; Whereas LGBTQ people in the United States, in particular transgender individuals, face a disproportionately high risk of becoming victims of violent hate crimes; Whereas members of the LGBTQ community have been targeted in acts of mass violence, including— (1) the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida, on June 12, 2016, where 49 people were killed; and (2) the arson attack at the UpStairs Lounge in New Orleans, Louisiana, on June 24, 1973, where 32 people died; Whereas LGBTQ people in the United States face persecution and violence in many parts of the world, including State-sponsored violence; Whereas, in 2017 alone, hundreds of LGBTQ people around the world have been arrested in countries and territories such as Chechnya, Indonesia, and Bangladesh; Whereas the LGBTQ community has gathered in some of the most dangerous places in the world to hold Pride festivals and marches, despite threats of violence or arrest; Whereas, in 2009, President Barack Obama signed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act ( Public Law 111–84 ; 123 Stat. 2835) into law to protect all people in the United States from crimes motivated by the actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity of an individual; Whereas the demonstrators that protested on June 28, 1969, following a law enforcement raid of the Stonewall Inn, an LGBTQ club in New York City, are pioneers of the LGBTQ movement for equality; Whereas LGBTQ people in the United States have fought for equal treatment, dignity, and respect; Whereas LGBTQ people in the United States have achieved significant milestones, ensuring that future generations of LGBTQ people in the United States will enjoy a more equal and just society; Whereas, despite being marginalized throughout the history of the United States, LGBTQ people in the United States continue to celebrate their identities, love, and contributions to the United States in various expressions of Pride