International Human Rights Defense Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Senator Markey, Edward J. [D-MA]
Introduced
Summary
This bill would establish a permanent Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBTQI+ People in the Department of State to lead and coordinate U.S. diplomacy and programs addressing criminalization, discrimination, and violence against LGBTQI+ people worldwide.
Show full summary
- Families and LGBTQI+ communities: It would direct U.S. assistance for protection, integration, resettlement, and empowerment, and strengthen health sector responses including HIV/AIDS coordination.
- U.S. diplomacy and agencies: The Envoy would serve as the principal State Department adviser, lead interagency coordination, represent the U.S. internationally, and would require a global strategy within 180 days and biannual updates.
- NGOs and federal fund recipients: It would require regular consultations with nongovernmental organizations and require all federal funding recipients to adopt nondiscrimination policies inclusive of sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics.
Your PRIA Score
Personalized for You
How does this bill affect your finances?
Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this bill and every other piece of legislation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Permanent LGBTQI+ Human Rights Envoy
If enacted, the State Department would get a permanent Special Envoy for the human rights of LGBTQI+ people. The President would appoint the envoy and the Senate would confirm. The envoy would advise the Secretary of State, coordinate U.S. policy across agencies, and represent the United States in diplomatic forums. The envoy would make a global strategy within 180 days, update it every two years, and brief Congress within 180 days and then annually.
Federal Funding Requires Inclusive Policies
If enacted, every recipient of Federal money — including contractors, grant recipients, and cooperative agreement awardees — would need a nondiscrimination policy that includes sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics. Recipients would also need to take steps to protect staff and program participants. This would increase protections for LGBTQI+ staff and beneficiaries while adding compliance requirements for organizations that get federal funds.
Key LGBTQI+ Terms Defined for Programs
If enacted, the bill would define terms used across the law. Definitions would include sexual orientation, gender identity (broadly defined), intersex, LGBTQI+, and which congressional committees are "appropriate." These definitions would apply to the Act's reporting and program rules.
Reports Must Include Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
If enacted, State Department human rights reports would be required, where applicable, to describe criminalization, discrimination, and violence based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics. Reports would identify countries with laws or constitutional provisions that criminalize or discriminate on those bases. This would apply to the annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices and to the 502B(b) reports.
U.S. Aid to Protect LGBTQI+ People
If enacted, the Secretary of State would be authorized to fund programs abroad to prevent and respond to criminalization, discrimination, and violence against LGBTQI+ people. Authorized programs would include legal and judicial capacity-building, health-sector support tied to HIV/AIDS work, protection and resettlement help, and leadership training for activists. The State Department would coordinate health work with the Global AIDS Coordinator.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Markey, Edward J. [D-MA]
MA • D
Cosponsors
Sen. Alsobrooks, Angela D. [D-MD]
MD • D
Sponsored 12/10/2025
Sen. Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI]
WI • D
Sponsored 12/10/2025
Sen. Bennet, Michael F. [D-CO]
CO • D
Sponsored 12/10/2025
Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT]
CT • D
Sponsored 12/10/2025
Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ]
NJ • D
Sponsored 12/10/2025
Sen. Cantwell, Maria [D-WA]
WA • D
Sponsored 12/10/2025
Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE]
DE • D
Sponsored 12/10/2025
Sen. Cortez Masto, Catherine [D-NV]
NV • D
Sponsored 12/10/2025
Sen. Duckworth, Tammy [D-IL]
IL • D
Sponsored 12/10/2025
Sen. Fetterman, John [D-PA]
PA • D
Sponsored 12/10/2025
Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY]
NY • D
Sponsored 12/10/2025
Sen. Heinrich, Martin [D-NM]
NM • D
Sponsored 12/10/2025
John Hickenlooper
CO • D
Sponsored 12/10/2025
Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI]
HI • D
Sponsored 12/10/2025
Sen. Kaine, Tim [D-VA]
VA • D
Sponsored 12/10/2025
Sen. Kelly, Mark [D-AZ]
AZ • D
Sponsored 12/10/2025
Sen. Luján, Ben Ray [D-NM]
NM • D
Sponsored 12/10/2025
Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]
OR • D
Sponsored 12/10/2025
Sen. Murphy, Christopher [D-CT]
CT • D
Sponsored 12/10/2025
Sen. Murray, Patty [D-WA]
WA • D
Sponsored 12/10/2025
Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA]
CA • D
Sponsored 12/10/2025
Gary Peters
MI • D
Sponsored 12/10/2025
Sen. Rosen, Jacky [D-NV]
NV • D
Sponsored 12/10/2025
Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT]
VT • I
Sponsored 12/10/2025
Sen. Schatz, Brian [D-HI]
HI • D
Sponsored 12/10/2025
Sen. Schiff, Adam B. [D-CA]
CA • D
Sponsored 12/10/2025
Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH]
NH • D
Sponsored 12/10/2025
Sen. Smith, Tina [D-MN]
MN • D
Sponsored 12/10/2025
Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD]
MD • D
Sponsored 12/10/2025
Peter Welch
VT • D
Sponsored 12/10/2025
Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]
OR • D
Sponsored 12/10/2025
Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA]
MA • D
Sponsored 12/10/2025
Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
IL • D
Sponsored 12/10/2025
Elissa Slotkin
MI • D
Sponsored 1/28/2026
Sen. Ossoff, Jon [D-GA]
GA • D
Sponsored 3/5/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov