A resolution designating July 24, 2021, as "National Day of the American Cowboy".

Mr. President. Senator Baldwin and I are pleased to introduce a resolution that acknowledges and apologizes for the mistreatment of and discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LBGT) individuals who have served our nation as civil servants or members of the Armed Forces and Foreign Service. This systemic mistreatment and discrimination of members of the LGBT community began as early as the 1940s and continued well into the 1990s and is often termed as the Lavender Scare by historians. During this time, it is estimated that 100,000 service members were forced out of the Armed Forces between World War II and 2011. In addition, more than 1,000 State Department employees were dismissed due to their alleged sexual orientation, and many more were prevented from serving due to discriminatory hiring practices.

Policies such as the 1949 decree by the Department of Defense mandating that ``homosexual personnel, irrespective of sex, should not be permitted to serve in any branch of the Armed Forces'' led to the mass discharge and systemic screening of gay, lesbian, and bisexual military service members. Similar policies within the State Department followed led to mass dismissals and terminations of Foreign Service and civil service employees. Subsequently, policies were enacted across the Federal government targeting members of the LGBT community. To this day, historians do not know the exact number of people impacted. However, despite these harmful and discriminatory policies, LGBT people continued to faithfully serve and make significant contributions to the United States, many of whom became clerks and lawyers, surgeons and nurses, Purple Heart recipients and Navy Seals, translators and air traffic controllers, engineers and astronomers, teachers and diplomats, and rangers and postal workers.

It is time to acknowledge the harm caused to these Americans, their families, and our country by depriving LGBT people of the right to serve as federal civil servants, diplomats, or in the Armed Services. This Senate resolution takes a stand on the side of respect for LBGT Americans who have served our nation and reaffirms our commitment to treat all public servants with fairness and equality, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. I'm proud to introduce this Senate resolution during Pride Month to reaffirm our nation's commitment to treat everyone, including LGBT Americans, with equal respect and fairness. I will continue working toward advancing equality for all LGBT people in Virginia and across our nation.

Thank you, Mr. President.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be discharged from further consideration and the Senate now proceed to S. Res. 274.

I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed, the preamble be agreed to, and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.