Democrats introduce resolution apologizing to LGBT community for government discrimination
Democratic senators introduced a resolution Friday that would acknowledge and apologize for the mistreatment and discrimination against LGBT individuals in the U.S. military, armed forces and government posts.
The resolution, lead by Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), who is an openly gay member of the Senate, and Tim Kaine (D-Va.), "acknowledges and apologizes for the mistreatment of and discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LBGT) individuals who have served our nation as civil servants or members of the Armed Forces and Foreign Service."
The resolution also reestablishes a commitment by the U.S. government to "military service members, veterans, foreign service employees, federal civil service employees, and contractors with equal respect and fairness, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity."
The lawmakers' resolution comes in the middle of June, a month set aside to celebrate LGBT pride and activism.
The senators' resolution notes that dating back to the 1940s, discrimination against the LGBT community was part of military policy.
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5 SECTION 1. ACKNOWLEDGMENT.
6 The Senate—
7 (1) acknowledges and condemns the discrimination against, wrongful termination of, and
8 exclusion from the Federal civil service, the Foreign Service, and the Armed Forces of the
9 thousands of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (referred to in this section as “LGBT”)
10 individuals who were affected by the anti-LGBT policies of the Federal Government;
11 (2) on behalf of the United States, apologizes to—
12 (A) the affected LGBT military service members, Foreign Service members,
13 veterans, and Federal civil service employees; and
14 (B) the families of those service members, veterans, and Federal civil service
15 employees; and
16 (3) reaffirms the commitment of the Federal Government to treat all military service
17 members, Foreign Service members, veterans, and Federal civil service employees and
18 retirees, including LGBT individuals, with equal respect and fairness.