In the News

A group of 94 U.S. House Democrats led by Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.) introduced on Thursday a congressional resolution that would designate June 26 as “LGBT Equality Day.”

The day selected for the occasion marks the anniversary of three monumental U.S. Supreme Court decisions in favor of gay rights: Lawrence v. Texas, the 2003 ruling striking down state sodomy bans; Windsor v. United States, the 2013 ruling against Section 3 of the anti-gay Defense of Marriage Act; and Obergefell v. Hodges, the 2015 ruling striking down state bans on same-sex marriage.

DelBene, lead sponsor the resolution, H.Res. 549, said in a statement the measure recognizes the victories of the past, but calls for additional advancements on LGBT rights in the future.

“In the last two decades, our nation has seen the Defense of Marriage Act overturned, an end to the criminalization of same-sex conduct and now nationwide marriage equality — all through Supreme Court decisions handed down on June 26,” DelBene said. “But even as same-sex couples enjoy the right to marry in all 50 states, LGBT people continue to face inequality and discrimination simply for who they are and who they love. My resolution designates the 26th of June as ‘LGBT Equality Day’ not only to celebrate how far we’ve come, but also to acknowledge how much work remains to be done.”

Ramsey Cox, a DelBene spokesperson, said the 93 co-sponsors of the resolution are all Democrats, but “we won’t give up” in finding Republican supporters. Each of the six openly LGB members of the U.S. House — Reps. Jared Polis (D-Colo.), David Cicilline (D-R.I.), Mark Takano (D-Calif.), Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), Sean Patrick Maloney (D-N.Y.) and Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) — are supportersThe text of the resolution encourages the celebration of LGBT Equality Day to recognize the significance of the Supreme Court decisions, but also “acknowledges the need for further legislation to ensure people in the United States are free from all forms of discrimination on the basis of actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity, including in employment, housing, public accommodations, education, Federal funding, credit and jury service.”

According to DelBene’s office, organizations supporting the resolution are the Center for American Progress, the Human Rights Campaign, the National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund and the LGBT Equality Caucus.

David Stacy, government affairs director for the Human Rights Campaign, said his organization supports the resolution because of the importance of June 26 to the LGBT community.

“Over the last decade and a half, June 26th has seen three remarkable victories at the Supreme Court in favor of fairness and equality for LGBT Americans,” Stacy said. “At the same time, far too many LGBT people face unfair, unjust, and unacceptable discrimination in their daily lives – a deplorable reality that Congress must address by passing the Equality Act. Establishing June 26th as LGBT Equality Day would not only commemorate the day as one of significance and progress, but it would serve as a reminder of the tremendous work that lies ahead in the fight for full federal equality.”