[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 704 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. RES. 704
Recognizing the importance of the National Park Service in preserving
the legacy of LGBTQ+ people and honoring their contributions to
American history through the preservation of historic places and
landmarks.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
October 5, 2021
Mr. Soto submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the
Committee on Natural Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Recognizing the importance of the National Park Service in preserving
the legacy of LGBTQ+ people and honoring their contributions to
American history through the preservation of historic places and
landmarks.
Whereas attitudes toward sexuality have changed throughout history and will
continue to change;
Whereas the term ``LGBTQ+'' is understood to mean lesbian, gay, bisexual,
transgender, questioning/queer, and other identities;
Whereas LGBTQ+ people are found in every State of the Union;
Whereas society may never know the true number of LGBTQ+ Americans;
Whereas diverse sexualities and gender expressions existed in Indigenous
cultures, prior to the creation of the American colonies;
Whereas LGBTQ+ people in the United States have diverse racial, ethnic,
cultural, and religious backgrounds;
Whereas many influential Americans have contributed to the rich history of the
United States, but have had their LGBTQ+ identity erased or
unacknowledged, including--
(1) Lieutenant Gotthold Frederick Enslin, a member of the Continental
Army under George Washington;
(2) Charley Parkhurst, legendary stagecoach driver and important figure
of transgender history;
(3) Langston Hughes, poet and leader of the Harlem Renaissance;
(4) Edna Thomas, an influential Black actress of the Harlem
Renaissance;
(5) James Baldwin, novelist and playwright;
(6) Eleanor Roosevelt, First Lady of the United States and United
Nations spokeswoman;
(7) Christine Jorgensen, World War II veteran and actress; and
(8) Pauli Murray, American civil rights activist, women's rights
activist, lawyer, Episcopal priest, and author;
Whereas the many influential LGBTQ+ Americans in the history of the United
States also include--
(1) Frank Kameny, veteran and activist;
(2) Bayard Rustin, civil rights leader and advisor to Martin Luther
King, Jr.;
(3) Sally Ride, astronaut and first American woman in space;
(4) Alfred Kinsey, biologist;
(5) Harvey Milk, politician and first openly gay elected official in
California;
(6) Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, self-proclaimed drag
performers and community activists;
(7) Larry Kramer, author and cofounder of ACT UP;
(8) Elaine Noble, the first openly LGBTQ+ elected State official;
(9) Cleeve Jones, activist, author, and founder of the NAMES Project
AIDS Memorial Quilt;
(10) Gilbert Baker, creator of the pride flag;
(11) We'wha, cultural ambassador for Native Americans and most famous
lhamana on record;
(12) Alan Hart, a revolutionary tuberculosis researcher; and
(13) Audre Lorde, writer, feminist, womanist, librarian, and civil
rights activist;
Whereas this resolution is by no means a comprehensive documentation of all the
achievements and contributions of LGBTQ+ people to American history;
Whereas LGBTQ+ people in the United States, and all over the world, face
obstacles in the struggle for equality;
Whereas Executive Order 10450, the 1953 Immigration Act, the ``Employment of
Homosexuals and Other Sex Perverts in Government'' congressional report,
sodomy laws, and the Defense of Marriage Act have contributed to the
forced erasure and discrimination of LGBTQ+ Americans;
Whereas organized LGBTQ+ activist groups have advanced civil rights, including--
(1) the Society for Human Rights;
(2) the Mattachine Society;
(3) the Daughters of Bilitis;
(4) the Gay Liberation Front;
(5) the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries;
(6) the Gay American Indians; and
(7) the Gay Asian Pacific Alliance;
Whereas the determination and resilience of the LGBTQ+ community in the fight
for equality has advanced civil rights protections for all Americans,
such as--
(1) One Inc. v. Olesen (1958), which expanded free speech protections;
(2) Lawrence v. Texas (2003), which eliminated sodomy laws;
(3) Obergefell v. Hodges (2015), which guarantees same-sex couples the
right to marriage; and
(4) Bostock v. Clayton County (2020), which expanded title VII of the
Civil Rights Act of 1964;
Whereas LGBTQ+ Americans have been involved in revolutionary moments in time,
including--
(1) the Stonewall Riots;
(2) the Annual Reminder Day pickets;
(3) the first Pride Parade;
(4) the Biltmore Invasion;
(5) the 1978 Gay Freedom Day Parade in San Francisco, where the first
pride flag was flown;
(6) the National March on Washington for Gay and Lesbian Rights; and
(7) the ACT UP Protest;
Whereas various places were essential to the existence and continued livelihood
of the LGBTQ+ community, such as--
(1) the STAR House, which provided housing to homeless LGBTQ+ youth in
the 1970s to 1980s;
(2) the first Pride Parade Route, which started at Washington Place in
New York City in 1970;
(3) the Henry Gerber House, which was the meeting spot for the Society
for Human Rights; and
(4) Castro Camera, Harvey Milk's photography store, which also served
as his campaign headquarters;
Whereas the places mentioned are historic and worthy of preserving for the
benefit of all;
Whereas preserving and maintaining historic sites is crucial in telling the
stories of the past and allowing citizens of the United States to
understand and embrace their heritage;
Whereas preserving LGBTQ+ historic sites contribute to the cultural well-being
of the United States as they are physical reminders of America's
commitment to tolerance, acceptance, and equality;
Whereas LGBTQ+ Americans have contributed to every aspect of United States
society, including the fine arts, education, business, literature,
journalism, sports, fashion, politics, government, the military, music,
science, medicine, engineering, technology, and other fields in the
United States;
Whereas only 10 LGBTQ+ historic places are registered with the National Park
Service;
Whereas LGBTQ+ people share the hopes and aspirations of the people of the
United States for peace and prosperity throughout the Western Hemisphere
and the rest of the world; and
Whereas October is recognized as LGBTQ+ History Month: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) recognizes the contributions of LGBTQ+ people as a
significant part of the history, progress, and heritage of the
United States;
(2) believes that LGBTQ+ history should be preserved by the
National Park Service;
(3) encourages the National Park Service to honor the
contributions of LGBTQ+ Americans through direct action,
including but not limited to--
(A) increasing the number of LGBTQ+ sites listed in
the National Register of Historic Places;
(B) awarding preservation grants from the Historic
Preservation Fund to LGBTQ+ historical sites; and
(C) conducting and sponsoring research in
preservation of historic LGBTQ+ sites; and
(4) affirms its commitment to celebrating the legacy of
LGBTQ+ people.
<all>