Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Bob Menendez
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Bob Menendez and Cory Booker (both D-N.J.) joined the entire Senate Democratic Caucus in introducing a Senate resolution recognizing June as LGBTQ Pride Month. This resolution highlights the contributions LGBTQ individuals have made to American society, commemorates several major milestones in the fight for equal treatment of LGBTQ Americans, and resolves to continue efforts to achieve full equality for the LGBTQ community. The resolution also recognizes how the COVID-19 pandemic compounds the systemic inequality that LGBTQ people face in healthcare, employment, and housing in the United States, which has resulted in a disparate impact on the LGBTQ community.
“For more than 50 years, LGBTQ individuals have fought to make the United States a more inclusive and accepting country – one where all people, regardless of their sexual orientation or their gender identity or expression, are able to live full and authentic lives,” said Sen. Menendez. “Yet, despite the progress we have made as a nation, there is still much work to be done to protect LGBTQ individuals from discrimination. That’s why I’m proud to be standing with the entirety of the Senate Democratic Caucus in introducing this resolution, a reflection of our solidarity and commitment to protecting LGBTQ individuals in communities all across America.”
“While our nation has made significant progress in realizing the full rights of all people, we will never have true equality as long as there are people who face discrimination because of their sexual orientation or gender identity,” said Sen. Booker. “As we celebrate Pride Month, we must never forget the lives and legacy of LGBTQ+ Americans who have sacrificed and given so much to this country. I am proud to reintroduce this resolution with my Democratic colleagues and will continue to fight for comprehensive and nationwide protections for the LGBTQ+ community.”
Earlier this year, under the new leadership of the Biden Administration, both senators joined Senate Democrats in reintroducing the Equality Act, comprehensive legislation to ensure civil rights laws prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. This bill would unequivocally ban discrimination in a host of areas, including employment, housing, public accommodations, jury service, access to credit, federal funding assistance, and education.
This resolution was led by Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), and Tina Smith (D-Minn.). In addition to Sens. Menendez and Booker, the resolution was cosponsored by the rest of the Senate Democratic Caucus, which includes Sens. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Ed Markey (D-Mass,), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Bob Casey (D- Pa.), Michael Bennett (D-Colo.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Angus King (I-Maine), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ili.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Joe Manchin (D-W.V.), Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Benjamin Cardin (D-Md.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), John Ossoff (D-Ga.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), and Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.).
This year’s pride resolution has been endorsed by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and Equality Ohio.
Full text of the resolution is available here.
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