This week, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin met with Randy W. Berry, United States Department of State’s first-ever Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBTI Persons for a debrief after his extensive travel around the world, visiting 15 countries in six weeks.
On July 9, Senator Baldwin, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, successfully included language in the committee report accompanying the FY16 State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs Appropriations bill that affirms the United States’ foreign policy commitment to protect vulnerable LGBTQ populations around the world. The spending bill passed through the committee by a vote of 27-3 and now heads to the full Senate for consideration.
“Despite the advances we have seen for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in the United States, this community faces enormous challenges in many nations around the world, including discrimination, violence and even the threat of the death penalty – all simply because of who they are or who they love,” said Senator Baldwin. “The United States has a moral responsibility to speak out against the oppression of vulnerable peoples, be they racial and religious minorities, women or LGBT people. I was pleased to meet with Mr. Berry today and discuss our shared commitment to human rights abroad and my focus on directing foreign affairs resources towards the places where the needs of the LGBT community are most dire.”
