H2998 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 22, 2021 to support at least one or two. We will much remains to be done. It is an op- the Equality Act, including, of course, see what happens during the process of portunity each year to really celebrate you, Madam Speaker. amending and debating. the progress we have made and recom- So I am proud to be a part of a cau- What I would say to my friend is that mit ourselves to the work that re- cus that understands the fundamental it would be great if we could address mains. This year is no different. importance of recognizing the dignity every issue with both sides of the aisle In 2021, we come together on the floor and value of every person, and Pride engaging and offering amendments and of this House to celebrate Pride Month Month is about expressing that and af- restore regular order so that we can try with some very great highs and some firming that to all LGBTQ-plus people to get to the heart and the truth of very deep lows. Our community was all across this country and all across these issues. deeply impacted by COVID, both be- the world. We are never going to deal with our cause preexisting conditions added to Tonight, I am proud to have one of spending issues in this country if we people’s vulnerabilities, but also be- the co-chairs of the Equality Caucus, don’t sit down and roll our sleeves up, cause segments of our population al- MARK TAKANO, Chairman of the Vet- like a family or small business has to ready face isolation, which was made erans’ Affairs Committee, a member of do. We are never going to address even worse during the pandemic. the LGBTQ community, a very close something like the border if we don’t Like all communities, we have been friend, a deeply respected colleague, sit down and give and take and offer shocked at the efforts to undermine and a great champion for the equality solutions that will work. We are never our democracy and restrict the right to of our community. going to solve healthcare; we are never vote, restrictions that we know will I yield to the gentleman from Cali- going to be able to have a strong na- impact our community, particularly fornia (Mr. TAKANO) to share his views tional defense, without, by the way, people of color, trans people, and those on the celebration of Pride. Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I being involved in endless conflicts. with disabilities. thank my true friend from the State of I joined with my Democrat friends Of course, this year alone we wit- Rhode Island (Mr. CICILLINE), who last week on a measure involving our nessed a historic number of anti- chairs the LGBTQ-plus Equality Cau- presence in Iraq. I think we can find transgender laws being introduced cus, for his work. around the country, many of them agreement at times if we will sit down I want to say that Pride is always a and do it. But we can’t bury our head passing. Opponents of equality have de- very special time of year. It is a time in the sand and ignore existential cri- cided to zero in on the most vulnerable of protest, a time of celebration, a time ses and hope that they will just go within our community, the community that we remember the struggles, honor away. that is subject to the greatest amount the trailblazers, and appreciate the I will just close by renewing my call of violence and the worst kind of dis- progress that we have made in the to my colleagues on the other side of crimination, and we must stand up in fight toward equality. the aisle, the Vice President and the force against this. Throughout our history, LGBTQ peo- President. Let’s actually focus on these But it wouldn’t be Pride Month with- ple have been denied their basic rights. crises like the border, and let’s actu- out a celebration, and we have much to To this day, LGBTQ Americans across ally do our job and our constitutional celebrate this year. the country still face discrimination in duty to address them. Let’s actually do In the last 6 months, Congress passed key areas of life, from housing to what we said we were going to do when the NO HATE Act, which strengthens healthcare. we took our oaths to the Constitution hate crimes reporting; we passed the While the Supreme Court has ruled of the United States, and we said we Pulse Night Club Memorial bill. Now to expand nondiscrimination protec- wanted to be a part of the people’s the Senate has passed it, and it goes to tions in employment and made mar- House to debate, to amend, to vote. the President’s desk for his signature. riage equality the law of the land, in 29 I am not afraid of what we are going In February, I proudly introduced states LGBTQ people aren’t fully pro- to do tomorrow. To my friend, we are H.R. 5, the Equality Act, with 224 origi- tected from discrimination. going to offer bills, we are going to de- nal cosponsors. It passed the House That is why we are working hard to bate, we are going to amend, and we with bipartisan support. President get the Equality Act signed into law. are going to vote. We should do that on Biden has challenged Congress to do Discrimination in this country has the floor of this House, Madam Speak- everything in its power to get him the also been enshrined into policies at er. We should do that on the floor of bill, get it to his desk for his signature. every level, including in the military. this House. We are rolling up our sleeves to get Despite this, thousands of brave Madam Speaker, I yield back the bal- the bill passed in the Senate. I am par- LGBTQ Americans have still stepped ance of my time. ticularly proud that the House of Rep- up to serve our country in uniform. For f resentatives did its part in passing this decades, LGBTQ members of the U.S. critical piece of legislation. military and veterans have faced dis- LGBTQ PRIDE MONTH No American should be forced to live crimination stemming from official The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under in fear of legal discrimination simply military policies, including Don’t Ask, the Speaker’s announced policy of Jan- because of their sexual orientation or Don’t Tell and the Trans Military Ban. uary 4, 2021, the gentleman from Rhode gender identity, and they certainly Before Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell became Island (Mr. CICILLINE) is recognized for shouldn’t have to worry about whether an official military policy, service- 60 minutes as the designee of the ma- or not the person in the White House or members who were LGBTQ had to hide jority leader. the State legislature will undermine their identities, and those who were Mr. CICILLINE. Madam Speaker, to what few protections they do have. suspected of being LGBTQ were tar- Mr. ROY, I look forward to our debate The Equality Act is a commonsense geted by horrendous and traumatizing tomorrow and I think a good resolution piece of legislation that gets to the so-called witch hunts, which stripped on a number of important issues before core issue of equality by expanding the them of their dignity and mistreated the committee. Civil Rights Act of 1964, and other ex- them based on a suspicion that had Madam Speaker, I rise this evening isting laws, to ensure that LGBTQ nothing to do with their service. to honor Pride Month. Americans can live their lives free It is estimated that approximately I want to begin by saying that we are from discrimination. 114,000 servicemembers were discharged grateful to the members of the Con- Equality is a founding principle of on the basis of their sexual orientation gressional LGBTQ-plus Equality Cau- this great country, and I hope that by between World War II and 2011, while cus, who continue to be champions for the time I stand before you for Pride an estimated 870,000 LGBTQ veterans full equality for our community. Month next year, we will have turned have been impacted by ‘‘hostility, har- Each year, we gather as a community this bill from a hope into a reality. assment, assaultive behavior, and law in June to celebrate the progress that I am very proud to have the support enforcement targeting’’ by discrimina- our community has made, that is the of so many Members of Congress and so tory military policies. LGBTQ-plus community, and also to many colleagues. In fact, every single Many LGBTQ veterans who were dis- reflect on the work ahead and how Democrat is an original cosponsor of charged on discriminatory grounds are VerDate Sep 11 2014 05:30 Jun 23, 2021 Jkt 019060 PO 00000 Frm 00064 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K22JN7.091 H22JNPT1 dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with HOUSE June 22, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H2999 unable to access their VA benefits, and and I applaud the VA’s decision. Vet- and the milestones and the fight for those still serving face inconsistent erans in need of gender confirmation LGBTQIA-plus equality. It has 187 co- protections that make them vulnerable surgery should not have to seek sponsors, minus the 100. It has 87 origi- to harassment and put their careers at healthcare outside of the VA nal cosponsors.