Title: Remembering the 20th anniversary of Matthew Shepard's death and expressing Congress's continued support for the prevention of hate crimes and the advancement of equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer Americans.
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement

Summary:
Finds that no person should face violence or discrimination because of their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.
Honors the contributions of nonprofit organizations and community leaders working to advance tolerance, acceptance, equality, safety and respect for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) Americans.
Reaffirms support for LGBTQ-inclusive hate crime prevention laws.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1121 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1121

    Remembering the 20th anniversary of Matthew Shepard's death and 
  expressing Congress's continued support for the prevention of hate 
  crimes and the advancement of equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, 
                   transgender, and queer Americans.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 12, 2018

 Ms. Esty of Connecticut (for herself, Mr. Sean Patrick Maloney of New 
 York, Mr. Takano, Mr. Crowley, Mr. Pocan, Mr. Lowenthal, Ms. Lee, Mr. 
Deutch, Mr. Espaillat, Ms. Norton, Ms. Wilson of Florida, Mr. Soto, Mr. 
 Gallego, Mr. Gutierrez, Ms. Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico, Ms. 
 Wasserman Schultz, Ms. Titus, Mr. Cardenas, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Vargas, 
Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney of New York, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Mrs. Davis 
   of California, Mr. Himes, Ms. Clarke of New York, Mr. Peters, Mr. 
  Kildee, Ms. Lofgren, Mr. McEachin, Mr. Courtney, Mrs. Dingell, Ms. 
 Meng, Mr. Evans, Mr. Costa, Ms. Frankel of Florida, Mr. Grijalva, Mr. 
 Delaney, Mrs. Napolitano, Ms. Barragan, Mr. Engel, Ms. Velazquez, Mr. 
  Hastings, Ms. DeLauro, Mr. McGovern, Mr. Serrano, Ms. Bordallo, Ms. 
 Bonamici, Mr. Sires, Mr. Schiff, Ms. Jackson Lee, Mr. Khanna, Mr. Al 
Green of Texas, Mr. Cohen, Mr. Larson of Connecticut, Ms. Shea-Porter, 
 Mr. Schneider, Mr. Nadler, Mr. Brendan F. Boyle of Pennsylvania, Ms. 
 Blunt Rochester, Mr. Ted Lieu of California, Mr. MacArthur, Ms. Eddie 
   Bernice Johnson of Texas, Ms. Speier, Ms. Bass, Ms. McCollum, Ms. 
 Moore, Mr. Crist, Mr. Meeks, Ms. DeGette, Mr. Walz, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen, 
Ms. Judy Chu of California, Ms. Schakowsky, Ms. Castor of Florida, Mr. 
   Krishnamoorthi, Ms. DelBene, Mr. Raskin, Mrs. Watson Coleman, Mr. 
    Kihuen, Mr. Pallone, Ms. Clark of Massachusetts, Mrs. Murphy of 
Florida, Mr. Blumenauer, Mr. Carson of Indiana, and Mr. Heck) submitted 
 the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the 
                               Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
    Remembering the 20th anniversary of Matthew Shepard's death and 
  expressing Congress's continued support for the prevention of hate 
  crimes and the advancement of equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, 
                   transgender, and queer Americans.

Whereas, on October 7, 1998, Matthew Shepard was targeted and brutally attacked 
        due to his sexual orientation, and he ultimately passed away on October 
        12, 1998;
Whereas during the past 20 years, American society has made substantial progress 
        to recognize the dignity of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and 
        queer (LGBTQ) Americans and create a more inclusive and equal Nation;
Whereas despite this progress, many Americans of minority sexual orientations 
        and gender identities still face regular harassment, as well as 
        discrimination in housing, employment, public accommodations, health 
        care, and other services;
Whereas LGBTQ youth more frequently face harassment, threats, and violence, 
        increasing risk to their mental and behavioral health;
Whereas LGBTQ people still face higher risk of victimization and violent crimes; 
        and
Whereas transgender people, particularly transgender women of color, face a 
        substantial risk of assault, sexual violence, murder, and other violent 
        crimes compared to their cisgender, straight peers: Now, therefore, be 
        it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) finds that no person should face violence or 
        discrimination because of their actual or perceived sexual 
        orientation or gender identity;
            (2) encourages Federal, State, and local government leaders 
        and agencies to develop policies that prevent hate crimes, seek 
        justice for victims of hate crimes, and create schools, 
        workplaces, and communities that welcome people of diverse 
        sexual orientations and gender identities;
            (3) honors the contributions of Judy Shepard, Dennis 
        Shepard, the Matthew Shepard Foundation, and the many other 
        nonprofit organizations and lesbian, gay, bisexual, 
        transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) and allied community leaders who 
        are working to advance tolerance, acceptance, equality, safety, 
        and respect for LGBTQ Americans;
            (4) reaffirms its support for LGBTQ-inclusive hate crime 
        prevention laws, including the Federal Matthew Shepard and 
        James Byrd, Jr., Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009 (18 U.S.C. 
        249), which support Americans' safety and civil rights; and
            (5) recognizes the Federal Government must play a leading 
        role in our Nation's prevention, investigation, and data 
        collection and reporting on hate crimes.
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