International Human Rights Defense Act of 2025

This bill would create a permanent Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBTQI+ People in the U.S. State Department, appointed by the President and possibly at the rank of Ambassador with Senate approval. The Envoy would advise the Secretary of State, direct State Department programs and funding on this issue, represent the U.S. abroad, brief Congress each year, and produce a global strategy on preventing criminalization, discrimination, and violence against LGBTQI+ people. The bill would require the State Department's annual human rights reports to describe this criminalization, discrimination, and violence, including countries with laws that criminalize or discriminate based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or sex characteristics. It would also allow the Secretary of State to fund assistance programs, health sector efforts including HIV/AIDS response, and a leadership program for international LGBTQI+ activists.

Full text and official record on Congress.gov

Sponsors

• Robert Garcia Democrat sponsor
• 152 cosponsors