Press Release

June 28, 2017
Cardin Co-Sponsors First Ever Resolution Recognizing June as Pride Month

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.) joined Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and other Senate colleagues in introducing the first-ever Senate Resolution recognizing June as LGBTQ Pride Month. The resolution notes major milestones in the fight for equal treatment of LGBTQ Americans and resolves to continue efforts to achieve full equality for LGBTQ individuals. Today, June 28, marks the 48th anniversary of the Stonewall riots.

“Every American deserves the same freedoms, the same opportunities, and the same protections under the law. This resolution recognizes that truth as a founding principle of this nation, and aims to express support for the LGBTQ community’s ongoing march toward fuller and greater equality,” said Senator Cardin.To all of my lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender sisters and brothers, I say this: You are not alone. I support you. I will fight alongside you. We will not allow extremism to take away the inherent rights afforded to each and every one of us.”

In addition to Senators Cardin and Brown, Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Al Franken (D-MN), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Tom Carper (D-DE), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Coons (D-DE), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Ed Markey (D-MA), Cory Booker (D-CT), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Kamala Harris (D-CA), and Catherine Cortez-Masto (D-NV) are also sponsoring the legislation.

Cardin is also a sponsor of the Equality Act, legislation to expand civil rights laws to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. The Equality Act would prohibit discrimination in public accommodations, education, federal financial assistance, employment, housing, credit determinations and federal jury service. Brown has also introduced legislation to protect children from so-called “conversation therapy.” The Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act would ban conversion therapy and condemn it as misguided and harmful.

Full text of the resolution is available here.

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