House Democrats are honoring transgender people “lost to horrific violence” and the “strength and resilience” of the community in a new resolution introduced Wednesday, one of the first policy responses to GOP proposals to ban an incoming transgender lawmaker from using female bathrooms in the Capitol.
Though Transgender Day of Remembrance is already a national observance honored every year on Nov. 20, the resolution is the first piece of legislation dropped by House Democrats after Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) introduced a bill this week targeting Rep.-elect Sarah McBride (D-DE), the first transgender member of Congress.
“As anti-transgender rhetoric and legislation has increased in the United States over recent years, unfortunately so has anti-transgender violence,” Congressional Progressive Caucus Chairwoman Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), who also serves as co-chairwoman of the Congressional Equality Caucus’s Transgender Equality Task Force, said in a statement.
“Too many transgender people have been killed just for living as their true, authentic selves,” Jayapal continued. “These instances, coupled with countless other acts of discrimination, are terrifying — but we won’t waver. I will never back down from fighting to ensure that all trans individuals can exist freely without fear of hate.”
Nearly 100 House Democrats signed onto the resolution as co-sponsors. Jayapal introduced this resolution last year, as well, and was joined by Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-CA), fellow task force co-chairwoman, in leading the legislation, as well as Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI) and Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI), who is chairman of the equality caucus.
The resolution was announced shortly before House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) released his policy stance on the bathroom ban proposal.
“All single-sex facilities in the Capitol and House Office Buildings — such as restrooms, changing rooms, and locker rooms — are reserved for individuals of that biological sex,” Johnson said in a statement.
“It is important to note that each Member office has its own private restroom, and unisex restrooms are available throughout the Capitol,” the speaker continued. “Women deserve women’s only spaces.”
It is not yet clear how the resolution would be moved forward through the House. Mace is pushing Johnson to include it in the House rules legislation next year, which lawmakers will vote on shortly after being sworn into the 119th Congress on Jan. 3, 2025.
Democrats have been quick to blast Mace’s bill as “offensive” but argued that they have better things to do with their time than be “constantly responding to every little stupid, petty thing they do.” House Democratic leaders sidestepped questions Tuesday on whether they would push for gender-neutral bathrooms or how they would respond to the attacks on their fellow caucus member.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Mace has said she is not advocating the construction of a gender-neutral bathroom near the House floor that McBride could use.
“Let me explain it as simply as I can: Men don’t have the right to be in women’s restrooms,” Mace said.