; Whereas, in 2000, Vermont became the first State in the United States to legally recognize civil unions between same-sex couples; Whereas, on June 8, 2000, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals held in Rosa v. Park West Bank that a transgender person had recourse under the prohibition on sex discrimination provided for in the Equal Credit Opportunity Act after being denied a loan for dressing in traditionally feminine attire; Whereas, in December of 2000, the Netherlands became the first nation to legalize same-sex marriage when the States General of the Netherlands passed, by a three-to-one margin, a landmark bill allowing same-sex marriage; Whereas in 2003, David Cicilline became the first openly gay mayor of a United States capital when he was elected to lead Providence, Rhode Island; Whereas, on June 26, 2003, the Supreme Court of the United States held in Lawrence v. Texas that under the 14th Amendment, States could not criminalize the private, intimate relationships of same-sex couples; Whereas, on August 5, 2004, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals held in Smith v. City of Salem that title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects transgender employees from workplace discrimination; Whereas, in 2008, a Latino transgender man, Diego Miguel Sanchez, became the first openly transgender person appointed to the Platform Committee of the Democratic National Committee; Whereas, on November 4, 2008, Stu Rasmussen, of Silverton, Oregon, became the first openly transgender person to be elected mayor in the United States; Whereas, in 2009, Diego Miguel Sanchez became the first openly transgender senior congressional staffer on Capitol Hill, appointed by Representative Barney Frank