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.