Washington (June 9, 2021) – As the world celebrates Pride Month this June, Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Representative Dina Titus (NV-01), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, reintroduced the Greater Leadership Overseas for the Benefit of Equality (GLOBE) Act, legislation to establish equality and justice as key components of U.S. foreign policy; affirm that discrimination, hatred, and violence against LGBTQI persons will not be tolerated by the United States; and assert that the United States government will treat LGBTQI rights as human rights throughout its foreign policy, development assistance, and immigration programs. The bill would also establish a permanent Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBTQI Persons at the State Department.

 

“Today, millions of people can once again see the Pride flag fly outside of U.S. embassies around the world, affirming the United States’ commitment to protecting LGBTQI rights everywhere,” said Senator Markey. “LGBTQI rights are human rights, and we must take further steps to ensure that equality, justice, and non-discrimination policies are embedded throughout our foreign policy. President Biden and Secretary Blinken have committed to making the protection of human rights a key pillar of our work abroad, and I look forward to working with them to ensure these rights are extended to all people, no matter who they are or who they love, first and foremost by a swift appointment of the Special Envoy for LGBTQI Rights. I thank Senators Shaheen and Merkley, and Representative Titus for their leadership on this legislation and their commitment to upholding LGBQTI rights around the world.”

 

“As the U.S. restores its role as the global leader in promoting human rights, LGBTQI+ rights must be a top priority. We must double down on our commitment to protect the right for people to love freely and express their truest gender identity – regardless of where they live in  the world,” said Senator Shaheen. “I’m encouraged by the Biden administration’s efforts to ensure LGBTQI+ rights are integrated within our foreign policy goals, and I look forward to working with them to ensure this bill’s passage to establish a dedicated Special Envoy. We must not back down on our push for equality and justice on the global stage.”  

 

“We are living in a moment where governments around the world continue to make dangerous threats to our LGBTQ family, friends, and neighbors,” said Senator Merkley, who authored and has led the push for the Equality Act in the U.S. Senate. “America cannot remain silent in the face of that discrimination and abuse. Every person—regardless of who they are, whom they love, or where they live—has the right to be treated with decency and respect. That’s why I’m urging my colleagues to join us in passing the GLOBE Act, to send a clear message that the United States is committed to defending those rights for the American people and for people around the world.”

 

“No person should suffer from discrimination because of who they are or whom they love,” said Congresswoman Titus (NV-01). “Under the leadership of President Biden and Secretary Blinken, the United States has the opportunity to set an example for the rest of the world by protecting the rights of LGBTQI people at home and abroad. The GLOBE Act equips the federal government with the tools and personnel it needs to promote LGBTQI rights around the world and punish regimes that persecute people based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. I’m grateful to Senators Markey, Shaheen, and Merkley for their partnership on this important legislation.”

 

A copy of this legislation can be found HERE.

The GLOBE Act is cosponsored in the Senate by Senators Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev), and Tim Kaine (D-VA).

 

Cosponsors of this legislation in the House include Representatives David Cicilline (RI-01), Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Chris Pappas (NH-01), Raul M. Grijalva (AZ-03), Mark Takano (CA-41), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Karen Bass (CA-37), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Jesus “Chuy” Garcia (IL-04), Sara Jacobs (CA-53), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-00), Brad Sherman (CA-30), Andy Levin (MI-09), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Jim McGovern (MA-02), Earl Blumenauer (OR-03), Stephen Lynch (MA-08), Linda Sánchez (CA-38), Suzan DelBene (WA-01), Darren Soto (FL-09), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-11), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Ted Deutch (FL-22), Grace F. Napolitano (CA-32), Juan Vargas (CA-51), Alan Lowenthal (CA-47), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Frank Pallone (NJ-06), Judy Chu (CA-27), Julia Brownley (CA-26), Edward Case (HI-01), Derek Kilmer (WA-06), Jake Auchincloss (MA-04), Gerry Connolly (VA-11), Donald McEachin (VA-04), Steve Cohen (TN-09), Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Bill Keating (MA-09), Lois Frankel (FL-21), Steven Horsford (NV-04), Albio Sires (NJ-08), Eric Swalwell (CA-15), Antonio Delgado (NY-19), Anna Eshoo (CA-18), Adam Smith (WA-09), Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (FL-23), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), Jahana Hayes (CT-05), Hank Johnson (GA-04), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-40), Brenda Lawrence (MI-14), Mike Quigley (IL-05), Donald Payne, Jr. (NJ-10), Ritchie Torres (NY-15), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Madeline Dean (PA-04), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Brad Schneider (IL-10), Carolyn Bourdeaux (GA-07), Dutch Ruppersberger (MD-02), Nydia Velázquez (NY-07), Jennifer Wexton (VA-10), Ruben Gallego (AZ-07), Jimmy Panetta (CA-20), Dan Kildee (MI-05), Lisa Blunt Rochester (DE-AL), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Gwen Moore (WI-04), Tom Suozzi (NY-03), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), Andy Kim (NJ-03), Marie Newman (IL-03), Grace Meng (NY-06), Peter Welch (VT-AL), Al Green (TX-09), John Larson (CT-01), Andre' Carson (IN-07), Carolyn Maloney (NY-12), Rashida Tlaib (MI-13), Sean Patrick Maloney (NY-18), Mondaire Jones (NY-17), Jerry McNerney (CA-09), Jerry Nadler (NY-10), Angie Craig (MN-02), Tom Malinowski (NJ-07), Betty McCollum (MN-04), Kathleen Rice (NY-04), Jim Costa (CA-16), Gregory Meeks (NY-05), Danny Davis (IL-07), Ted Lieu (CA-33), Jim Himes (CT-04).

 

Specifically, the GLOBE Act:

 

“The GLOBE Act is landmark legislation that provides legal, diplomatic, and financial tools to advance human rights for LGBTQI persons globally. It honors the Biden Administration’s foreign policy commitments and allows U.S. embassies to offer targeted support for some of the most marginalized communities around the world,” said Mark Bromley, Chair of the Council for Global Equality.

 

"President Biden and this Congress continue to make progress on protecting LGBTQ people from discrimination at home and abroad, reversing the worst actions of the previous administration. The GLOBE Act to Protect LGBTI Rights Worldwide is a critical step in combating bigotry and prejudice worldwide. This legislation sends a clear message: the United States is redoubling its commitment to advancing human rights around the globe. We thank Senator Markey for his leadership and advocacy on behalf of LGBTQ people,” said Alphonso David, President, Human Rights Campaign 

 

“We applaud Senators Markey, Shaheen and Merkley and Representative Titus for introducing legislation that promotes a vision of justice for LGBTQI+ people who have been marginalized and criminalized by their governments. For too long, U.S. foreign policy has not centered the rights of LGBTQI+ people – the GLOBE Act will change that. Addressing the wide-ranging nature of LGBTQI+ rights from foreign aid, to asylum and immigration, to global health, the GLOBE Act would ensure that the United States leads the fight to protect and promote LGBTQI+ rights around the world,” said Rori Kramer, Director of U.S. Advocacy at American Jewish World Service.

 

Additional supporters of the legislation include Advocates for Youth, Amnesty International USA, Center for American Progress, CHANGE (Center for Health & Gender Equity), Equality California, GLAAD, Global Justice Institute, GLSEN, Health GAP, Heartland Alliance International, Human Rights Watch, International Community of Women Living with HIV - North America, International Women's Health Coalition, Ipas, John Snow, Inc. (JSI), MPact, NARAL Pro-Choice America, National Center for Lesbian Rights, PAI, PFLAG National, Rainbow Railroad, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, Silver State Equality, The International Institute on Race, Equality and Human Rights (Race & Equality), Pathfinder International, World Education, Inc. and Planned Parenthood Federation of America,  Management Sciences for Health, Population Institute, Woodhull Freedom Foundation, and Organization for Refuge, Asylum and Migration (ORAM).