HR0794 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

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HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The State of Illinois is committed to justice, inclusion, and honoring the service and sacrifice of all veterans, including those from the LGBTQIA+ community; and

WHEREAS, Members of the LGBTQIA+ community have served their neighbors and our State as legislators and local elected officials, leading on countless issues important to the people of Illinois; and

WHEREAS, Throughout our nation's history, numerous LGBTQIA+ individuals have served honorably in the United States Armed Forces, despite facing systemic discrimination, invisibility, and forced silence; and

WHEREAS, Harvey Milk, one of the first openly gay elected officials in the United States, previously served in the United States Navy as a diving officer; and

WHEREAS, From 1994 to 2011, the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT) policy prevented openly LGBTQIA+ service members from serving without fear of discharge, often leading to the loss of military careers, benefits, and dignity; and

WHEREAS, Although DADT was repealed through the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010, thousands of veterans discharged under the policy still struggle to access earned benefits and receive the recognition they deserve due to discharge statuses that remain less than honorable; and

WHEREAS, LGBTQIA+ veterans, particularly transgender veterans and veterans of color, continue to face barriers to care, equity, and acknowledgment within the broader veteran support system; and

WHEREAS, The success of the movement for equal service for the LGBTQIA+ community has suffered a setback by way of administrative action that currently restricts the ability of transgender people to serve openly; and

WHEREAS, Members of the LGBTQIA+ community in the United States and around the world still face discrimination, violence, and proposed rollbacks in state and federal protections, and bias-based crimes based on sexual orientation and gender identity are on the rise; and

WHEREAS, LGBTQIA+ veterans have demonstrated great courage and commitment to defending the principles upon which the United States was founded and which the United States continues to uphold; and

WHEREAS, LGBTQIA+ veterans and service members have earned and deserve the same dignity, respect, honor, treatment, health care, and benefits that are owed to everyone who has served; and

WHEREAS, It is important to recognize the service and celebrate the contributions of all veterans and to advocate for full inclusion and justice for LGBTQIA+ veterans whose contributions and sacrifices have too often gone unrecognized; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we declare July 2026 as LGBTQIA+ Veterans Month in the State of Illinois as we continue to work toward full equality for our LGBTQIA+ family, friends, and neighbors; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we call upon all residents to honor the service of LGBTQIA+ veterans, support their pursuit of justice, and celebrate their enduring contributions to our nation and our community.