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Pelosi Remarks at Press Conference Announcing Historic Transgender Equality Task Force

November 17, 2015

Contact: Drew Hammill/Evangeline George, 202-226-7616

Washington, D.C. – Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi delivered remarks today at a press conference announcing the historic Transgender Equality Task Force. Below are the Leader's remarks:

"Thank you very much, [Congressman] Mike [Honda]. Thank you for your leadership, for the personal joy of your family and your granddaughter's life. And I'm honored to be here with you, with Diego Sanchez, with Chad Griffin, with Laya Monarez – how do I say it? Monarez. And Harper Jean Tobin, National Center for Transgender Equality. Again, thank you, Mike Honda, for being such a champion to lead us on this initiative.

"It's an honor to join my colleagues in the LGBT Equality Caucus to celebrate the historic Transgender Equality Task Force. I'm excited about this because in our community and across the country, when I meet with the transgender community, they say: ‘Listen to us.' And that's what this Task Force is set up to do: to listen, to learn, to be informed, to act upon the transgender experience. It represents House Democrats' commitment to ensuring every person may enjoy ‘life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.'

"As we head into Transgender Day of Remembrance, which is November 20, coming up, let us honor the courageous people who have lost their lives. We will probably never know the number, but we know that it is too many. For transgender Americans, violence and discrimination remain an epidemic. In 2015, transgender Americans can still be denied housing, employment and access to public services. We must defeat the unconscionable silence and unforgivable inaction that allow injustice against transgender Americans to endure. We must continue to dismantle, brick by brick, the discrimination undermining our democracy.

"That's why we introduced the Equality Act to take the next step and expand civil rights protections to all Americans – no matter who they are, no matter who they love. Thank you to Congressman Cicilline for his leadership. And that's the goal of the Transgender Equality Task Force: to amplify the voices of transgender Americans in the Congress and end the epidemic of violence, discrimination, bigotry and exclusion.

"This afternoon, transgender community leaders will participate in the first event hosted by the Task Force, the Congressional Forum on Violence Against the Transgender Community. We are grateful to our panelists for their courage and leadership in sharing their stories. So many of our Members here were involved in the leadership of this issue when we passed the hate crimes legislation.

"My colleagues have heard me say over and over again that Members approached us at the time or just some forces saying, ‘You could pass this hate crimes legislation in a minute if you took out transgender.' And I said we wouldn't pass it in a million years if we take out transgender. Because that's really not the point or our priority. Barney Frank was here, Matthew Shephard's mother came. It was a very important piece of legislation, but the transgender piece, that inclusive bill is what we wanted. That is what our Equality Act is about: inclusiveness.

"So, whether it's in San Francisco – which of course I'm very blessed there to have the benefit of thinking of my community there – but also I was in Washington State with Congresswoman Suzan DelBene and very strong turnout in a meeting we had there. Again, they said: ‘Listen to us.' And that's what this forum will do today. That's what this Task Force is set up to do.

"I'm very excited about it. I'm very proud of Congress to be taking this stand and I'm proud to be standing with my colleagues and I'm pleased to yield now to [Congressman] Jared Polis who has been a champion on this and so many issues that relate to equality in our country. Jared."

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Issues:LGBTQ+