H.R. 6056

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6056 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 6056

To establish in the Department of State a Special Envoy for the Human 
Rights of LGBTQI+ Peoples, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

November 17, 2025

Mr. Garcia of California (for himself, Ms. Jacobs, Ms. DelBene, Mr. 
Peters, Ms. DeGette, Mr. Castro of Texas, Ms. Matsui, Ms. Tlaib, Ms. 
Pingree, Mr. Tonko, Mr. Amo, Mr. Magaziner, Ms. Davids of Kansas, Mr. 
David Scott of Georgia, Mr. Veasey, Mr. Pocan, Mr. Schneider, Ms. 
Underwood, Mr. Ruiz, Mr. Huffman, Mr. Nadler, Ms. Dean of Pennsylvania, 
Mr. Lieu, Mr. Carter of Louisiana, Mrs. Cherfilus-McCormick, Ms. 
Jayapal, Mr. Smith of Washington, Mr. Cohen, Mr. Beyer, Mr. Mullin, Mr. 
Krishnamoorthi, Mr. Doggett, Ms. DeLauro, Mr. Costa, Mr. Swalwell, Ms. 
Kelly of Illinois, Mr. Sorensen, Mr. Goldman of New York, Mrs. Dingell, 
Mr. Larsen of Washington, Ms. McBride, Mr. Vargas, Mr. Bell, Ms. Titus, 
Ms. Ross, Mr. Neal, Mr. Garcia of Illinois, Mr. Mannion, Ms. Craig, Mr. 
DeSaulnier, Mr. Casten, Mr. Carson, Mrs. Hayes, Ms. Chu, Mr. Espaillat, 
Mr. Lynch, Ms. McClellan, Mrs. Beatty, Mr. McGovern, Mr. Davis of 
Illinois, Ms. Meng, Mr. Thanedar, Ms. Lee of Pennsylvania, Mr. 
Carbajal, Mr. Moskowitz, Ms. Scholten, Ms. Ansari, Ms. Wasserman 
Schultz, Ms. Pettersen, Ms. Dexter, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Mr. 
Gottheimer, and Ms. Schakowsky) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To establish in the Department of State a Special Envoy for the Human 
Rights of LGBTQI+ Peoples, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``International Human Rights Defense 
Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress makes the following findings:
(1) Around the world, LGBTQI+ people face criminalization, 
violence, discrimination, and stigma based on their sexual 
orientation, gender identity, or sex characteristics.
(2) 64 countries have national laws that criminalize same-
sex relations and at least 42 United Nations member states have 
legal barriers for freedom of expression on issues related to 
sexual and gender diversity. That is equal to roughly 35 
percent of United Nations member states.
(3) 12 countries have jurisdictions in which the death 
penalty can be imposed for private, consensual same-sex sexual 
activity.
(4) Despite recent progress made toward decriminalization, 
marriage equality, and legal gender recognition, several 
countries have introduced anti-LGBTQI+ legislation that would 
further criminalize or stigmatize LGBTQI+ people. This includes 
a draconian bill under review in Ghana that would outlaw not 
only LGBTQI+ relationships and identities, but also advocacy on 
behalf of the human rights of LGBTQI+ persons.
(5) Human Rights Watch and other human rights organizations 
have documented the use of the forensically discredited 
practice of forced anal exams to try to substantiate 
allegations of same-sex sexual activity. This humiliating 
practice is typically conducted by law enforcement officials 
working in tandem with medical personnel. The United Nations 
Special Rapporteur on Torture has described forced anal 
examinations as a form of torture or cruel, inhuman, and 
degrading treatment, and the United Nations Office of the High 
Commissioner for Human Rights issued a report in 2015 calling 
for governments to ban the practice.
(6) Across the world, freedom of association is 
increasingly under attack, with the passage and enforcement of 
laws that prevent or revoke the registration of non-
governmental organizations, particularly those working to 
advance and defend the human rights of LGBTQI+ persons.
(7) Extreme violence and insecurity in Latin America has 
driven LGBTQI+ people to flee their countries of origin to the 
United States for protection. Yet LGBTQI+ asylum seekers are 
routinely denied entry and face additional violence, and many 
have been returned to face persecution in their home countries 
or in third countries that are not safe.
(8) Laws, policies, and practices that criminalize and 
stigmatize LGBTQI+ people deter individuals and communities 
from seeking health care. Gay, bisexual, and other men who have 
sex with men and transgender people are particularly vulnerable 
to discrimination and exclusion in health care settings, 
thereby increasing risk of HIV transmission. Decriminalization 
and stigma reduction are necessary to achieve global targets 
for epidemic control of HIV.
(9) The Trans Murder Monitoring Project, which monitors 
homicides of transgender individuals, documented at least 350 
trans and gender-diverse people killed between October 1, 2023, 
and September 30, 2024. Of these cases, 73 percent of murders 
occurred in Latin America and the Caribbean, with 30 percent of 
the total occurring in Brazil.
(10) Intersex people are subject to medically unnecessary 
surgeries, often without prior and informed consent, leading to 
lifelong medical complications and increased mistrust of health 
care providers. Intersex people experience widespread 
discrimination and lack of understanding about their medical 
needs.
(11) Violence and discrimination based on sexual 
orientation, gender identity (including gender expression), and 
sex characteristics are documented in the Department of State's 
annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices. The report 
covering 2023 continues to show a clear pattern of human rights 
violations or abuses in every region of the world based on 
sexual orientation, gender identity, or sex characteristics. 
These violations or abuses include murder, rape, torture, death 
threats, extortion, and imprisonment, as well as loss of 
employment, housing, access to health care, and other forms of 
societal stigma and discrimination. The reports further 
document LGBTQI+-specific restrictions on basic freedoms of 
assembly, press, and speech in every region of the world.
(12) On December 6, 2011, President Barack Obama released 
the ``Presidential Memorandum--International Initiatives to 
Advance the Human Rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and 
Transgender Persons''. The memorandum directed all Federal 
agencies engaged abroad to ensure that United States diplomacy 
and foreign assistance promote and protect the human rights of 
LGBTI+ persons.
(13) On February 4, 2021, President Joe Biden issued a 
similar memorandum, the ``Memorandum on Advancing the Human 
Rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and 
Intersex Persons Around the World'', to promote and protect the 
human rights of LGBTQI+ persons and establish that it is the 
``policy of the United States to pursue an end to violence and 
discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender 
identity or expression, or sex characteristics, and to lead by 
the power of our example in the cause of advancing the human 
rights of LGBTQI+ persons around the world''.
(14) On February 23, 2015, Secretary of State John Kerry 
appointed senior diplomat Randy Berry as the Department of 
State's first-ever Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBTI 
Persons. No person was named to that position during the Trump 
Administration.
(15) On June 25, 2021, President Joe Biden announced the 
appointment of Jessica Stern to serve as the United States 
Special Envoy to Advance the Human Rights of LGBTQI+ Persons. 
She joined the Department of State on September 27, 2021.
(16) On June 30, 2016, the United Nations Human Rights 
Council passed a resolution cosponsored by the United States 
that established an Independent Expert on violence and 
discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity 
to help monitor and track discrimination and violence 
experienced by LGBTQI+ persons around the world.
(17) In May 2020, the United Nations Independent Expert on 
protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual 
orientation and gender identity released a report on so-called 
``conversion therapy'', which is an umbrella term used to 
describe interventions based on a belief that a person's sexual 
orientation or gender identity can and should be changed. The 
report concluded that such practices represent significant 
violations of rights to personal autonomy, health, and free 
expression and are ``by their very nature degrading, inhuman 
and cruel and create a significant risk of torture''. The 
Independent Expert noted ``the psychological pain and suffering 
inflicted by practices of `conversion therapy' are deep and 
long-lasting and often exacerbate the risk of suicide'', and 
called for a global ban on conversion therapy.

SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY.

It is the policy of the United States--
(1) to take effective action to prevent and respond to 
discrimination and violence against all people on any basis 
internationally, including sexual orientation, gender identity, 
and sex characteristics, and that human rights policy includes 
attention to criminalization, violence, and other 
discrimination against LGBTQI+ people;
(2) to systematically integrate and coordinate into United 
States foreign policy efforts to prevent and respond to 
criminalization, discrimination, and violence against LGBTQI+ 
people internationally;
(3) to support and build local capacity in countries around 
the world, including of governments at all levels and 
nongovernmental organizations, to prevent and respond to 
criminalization, discrimination, and violence against LGBTQI+ 
people internationally;
(4) to consult, cooperate, coordinate, and collaborate with 
a wide variety of nongovernmental partners, including faith-
based organizations and LGBTQI+-led organizations, with 
demonstrated experience in preventing and responding to 
criminalization, discrimination, and violence against LGBTQI+ 
people internationally;
(5) to employ a multisectoral approach to preventing and 
responding to criminalization, discrimination, and violence 
against LGBTQI+ people internationally, including activities in 
the economic, education, health, nutrition, legal, and judicial 
sectors;
(6) to work at all levels, from the individual to the 
family, community, local, national, and international levels, 
to prevent and respond to criminalization, discrimination, and 
violence against LGBTQI+ people internationally;
(7) to enhance training by United States personnel of 
professional foreign military and police forces and judicial 
officials to include appropriate and thorough LGBTQI+-specific 
instruction on preventing and responding to criminalization, 
discrimination, and violence based on sexual orientation, 
gender identity, and sex characteristics;
(8) to engage non-LGBTQI+ people as allies and partners, as 
an essential element of making sustained reductions in 
criminalization, discrimination, and violence against LGBTQI+ 
people internationally;
(9) to require that all recipients of United States 
Government Federal funding, including all contractors, grants, 
and cooperative agreements for both acquisition and assistance, 
establish appropriate nondiscrimination policies that are 
inclusive of sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex 
characteristics, among other characteristics and protected 
statuses, and take effective measures to ensure the protection 
and safety of employed and contracted staff, as well as 
protection of the program beneficiaries;
(10) to exert sustained international leadership, including 
in bilateral and multilateral fora, to prevent and respond to 
criminalization, discrimination, and violence against LGBTQI+ 
people internationally;
(11) to ensure that international efforts to combat HIV/
AIDS take all appropriate measures to support at-risk 
communities, including LGBTQI+ people, and to create enabling 
legal environments for these communities;
(12) to work with governments and nongovernmental 
organizations around the world to develop and implement 
regional strategies to decriminalize homosexuality and to 
counteract other restrictions on the human rights of LGBTQI+ 
people, including restrictions on LGBTQI+ organizations and so-
called LGBTQI+ propaganda laws; and
(13) to ensure that individuals who have a well-founded 
fear of persecution on account of being LGBTQI+ or supporting 
LGBTQI+ rights have the opportunity to seek protection in the 
United States.

SEC. 4. SPECIAL ENVOY FOR THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF LGBTQI+ PEOPLE.

(a) Establishment.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of State shall establish in 
the Department of State a permanent Special Envoy for the Human 
Rights of LGBTQI+ People (in this section referred to as the 
``Special Envoy''), who shall be appointed by the President.
(2) Rank.--The President may appoint the Special Envoy at 
the rank of Ambassador, by and with the advice and consent of 
the Senate.
(b) Purpose.--In addition to the duties described in subsection (c) 
and those duties determined by the President and the Secretary of 
State, the Special Envoy shall direct efforts of the United States 
Government relating to United States foreign policy, as directed by the 
President and the Secretary, regarding human rights abuses against 
LGBTQI+ people and communities internationally and the advancement of 
human rights for LGBTQI+ people, and shall represent the United States 
internationally in bilateral and multilateral engagement on such 
matters.
(c) Duties.--The Special Envoy--
(1) shall serve as the principal advisor to the Secretary 
of State regarding the human rights of LGBTQI+ people 
internationally; and
(2) at the direction of the Secretary of State--
(A) shall, notwithstanding any other provision of 
law, direct activities, policies, programs, and funding 
relating to the human rights of LGBTQI+ people and the 
advancement of LGBTQI+ human rights and social 
inclusion initiatives internationally, for all bureaus 
and offices of the Department of State, and shall lead 
the coordination of relevant United States Government 
policies and international programs for all other 
Federal agencies relating to such matters;
(B) shall represent the United States in diplomatic 
matters, including in bilateral and multilateral 
forums, relevant to the human rights and social 
inclusion of LGBTQI+ people, including addressing 
criminalization, discrimination, and violence against 
LGBTQI+ people internationally;
(C) shall direct, as appropriate, United States 
Government resources to respond to needs for 
protection, integration, resettlement, and empowerment 
of LGBTQI+ people in United States Government policies 
and international programs, including to prevent and 
respond to criminalization, discrimination, and 
violence against LGBTQI+ people internationally;
(D) shall lead interagency coordination on the 
foreign policy, humanitarian, and development 
priorities related to the human rights of LGBTQI+ 
people internationally; and
(E) shall conduct regular consultation with 
nongovernmental organizations working to prevent and 
respond to criminalization, discrimination, and 
violence against LGBTQI+ people internationally.
(d) Briefings and Assessments.--Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Special 
Envoy shall provide to the appropriate congressional committees a 
briefing on the status of the human rights and social inclusion of 
LGBTQI+ people internationally, as well as on the status of programs 
and response strategies of the United States Government to address 
criminalization, discrimination, and violence against LGBTQI+ people 
internationally.
(e) United States Policy To Prevent and Respond to Criminalization, 
Discrimination, and Violence Against LGBTQI+ People Globally.--
(1) Global strategy requirement.--Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, and bi-annually 
thereafter, the Special Envoy shall develop or update, as the 
case may be, a United States global strategy to prevent and 
respond to criminalization, discrimination, and violence 
against LGBTQI+ people internationally. The Special Envoy shall 
submit the global strategy to the appropriate congressional 
committees and, if practicable, make the global strategy 
available to the public.
(2) Collaboration and coordination.--In developing the 
global strategy required under paragraph (1), the Special Envoy 
shall consult with--
(A) mid- and high-level officials of relevant 
Federal agencies; and
(B) representatives of nongovernmental 
organizations with demonstrated experience in 
addressing criminalization, discrimination, and 
violence against LGBTQI+ people internationally, or 
promoting equal rights and social inclusion for LGBTQI+ 
people internationally.
(f) Monitoring the United States Strategy To Prevent and Respond to 
Criminalization, Discrimination, and Violence Against LGBTQI+ People 
and Communities Internationally.--In each global strategy submitted 
under subsection (e), the Special Envoy shall include an analysis of 
promising practices for preventing and addressing criminalization, 
discrimination, and violence against LGBTQI+ people and communities 
internationally, including--
(1) a description of successful efforts by foreign 
governments and nongovernmental organizations to prevent and 
respond to criminalization, discrimination, and violence 
against LGBTQI+ people and communities internationally;
(2) recommendations related to promising practices, 
effective strategies, and improvements to enhance the impact of 
such prevention and response efforts; and
(3) the impact of activities funded by the global strategy 
in preventing and reducing criminalization, discrimination, and 
violence against LGBTQI+ people.

SEC. 5. DOCUMENTING AND RESPONDING TO BIAS-MOTIVATED VIOLENCE AGAINST 
LGBTQI+ PEOPLE ABROAD.

(a) Information Required To Be Included in Annual Country Reports 
on Human Rights Practices.--
(1) Section 116.--Section 116(d) of the Foreign Assistance 
Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151n(d)) is amended--
(A) in paragraph (11)(C), by striking ``; and'' and 
inserting a semicolon;
(B) in paragraph (12)(C)(ii), by striking the 
period at the end and inserting ``; and''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph:
``(13) wherever applicable, the nature and extent of 
criminalization, discrimination, and violence by state and non-
state actors based on sexual orientation or gender identity, as 
those terms are defined in section 7 of the International Human 
Rights Defense Act of 2025, or sex characteristics, including 
an identification of those countries that have adopted laws or 
constitutional provisions that criminalize or discriminate 
based on such sexual orientation, gender identity, or sex 
characteristics, including descriptions of such laws and 
provisions.''.
(2) Section 502b.--Section 502B of the Foreign Assistance 
Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2304) is amended--
(A) by redesignating the second subsection (i) 
(relating to child marriage status) as subsection (j); 
and
(B) by adding at the end the following new 
subsection:
``(k) Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Sex 
Characteristics.--The report required under subsection (b) shall 
include, wherever applicable, the nature and extent of criminalization, 
discrimination, and violence by state and non-state actors based on 
sexual orientation or gender identity, as those terms are defined in 
section 7 of the International Human Rights Defense Act of 2025, or sex 
characteristics, including an identification of those countries that 
have adopted laws or constitutional provisions that criminalize or 
discriminate based on such sexual orientation, gender identity, or sex 
characteristics, including descriptions of such laws and provisions.''.

SEC. 6. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE UNITED STATES STRATEGY TO PREVENT AND 
RESPOND TO CRIMINALIZATION, DISCRIMINATION, AND VIOLENCE 
AGAINST LGBTQI+ PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES INTERNATIONALLY.

The Secretary of State is authorized to provide assistance to 
prevent and respond to criminalization, discrimination, and violence 
against LGBTQI+ people internationally. Such assistance may include the 
following activities:
(1) Development and implementation of assistance programs 
that respond to human rights abuses against, and the social and 
economic exclusion of, LGBTQI+ people.
(2) Support and capacity building for the development and 
enforcement of the laws of foreign governments pertaining to 
relevant civil and criminal, legal and judicial sanctions, 
protection, and training.
(3) Enhancement of health sector capacity to detect, 
prevent, and respond to violence against LGBTQI+ people and 
communities internationally, and to combat HIV/AIDS in the 
LGBTQI+ community internationally, in close coordination with 
the Office of the Global AIDS Coordinator and Health Diplomacy 
of the Department of State.
(4) Development of a leadership program for international 
LGBTQI+ activists that will foster collaboration and knowledge 
sharing across the world.

SEC. 7. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:
(1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
(A) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the 
Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and
(B) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the 
Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
Representatives.
(2) Gender identity.--The term ``gender identity'' means 
the gender-related identity, appearance, or mannerisms, or 
other gender-related characteristics of an individual, 
regardless of the individual's designated sex at birth.
(3) Intersex.--The term ``intersex'' means individuals born 
with sex characteristics (including genitals, gonads, or 
chromosome patterns) that vary from typical binary notions of 
male or female bodies and is an umbrella term used to describe 
a wide range of natural bodily variations.
(4) LGBTQI+.--The term ``LGBTQI+'' means lesbian, gay, 
bisexual, transgender, queer, or intersex.
(5) Sexual orientation.--The term ``sexual orientation'' 
means actual or perceived homosexuality, heterosexuality, or 
bisexuality.
<all>