(20) Removing institutionalized discrimination 
and targeted persecution against LGBTI people 
around the world is a critical step in the promotion 
of human rights and global health internationally. 
(21) Anti-LGBTI laws and discrimination pose 
significant risks for LGBTI youth who come out to 
their family or community and often face rejection, 
homelessness, and limited educational and economic 
opportunities. These factors contribute to increased 
risks of substance abuse, suicide, and HIV infection 
among LGBTI youth. 
(22) On December 6, 2011, President Barack 
Obama released the Presidential Memorandum— 
International Initiatives to Advance the Human 
Rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender 
Persons. The memorandum directed all Federal 
agencies engaged abroad to ensure that United 
States diplomacy and foreign assistance promote and 
protect the human rights of LGBTI persons. 
(23) On February 23, 2015, Secretary of State 
John Kerry appointed senior diplomat Randy Berry 
as the State Department’s first-ever Special Envoy 
for the Human Rights of LGBTI Persons. 
(24) On June 30, 2016, the United Nations 
Human Rights Council passed a resolution cospon-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:07 Jun 11, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6033.IH
H6033
amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with BILLS
sored by the United States that established an inde-
pendent expert on violence and discrimination based 
on sexual orientation and gender identity to help 
monitor and track discrimination and violence expe-
rienced by LGBTI persons around the world. 
(25) In November 2016, Tanzania placed a ban 
on all HIV and AIDS outreach projects aimed at 
gay men, including those funded by the President’s 
Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. This forced the 
closure of United States-funded programs providing 
testing, condoms, and care to gay men, exacerbating 
the health needs of gay men in Tanzania, about 30 
percent of whom are HIV positive. 
(26) In February 2017, three transgender 
women were murdered in El Salvador with impunity, 
leading the United Nations to call for an investiga-
tion into crimes against sexual and gender minorities 
in that country. A 2016 report noted that 
transgender women in El Salvador have an average 
life expectancy of less than 35 years due to violence, 
discrimination, and femicide. 
SEC. 4. STATEMENT OF POLICY. 
It is the policy of the United States— 
(1) to take effective action to prevent and re-
spond to discrimination and violence against all peo-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:07 Jun 11, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00010
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6033.IH
H6033
amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with BILLS
ple on any basis internationally, including sexual ori-
entation, gender identity, and sex characteristics, 
and that human rights policy includes attention to 
criminalization, hate crimes, and other discrimina-
tion against LGBTI people; 
(2) to systematically integrate and coordinate 
into United States foreign policy efforts to prevent 
and respond to criminalization, discrimination, and 
violence against LGBTI people internationally; 
(3) to support and build local capacity in coun-
tries around the world, including of governments at 
all levels and nongovernmental organizations, to pre-
vent and respond to criminalization, discrimination, 
and violence against LGBTI people internationally; 
(4) to consult, cooperate, coordinate, and col-
laborate with a wide variety of nongovernmental 
partners, including faith-based organizations and 
LGBTI-led organizations, with demonstrated experi-
ence in preventing and responding to criminalization, 
discrimination, and violence against LGBTI people 
internationally; 
(5) to employ a multisectoral approach to pre-
venting and responding to criminalization, discrimi-
nation, and violence against LGBTI people inter-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:07 Jun 11, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00011
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6033.IH
H6033
amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with BILLS
nationally, including activities in the economic, edu-
cation, health, nutrition, legal, and judicial sectors; 
(6) to work at all levels, from the individual to 
the family, community, local, national, and inter-
national levels, to prevent and respond to criminal-
ization, discrimination, and violence against LGBTI 
people internationally; 
(7) to enhance training by United States per-
sonnel of professional foreign military and police 
forces and judicial officials to include appropriate 
and thorough LGBTI-specific instruction on pre-
venting and responding to criminalization, discrimi-
nation, and violence based on sexual orientation and 
gender identity; 
(8) to engage non-LGBTI people as allies and 
partners, as an essential element of making sus-
tained reductions in criminalization, discrimination, 
and violence against LGBTI people internationally; 
(9) to require that all Federal contractors and 
grant recipients in the United States Government’s 
international programs establish appropriate policies 
and take effective measures to ensure the protection 
and safety of their staff and workplace, including 
from discrimination and violence directed against 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:07 Jun 11, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00012
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6033.IH
H6033
amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with BILLS
LGBTI people and those who provide services to 
them; 
(10) to exert sustained international leadership, 
including in bilateral and multilateral fora, to pre-
vent and respond to criminalization, discrimination, 
and violence against LGBTI people internationally; 
(11) to fully implement and expand upon the 
policies outlined in the Presidential Memorandum— 
International Initiatives to Advance the Human 
Rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender 
Persons; 
(12) to ensure that international efforts to com-
bat HIV/AIDS take all appropriate measures to sup-
port at-risk communities, including LGBTI people, 
and to create enabling legal environments for these 
communities; 
(13) to work with governments and nongovern-
mental partners around the world to develop and im-
plement regional strategies to decriminalize homo-
sexuality and to counteract the prohibition of public 
support of LGBTI people; and 
(14) to ensure that those who have a well- 
founded fear of persecution on account of being 
LGBTI or supporting LGBTI rights have the oppor-
tunity to seek protection in the United States. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:07 Jun 11, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00013
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6033.IH
H6033
amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with BILLS
SEC. 5. SPECIAL ENVOY FOR THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF LGBTI 
PEOPLE. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of State shall 
establish in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, 
and Labor (DRL) of the Department of State a perma-
nent Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBTI Peo-
ples (in this section referred to as the ‘‘Special Envoy’’), 
who shall be appointed by the President. The Special 
Envoy shall report directly to the Assistant Secretary for 
DRL. 
(b) PURPOSE.—In addition to the duties described in 
subsection (c) and those duties determined by the Sec-
retary of State, the Special Envoy shall direct efforts of 
the United States Government relating to United States 
foreign policy, as directed by the Secretary, regarding 
human rights abuses against LGBTI people and commu-
nities internationally and the advancement of human 
rights for LGBTI people, and shall represent the United 
States internationally in bilateral and multilateral engage-
ment on such matters. 
(c) DUTIES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Special Envoy— 
(A) shall serve as the principal advisor to 
the Secretary of State regarding human rights 
for LGBTI people internationally; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:07 Jun 11, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00014
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6033.IH
H6033
amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with BILLS
internationally, including for the prevention and 
response to criminalization, discrimination, and 
violence against LGBTI people internationally; 
(F) shall lead interagency coordination be-
tween the foreign policy priorities related to the 
human rights of LGBTI people and the devel-
opment assistance priorities of the LGBTI Co-
ordinator of the United States Agency for 
International Development; 
(G) shall conduct regular consultation with 
nongovernmental organizations working to pre-
vent and respond to criminalization, discrimina-
tion, and violence against LGBTI people inter-
nationally; 
(H) shall ensure that programs, projects, 
and activities of the Department of State and 
the United States Agency for International De-
velopment designed to prevent and respond to 
criminalization, discrimination, and violence 
against LGBTI people internationally are sub-
ject to rigorous monitoring and evaluation, and 
that there is a uniform set of indicators and 
standards for such monitoring and evaluation 
that is used across international programs in 
Federal agencies; and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:07 Jun 11, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00016
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6033.IH
H6033
amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with BILLS
(I) is authorized to represent the United 
States in bilateral and multilateral fora on mat-
ters relevant to the human rights of LGBTI 
people internationally, including criminalization, 
discrimination, and violence against LGBTI 
people internationally. 
(2) DATA
REPOSITORY.—The Bureau of De-
mocracy, Human Rights, and Labor shall— 
(A) be the central repository of data on all 
United States programs, projects, and activities 
that relate to prevention and response to crim-
inalization, discrimination, and violence against 
LGBTI people internationally; and 
(B) produce— 
(i) a full accounting of United States 
Government spending on such programs, 
projects, and activities; and 
(ii) evaluations of the effectiveness of 
such programs, projects, and activities. 
(d) BRIEFINGS AND ASSESSMENTS.—Not later than 
180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act and 
annually thereafter, the Special Envoy shall— 
(1) brief the appropriate congressional commit-
tees on the status of the human rights of LGBTI 
people internationally, as well as on the status of 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:07 Jun 11, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00017
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6033.IH
H6033
amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with BILLS
programs and response strategies to address crim-
inalization, discrimination, and violence against 
LGBTI people internationally; and 
(2) submit to the appropriate congressional 
committees an assessment of human and financial 
resources necessary to fulfill the purposes and duties 
of this Act. 
(e) UNITED STATES POLICY TO PREVENT AND RE-
SPOND TO CRIMINALIZATION, DISCRIMINATION, AND VIO-
LENCE AGAINST LGBTI PEOPLE GLOBALLY.— 
(1) GLOBAL
STRATEGY
REQUIREMENT.—Not 
later than 180 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act and annually thereafter for each of the 
following five years, the Special Envoy shall develop 
or update, as the case may be, a United States glob-
al strategy to prevent and respond to criminaliza-
tion, discrimination, and violence against LGBTI 
people internationally. The Special Envoy shall sub-
mit to the appropriate congressional committees 
such global strategy and, if practicable, made such 
global strategy available to the public. 
(2) COLLABORATION AND COORDINATION.—In 
developing the global strategy described in para-
graph (1), the Special Envoy shall consult with— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:07 Jun 11, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00018
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6033.IH
H6033
amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with BILLS
(A) mid- and high-level officials of relevant 
Federal agencies; and 
(B) representatives of nongovernmental or-
ganizations with demonstrated experience in ad-
dressing criminalization, discrimination, and vi-
olence against LGBTI people internationally or 
promoting equal rights for LGBTI people inter-
nationally. 
(f) MONITORING THE UNITED STATES STRATEGY TO 
PREVENT AND RESPOND TO CRIMINALIZATION, DISCRIMI-
NATION, AND VIOLENCE AGAINST THE LGBTI PEOPLE 
AND COMMUNITIES INTERNATIONALLY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—In each global strategy sub-
mitted under subsection (e), the Special Envoy shall 
include an analysis of best practices for preventing 
and addressing criminalization, discrimination, and 
violence against LGBTI people and communities 
internationally, including— 
(A) a description of successful efforts by 
foreign governments and nongovernmental or-
ganizations to prevent and respond to criminal-
ization, discrimination, and violence against 
LGBTI people and communities internationally; 
(B) recommendations related to best prac-
tices, effective strategies, and improvements to 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:07 Jun 11, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00019
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6033.IH
H6033
amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with BILLS
enhance the impact of such prevention and re-
sponse efforts; and 
(C) the impact of activities funded by such 
global strategy in preventing and reducing 
criminalization, discrimination, and violence 
against LGBTI people and communities inter-
nationally. 
(2) INFORMATION REQUIRED TO BE INCLUDED 
IN ANNUAL COUNTRY REPORTS ON HUMAN RIGHTS 
PRACTICES.— 
(A) SECTION 116.—Subsection (d) of sec-
tion 116 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 
(22 U.S.C. 2151n) is amended— 
(i) in paragraph (11)(C), by striking 
‘‘and’’ after the semicolon at the end; 
(ii) in paragraph (12)(C)(ii), by strik-
ing the period at the end and inserting ‘‘; 
and’’; and 
(iii) by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new paragraph: 
‘‘(13) wherever applicable, the nature and ex-
tent of criminalization, discrimination, and violence 
based on sexual orientation and gender identity, in-
cluding an identification of those countries that have 
adopted laws or constitutional provisions that crim-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:07 Jun 11, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00020
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6033.IH
H6033
amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with BILLS
inalize or discriminate based on sexual orientation or 
gender identity (as such terms are defined in section 
2 of the International Human Rights Defense Act of 
2018), including detailed descriptions of such laws 
and provisions.’’. 
(B) SECTION 502B.—Section 502B of the 
Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 
2304) is amended— 
(i) by redesignating the second sub-
section (i) (relating to child marriage sta-
tus) as subsection (j); and 
(ii) by adding at the end the following 
new subsection: 
‘‘(k) SEXUAL ORIENTATION
AND GENDER IDEN-
TITY.—The report required under subsection (b) shall in-
clude, wherever applicable, the nature and extent of crim-
inalization, discrimination, and violence based on sexual 
orientation and gender identity, including an identification 
of those countries that have adopted laws or constitutional 
provisions that criminalize or discriminate based on sexual 
orientation or gender identity (as such terms are defined 
in section 2 of the International Human Rights Defense 
Act of 2018), including detailed descriptions of such laws 
and provisions.’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:07 Jun 11, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00021
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6033.IH
H6033
amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with BILLS
SEC. 6. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE UNITED STATES STRAT-
EGY TO PREVENT AND RESPOND TO CRIM-
INALIZATION, 
DISCRIMINATION, 
AND 
VIO-
LENCE AGAINST LGBTI PEOPLE AND COMMU-
NITIES INTERNATIONALLY. 
The Secretary of State and the Administrator of the 
United States Agency for International Development are 
authorized to provide assistance to prevent and respond 
to criminalization, discrimination, and violence against 
LGBTI people internationally. Such assistance may in-
clude the following activities: 
(1) Development and implementation of pro-
grams, such as the Global Equality Fund of the De-
partment of State, that respond to human rights 
abuses and economic exclusion of LGBTI people in 
the workplace and in public. 
(2) Development and enforcement of civil and 
criminal legal and judicial sanctions, protection, 
training, and capacity. 
(3) Enhancement of health sector capacity to 
detect, prevent, and respond to violence against 
LGBTI people and communities internationally, and 
to combat HIV/AIDS in the LGBTI community 
internationally, in close coordination with the Office 
of the Global AIDS Coordinator and Health Diplo-
macy of the Department of State. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:07 Jun 11, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00022
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6033.IH
H6033
amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with BILLS
(4) Development of a leadership program for 
international LGBTI activists that will foster col-
laboration and knowledge sharing across the world. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:07 Jun 11, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00023
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H6033.IH
H6033
amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with BILLS