SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress makes the following findings: 
(1) As a consequence of the so-called ‘‘Lavender 
Scare’’, at least 1,000 people were wrongfully dis-
missed from the Department of State for alleged ho-
mosexuality during the 1950s and well into the 
1960s. 
(2) According to the Department of State’s Bu-
reau of Diplomatic Security, Department of State 
employees were forced out of the Department on the 
grounds that their sexual orientation ostensibly ren-
dered them vulnerable to blackmail and made them 
security risks. 
(3) In addition to those wrongfully terminated, 
many other patriotic Americans were prevented from 
joining the Department due to a screening process 
that was put in place to prevent the hiring of those 
who, according to the findings of the Bureau of Dip-
lomatic Security, ‘‘seemed like they might be gay or 
lesbian’’. 
(4) Congress bears a special measure of respon-
sibility for these discriminatory actions as the De-
partment’s actions were in part in response to con-
gressional investigations into ‘‘sex perversion of Fed-
eral employees’’, reports on the employment of 
‘‘moral perverts by Government Agencies’’, hearings 
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and pressure placed on the Department through the 
appropriations process and congressional complaints 
that Foggy Bottom was rampant with homosexuals 
who were sympathetic to Communism and vulnerable 
to blackmail. 
(5) Between 1950 and 1969, the Department of 
State was required to report on the number of ho-
mosexuals fired each year as part of their annual ap-
peals before Committees on Appropriations. 
(6) Although the worst effects of the ‘‘Lavender 
Scare’’ are behind us, as recently as the early 1990s, 
the Department of State’s diplomatic security office 
was investigating State personnel thought to be gay 
and driving them out of government service as ‘‘se-
curity risks’’. 
(7) In 1994, Secretary of State Warren Chris-
topher issued a prohibition against discrimination in 
the Department of State, including that based on 
sexual orientation. 
(8) In 1998, President William Jefferson Clin-
ton signed Executive Order 13087 barring discrimi-
nation on the basis of sexual orientation. 
(9) On January 9, 2017, Secretary of State 
John Kerry issued a statement regarding the ‘‘Lav-
ender Scare’’, saying, ‘‘On behalf of the Department, 
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I apologize to those who were impacted by the prac-
tices of the past and reaffirm the Department’s 
steadfast commitment to diversity and inclusion for 
all our employees, including members of the LGBTI 
community.’’. 
SEC. 3. SECRETARY OF STATE REVIEW. 
(a) REVIEW.—The Secretary of State shall— 
(1) review all Department of State terminations 
of employees of the Department that occurred as a 
consequence of the Lavender Scare; and 
(2) identify all such former employees. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 270 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall, 
consistent with applicable privacy regulations, compile in 
a publicly available report the information reviewed under 
subsection (a). Such report shall include historical state-
ments made by officials of the Department of State and 
Members of Congress that announced or described policies 
and actions that were part of the Lavender Scare. 
SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF RECONCILIATION BOARD. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of State shall 
establish an independent Reconciliation Board (in this sec-
tion referred to as the ‘‘Board’’) to review the cases of 
employees of the Department of State identified pursuant 
to section 3(a), as well as employees of the Department 
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who suffered discrimination as a consequence of the Lav-
ender Scare, and correct the records of such terminated 
employees. 
(b) COMPOSITION OF BOARD.—The Board shall be 
composed of the following: 
(1) A Chair, as selected by the Secretary of 
State. 
(2) The Director General of the Foreign Serv-
ice. 
(3) The Director of Human Resources of the 
Department of State. 
(4) The Director of the Office of the Historian 
of the Department. 
(5) The Director of the Office of Civil Rights 
of the Department. 
(6) An individual to represent the current em-
ployees of the Department who are members of the 
LGBTQ community. 
(7) Other individuals, as determined by the Sec-
retary of State. 
(c) STAFF.—The Secretary of State shall assign addi-
tional employees of the Department of State to serve as 
staff to support the activities of the Board. 
(d) DUTIES.—The Board shall— 
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(1) consistent with applicable privacy regula-
tions, contact all individuals whose employment with 
the Department of State was terminated as a result 
of their sexual orientation, whether real or perceived, 
as a consequence of the Lavender Scare or, in the 
case of deceased former employees, the appropriate 
family members of such employees, to inform such 
employees or family members that the termination of 
such employees has been determined to be inappro-
priate and that, if desired, the employment records 
of such employees can be changed to reflect such de-
termination; 
(2) receive oral testimony and written evidence 
of any Department employees or appropriate family 
members of deceased employees identified in the re-
port required under section 3 in order that such tes-
timony and evidence may serve as an official record 
of such actions and the impact of such actions on 
the lives of United States citizens serving their Na-
tion; and 
(3) provide an opportunity for any former De-
partment employee not identified in such report, or 
their appropriate family member, to petition the 
Board to identify additional individuals whose em-
ployment was terminated or who suffered discrimi-
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nation as a result of their sexual orientation, wheth-
er real or perceived, as a consequence of the Lav-
ender Scare. 
(e) REVIEW OF CLAIMS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 150 days 
after receiving a petition under subsection (d)(3), 
the Board shall— 
(A) review such petition; and 
(B) in accordance with paragraph (2), 
make a determination regarding whether the 
employment termination of the individual who 
is the subject of such petition was a result of 
their sexual orientation, whether real or per-
ceived, as a consequence of the Lavender Scare. 
(2) TESTIMONY
AND
EVIDENCE.—In making 
determinations under paragraph (1)(B), the Board 
shall consider all testimony and evidence under sub-
section (d) and any pertinent information under 
paragraph (3). 
(3) COOPERATION.—In response to a petition 
under subsection (d)(3), the Secretary of State shall 
produce pertinent information to rebut an assertion 
contained in such petition that an employee of the 
Department was terminated as a consequence of the 
Lavender Scare. 
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(f) ADJUSTMENT
OF EMPLOYEE RECORDS.—The 
Secretary of State shall adjust all employee records for 
individuals whose employment was terminated as a result 
of their sexual orientation, whether real or perceived, as 
a consequence of the Lavender Scare, based on the report 
under section 3(a) and the Board’s determinations made 
pursuant to subsection (e)(1)(B), to reflect the inappro-
priate nature of such terminations. 
(g) TERMINATION.—The Board shall terminate on 
the date that is five years after the date of the establish-
ment of the Board. 
(h) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term ‘‘appro-
priate family member’’ means any spouse, descendent, 
parent, grandparent, sibling, legal guardian, or partner as 
determined by the Board, and the descendants of any such 
partner. 
SEC. 5. ISSUANCE OF APOLOGY. 
(a) FINDING.—Secretary of State Kerry delivered the 
following apology on January 9, 2017: ‘‘Throughout my 
career, including as Secretary of State, I have stood 
strongly in support of the LGBTI community, recognizing 
that respect for human rights must include respect for all 
individuals. LGBTI employees serve as proud members of 
the State Department and valued colleagues dedicated to 
the service of our country. For the last several years, the 
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Department has pressed for the families of LGBTI offi-
cers to have the same protections overseas as families of 
other officers. In 2015, to further promote LGBTI rights 
throughout the world, I appointed the first ever Special 
Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBTI Persons. In the 
past—as far back as the 1940s, but continuing for dec-
ades—the Department of State was among many public 
and private employers that discriminated against employ-
ees and job applicants on the basis of perceived sexual ori-
entation, forcing some employees to resign or refusing to 
hire certain applicants in the first place. These actions 
were wrong then, just as they would be wrong today. On 
behalf of the Department, I apologize to those who were 
impacted by the practices of the past and reaffirm the De-
partment’s steadfast commitment to diversity and inclu-
sion for all our employees, including members of the 
LGBTI community.’’. 
(b) CONGRESSIONAL APOLOGY.—Congress hereby of-
fers a formal apology for its responsibility in encouraging 
the Lavender Scare and similar policies at the Department 
of State, as these policies were in part a response to con-
gressional investigations into ‘‘sex perversion of Federal 
employees’’, reports on the employment of ‘‘moral perverts 
by Government Agencies’’, and hearings or pressure other-
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wise placed on the Department of State through the legis-
lative process. 
SEC. 6. ESTABLISHMENT OF PERMANENT EXHIBIT ON THE 
LAVENDER SCARE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, 
working in coordination with the current public-private 
partnership associated with the Department of State’s Na-
tional Museum of American Diplomacy, shall establish in 
the Museum a permanent exhibit on the Lavender Scare. 
(b) SPECIFICATIONS.—The exhibit established under 
subsection (a)— 
(1) should provide access to the reports com-
piled by the Director General of the Foreign Service 
and Director of Human Resources of the Depart-
ment of State under section 3(b); and 
(2) shall readily display material gathered from 
oral testimony received pursuant to section 4(e)(2). 
SEC. 7. GUIDANCE ON ISSUING VISAS. 
To demonstrate the Department of State’s commit-
ment to ensuring fairness for current Department employ-
ees, not later than 100 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to 
Congress a report on countries not issuing spousal visas 
to the spouses of all Foreign Service personnel posted 
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overseas due to their sexual orientation. Such report shall 
include any comments or recommendations for actions, in-
cluding eliminating visa reciprocity with countries deter-
mined to be instituting such practices, that will lead to 
ensuring that all spouses of Foreign Service personnel re-
ceive spousal visas for the country to which their spouse 
is assigned, regardless of sexual orientation. 
SEC. 8. ESTABLISHMENT OF ADVANCEMENT BOARD. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of State shall 
establish, within the Office of the Director General of the 
Department of State, an Advancement Board comprised 
of senior-level officials to address issues faced by LGBTQI 
Foreign Service personnel and their families. 
(b) HEARING
OF TESTIMONY.—The Advancement 
Board established under subsection (a) shall hear testi-
mony from any willing LGBTQI Foreign Service per-
sonnel and their families regarding any discrimination 
they have faced due to their sexual orientation. 
(c) REPORT.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 100 days 
after completing the collection of testimony under 
subsection (b) and annually thereafter for five years, 
the Advancement Board shall submit to Congress a 
report based on such testimony. 
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(2) CONTENT.—Each report required under 
paragraph (1) shall include any comments or rec-
ommendations included in the testimony referred to 
in such paragraph for continued actions to improve 
the Department of State to ensure that no Depart-
ment employee or family member experiences dis-
crimination due to the sexual orientation of such em-
ployee. 
(3) PRIVACY.—Each report required under 
paragraph (1) shall remain private and shall be ac-
cessible to only Members of Congress, their appro-
priate staff, and members of the Advancement 
Board. 
SEC. 9. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act, the term ‘‘Lavender Scare’’ means any 
policy or action implemented by the Department of State 
between January 1, 1950, and January 1, 1994, whether 
formal or informal, that led to the termination of Depart-
ment employees or perpetuated discrimination against any 
such employees on the basis of sexual orientation, whether 
real or perceived. 
Æ 
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