress and the executive branch must act to protect and preserve the 
        lives of all people of the United States, including transgender people, 
        through inclusive legislation and policies that treat everyone with 
        dignity and respect;
Whereas the continued introduction of anti-transgender legislation has fueled 
        violence against transgender people of the United States;
Whereas efforts to restrict access to gender-affirming healthcare has stripped 
        many transgender people of access to medically-necessary care, led to a 
        spike in poor mental health and suicidality among transgender youth and 
        adults, increased bullying and assault in schools, and left parents 
        afraid their children may be removed from their homes because they 
        support their transgender child;
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; and
Whereas the transgender community has demonstrated tremendous leadership since 
        the courageous actions of many community members, including Marsha P. 
        Johnson and Sylvia Rivera at the Stonewall uprising of 1969: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) supports the goals and principles of Transgender Day of 
        Remembrance by recognizing the epidemic of violence toward 
        transgender people and memorializing the lives lost this year;
            (2) recognizes that the alarming trends of increased 
        violence against transgender people of the United States, 
        particularly transgender women of color, are unacceptable, and 
        that finding solutions to these issues must be a pressing 
        priority for the United States Government;
            (3) supports efforts to study, respond to, and prevent 
        violence against transgender people;
            (4) affirms the principle that every person is endowed with 
        basic human rights and that the commitment of the United States 
        to this principle must encompass every single individual;
            (5) recognizes the bravery and resilience of the 
        transgender community as it fights for equal dignity and 
        respect; and
            (6) recognizes the multitude of contributions and cultural 
        impact the transgender community has had on the society of the 
        United States.
                                 <all>
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