Dear Neighbor,

This week, we observed the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia. Across the world, people came together to denounce bigotry and stand in support of the global LGBTQI+ community. 

After four long years of anti-LGBTQI+ policies and rhetoric, the United States is finally back in the fight against homophobia, transphobia, and biphobia around the world. As President Biden said earlier this week, "the message from the United States is clear: everyone deserves dignity and equality, no matter who they are or whom they love. We’re committed to advancing LGBTQ+ rights here at home and around the world."

This message of love and respect stands in stark contrast to the actions taken by former President Donald Trump and his administration, who rolled back protections for transgender students, sought to limit federal protections for LGBTQI+ individuals, eliminate federal recognition of transgender individuals, and implement a ban on transgender servicemembers in the military. 

Thankfully, we have new, compassionate, and inclusive leadership in the White House. The Biden-Harris administration is hard at work, steadily implementing the Presidential Memorandum on Advancing the Human Rights of LGBTQI+ Persons Around the World. I want to take a moment to share with you some of the progress they've made thus far:  

Combating Criminalization of LGBTQI+ Status or Conduct Abroad: The Department of State, the Department of Labor, and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) are leveraging diplomatic engagement and foreign assistance to promote practices and policies that respect human rights, including efforts that lead to the decriminalization of same-sex status. The Department of State-managed Global Equality Fund (GEF), which is a public-private partnership of like-minded governments, businesses, and foundations that supports civil society programs to protect LGBTQI+ human rights, provides assistance to local efforts to advance law reform. Specific activities include human rights documentation, support for legal advocacy, and training for a broad range of stakeholders including lawyers, police, and others. USAID also supports capacity building for LGBTQI+ human rights organizations.

Protecting Vulnerable LGBTQI+ Refugees and Asylum Seekers: The Department of State supports the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) to increase protection for LGBTQI+ refugees overseas and to support global resettlement of LGBTQI+ refugees. In Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East, the Department is supporting civil society organizations to protect LGBTQI+ refugees in urban environments. The Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is reviewing its policies and programs to better address the needs of transgender persons in a fair and humane way, ensuring they are consistent with the President’s Memorandum.

Foreign Assistance to Protect Human Rights and Advance Nondiscrimination:  Since its launch in 2011, the GEF has provided more than $83 million in funding through small grants, emergency and rapid response assistance, and support for more than 50 technical assistance projects in more than 100 countries worldwide. USAID manages the Multi-Donor LGBTI Global Human Rights Initiative, which leverages financial and technical contributions from Sweden and Canada to support locally-led LGBTQI+ organizations. The Department of Labor, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, the Export-Import Bank, and the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation are all reviewing their programs to more effectively include LGBTQI+ persons.

Swift and Meaningful Responses to Human Rights Abuses of LGBTQI+ Persons Abroad: The Department of State has repeatedly spoken out in defense of the human rights of LGBTQI+ persons abroad, including those targeted in Uzbekistan, Chechnya (Russia) and elsewhere. Through the GEF, the Department of State also provides emergency assistance to frontline human rights defenders, including security trainings. USAID also supports emergency funding to LGBTQI+ people in the Caribbean, Africa, and Asia. 

Building International Coalitions: The U.S. Mission to the United Nations has led U.S. re-engagement in the United Nations LGBTI Core Group, including by ensuring U.S. support for every Core Group statement since Day One of the Biden-Harris Administration. The Department of Justice participated in a virtual meeting at the Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe on gender-based hate crimes, during which it highlighted the U.S. Shepard/Byrd Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009 and U.S. efforts to address the needs of LGBTQI+ community members more broadly. The Department of State also launched an interagency working group to identify opportunities to incorporate LGBTQI+ human rights in the work of the Organization of American States, the African Union, and the Association of South East Asian Nations. 

Rescinding Inconsistent Policies: This Administration has rescinded policies from the previous administration that are inconsistent with the President’s Memorandum on Advancing the Human Rights of LGBTQI+ Persons Around the World. The Department of Defense, for example, issued interim guidance to stop any adverse personnel actions targeting transgender individuals initiated under the previous administration.  USAID has also revised the “Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Policy” and the “Policy on Counter-Trafficking in Persons from 2017-2021,” that removed or reduced issues specific to LGBTQI+ persons. USAID and other government officials responsible for LGBTQI+ human rights re-established close ties with programs responsible for broader human rights and gender issues and re-engaged with missions around the world.

But despite the efforts of the Biden-Harris administration and the incredible progress we've made in the last decade, much work remains to be done to protect the rights of LGBTQI+ Americans here at home. In a majority of states, for example, it’s still legal to discriminate against LGBTQI+ Americans for employment, housing, public accommodations, education, and other core areas of day-to-day life.

That's why the House passed the Equality Act this year, which I was proud to cosponsor. The Equality Act will ensure that all Americans can enjoy their most basic human rights no matter where they live, work, or go to school by amending the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other existing laws to ensure that LGBTQI+ individuals are afforded the same protections against discrimination as every other American. I have strongly urged the Senate to consider and pass the Equality Act and send it to President Biden for his signature, and I will continue to do so until it is law.

In Congress, I am proud to be leading the fight in support of LGBTQI+ rights. Together, my colleagues and I have introduced legislation to prohibit discrimination of students in our schools based on sexual orientation or gender identity, repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, equalize tax treatment for employer-provided health coverage for domestic partners and other non-spouse, non-dependent beneficiaries, and so much more. Our goal is full equality under the law, and we won't rest until we get there. 

Please continue to take care of yourselves and each other. As always, my office stands ready to help if you or a loved one need assistance. Please don't hesitate to call us at (703) 256-3071, or visit my website here.