Against All Odds, Congressional Attempts to Attack LGBTQ+ Community Largely Unsuccessful in 119th Congress

WASHINGTON — The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s largest LGBTQ+ civil rights organization, today released its Congressional Scorecard for the 119th Congress, showing that despite a Republican-controlled Congress and White House hellbent on rolling back our rights, pro-equality lawmakers stood in the way of a flurry of attacks on LGBTQ+ people.

 “The 119th Congress will be known for two things: The relentless attacks against LGBTQ+ Americans, and the resounding defeat of almost every one of those attacks. Opponents of equality were no match for our champions on Capitol Hill,” said HRC President Kelley Robinson. 

Anti-equality lawmakers pushed dozens of attacks on the LGBTQ+ community this Congress, ranging from restricting transgender rights and marginalizing LGBTQ+ families to suppressing votes. Fortunately, pro-equality lawmakers successfully defeated the majority of these attacks, blocking them before they could make it to the President’s desk. 

The 119th Congress continues the trend of growing openly LGBTQ+ representation. Rep. Sarah McBride (D-DE) became the first openly transgender member of Congress. Rep. Julie Johnson (D-TX) became the first openly LGBTQ+ member from a Southern state. Congresswoman Emily Randall (D-WA) became the first LGBTQ+ Latina in Congress. And Rep. Everton Blair (D-GA) became the first out Black gay person elected to Congress from a Southern state. 

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) is the nation’s largest LGBTQ+ civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) people, with 4 million members and supporters. The HRC Foundation (a 501(c)(3)) works to ensure LGBTQ+ people are safe, seen and supported where it matters most: at school, at work and in every community across the country. From the courtroom to the classroom, from Congress to corporate America, HRC and the HRC Foundation build power through partnerships, storytelling, and action—working to create a future rooted in equity, freedom and belonging for all LGBTQ+ people.