Bill · S.Res. 408· Senate(119-SRES-408)
A resolution recognizing September 20, 2025, as "National LGBTQ+ Servicemembers and Veterans Day".
- Introduced
- 9/18/2025
- Last activity
- 9/18/2025 — Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. (text: CR S6738)
- Sponsored by
- Jeff Merkley
- Cosponsors
- - 17 - 0
- Introduced
- In Committee
A Senate resolution is the Senate speaking for itself: stating a position, honouring someone, or setting its own rules. Adopting it is the whole process. Once the Senate agrees to it, it is officially the Senate's word; it is not a law, so the House and the President have no part in it.
What this bill would do
S. Res. 408 is a resolution to recognize September 20, 2025, as "National LGBTQ+ Servicemembers and Veterans Day." It celebrates the contributions of LGBTQ+ individuals in the Armed Forces and expresses regret for the harm caused by discriminatory policies. The resolution urges the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs to restore justice for those affected by past discrimination. It specifically calls for better outreach and full access to health care and gender-affirming care for transgender servicemembers, veterans, and their families.
Yes· 3 of 9
Would LGBTQ people be better off under this?+10
Specifically targets the recognition and restoration of rights and benefits for LGBTQ+ servicemembers and veterans.
Does this expand the rights of LGBTQ people?+9
Recognizes a national day for LGBTQ+ servicemembers and urges the restoration of justice for those facing discrimination.
Does this help veterans get medical care?+8
Urges the VA to remove exclusions for gender-affirming surgery and provide full range of care for transgender veterans.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
- Recognition and Celebration: The resolution recognizes September 20, 2025, as "National LGBTQ+ Servicemembers and Veterans Day" and celebrates the contributions of LGBTQ+ servicemembers and veterans (Section 1 and 2).
- Access to Benefits: The resolution urges the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense to conduct outreach to ensure those discharged based on gender identity or sexual orientation can receive their benefits (Section 5B).
- Healthcare Access: It urges the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense to ensure transgender veterans, servicemembers, and their families have access to the full range of health care, including gender-affirming care (Section 6).
- Medical Benefit Expansion: The resolution urges the Department of Veterans Affairs to remove the exclusion of gender-affirming surgery from the Veterans Affairs Medical Benefits Package (Section 7).
- Restoration of Justice: It urges government departments to implement policy changes to restore justice and right wrongs caused by government-sponsored discrimination (Section 5A).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- There are no specific provisions in this resolution that create burdens or negative consequences for individuals, as it is a resolution that recognizes a day and urges government departments to take specific actions.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For L G B T Q Community+10Good For Veterans+7Good For Seniors+5
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves L G B T Q Rights+9Improves Gender Equality+6Improves Criminal Sentencing Reform+5
- Healthcare
- Improves Veterans Healthcare+8Improves Healthcare Access+5
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Improves Veterans Benefits+8
- 9/18/2025
- Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. (text: CR S6738)
- 18 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Tammy BaldwinDemocrat · Wisconsin
Michael BennetDemocrat · Colorado
Richard BlumenthalDemocrat · Connecticut
Cory BookerDemocrat · New Jersey
Richard DurbinDemocrat · Illinois
Tammy DuckworthDemocrat · Illinois
John FettermanDemocrat · Pennsylvania
Mazie HironoDemocrat · Hawaii
Ben LujánDemocrat · New Mexico
Patty MurrayDemocrat · Washington
Alex PadillaDemocrat · California
Bernie SandersIndependent · Vermont
Adam SchiffDemocrat · California
Brian SchatzDemocrat · Hawaii
Tina SmithDemocrat · Minnesota
Ron WydenDemocrat · Oregon
Sheldon WhitehouseDemocrat · Rhode Island
Elizabeth WarrenDemocrat · Massachusetts