Global Respect Act of 2025

Bill Number

S. 2180

Origin Chamber

Senate

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

International Affairs

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-06-26: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

Last Updated

2026-06-04T11:03:24Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

The Global Respect Act of 2025 aims to promote accountability for human rights violations against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex (LGBTQI) individuals worldwide by requiring the U.S. President to identify and sanction foreign persons responsible for such abuses. It emphasizes fundamental rights like life, liberty, privacy, expression, and assembly, while addressing global trends of violence, criminalization, and discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or sex characteristics.

Key Provisions

• Findings (Section 2): Congress outlines the importance of human dignity and equality, noting positive progress in some countries but highlighting ongoing issues, such as laws criminalizing same-sex relations in about one-third of countries (with death penalties possible in 12), barriers to HIV/AIDS care, suppression of LGBTQI events, widespread violence and impunity, and complicity by government officials in abuses like arrest, torture, and extortion.

• Definitions (Section 3):
• "Foreign person" includes non-U.S. citizens/nationals (even if dual citizens), foreign government officials, and entities organized outside the U.S.
• References standard terms like "admission" from U.S. immigration law and "appropriate congressional committees" (Senate Foreign Relations and House Foreign Affairs Committees).

• Identification of Responsible Persons (Section 4):
• The President must submit a public list to Congress every 180 days (starting 180 days after enactment) of foreign persons determined—based on credible evidence (including from other countries or NGOs)—to have engaged in, been responsible for, or incited serious abuses against LGBTQI individuals, such as torture, prolonged detention without charges, enforced disappearances, or other denials of life, liberty, or security.
• The list must be unclassified and published in the Federal Register (a public U.S. government record), with a possible classified annex for national security reasons (requiring justification to Congress).
• Updates for new information; removals possible if evidence clears the person, they face prosecution, or they show significant behavioral change and commitment to stop.
• Public guidance for submitting tips via U.S. embassies; Congress can request additions/removals, with responses due within 120 days.

• Visa and Admission Restrictions (Section 5):
• Listed individuals are ineligible for U.S. visas or entry; existing visas are revoked, and they must be removed from the U.S. (handled by State and Homeland Security Departments, with regulations required within 180 days).
• Waivers allowed if needed for U.S. international obligations (e.g., UN headquarters agreement) or national security, with 15-day notice to Congress.

• Additional Sanctions (Section 6): Congress expresses support for the President to apply other existing U.S. sanction tools (beyond visa restrictions) against listed persons to encourage accountability.

• Reporting Requirements (Section 7): Annual reports to Congress on implementation, including list changes (numbers, dates, reasons, year-over-year trends) and U.S. efforts to coordinate similar sanctions with other countries.

• Tracking and Reporting Enhancements (Section 8):
• Designates senior State Department officers to monitor global violence, criminalization, and restrictions on freedoms based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or sex characteristics.
• Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to require annual U.S. human rights country reports to include details on such discrimination and violations of freedoms like expression, association, or assembly.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Expands U.S. human rights monitoring and sanctions by creating a specific, recurring list for LGBTQI-related abuses, similar to lists for other violations (e.g., corruption or trafficking) but tailored to sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics.
• Modifies the Foreign Assistance Act (sections 116(d) and 502B(b)) to mandate inclusion of LGBTQI-specific violence and discrimination in annual human rights reports, which previously focused more broadly on general abuses without this explicit emphasis.
• Introduces public transparency requirements for the sanctions list, overriding some immigration record confidentiality rules, while allowing limited classified elements.

Potential Impacts

• On Government Agencies: The State Department and Department of Homeland Security will face new administrative burdens, including list creation, visa revocations, removals, regulations, and enhanced reporting/tracking, potentially requiring additional resources for monitoring and coordination with allies.
• On Citizens: U.S. citizens and residents are unaffected directly, but it strengthens protections for global LGBTQI communities by deterring abuses through U.S. leverage; foreign LGBTQI individuals may indirectly benefit from increased international attention and accountability.
• On International Relations: Could strain ties with countries where officials are listed (e.g., those with anti-LGBTQI laws), but may foster cooperation with allies on human rights; promotes U.S. leadership in global norms, potentially influencing foreign policies or encouraging similar measures abroad, while waivers help maintain diplomatic necessities.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• LGBTQI Individuals and Communities: Primary beneficiaries through heightened global scrutiny and accountability for abuses.
• Foreign Governments and Officials: Leaders, police, military, or entities in countries with poor LGBTQI records may face visa bans, travel restrictions, and reputational damage.
• U.S. Government Entities: Executive branch (President, State, Homeland Security) for implementation; Congress for oversight and reporting.
• Nongovernmental Organizations (NGOs): Human rights groups monitoring abuses can provide evidence for the list and use reports to advocate.
• Other Countries: Allies may join in sanctions; adversaries could view it as interference in sovereign affairs.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Builds on existing U.S. authorities under immigration law (e.g., visa ineligibility under the Immigration and Nationality Act) and human rights statutes, but creates a targeted mechanism that could lead to legal challenges over list accuracy, due process for removals, or waiver decisions; emphasizes "credible information" from diverse sources to ensure reliability.
• Constitutional: Aligns with Congress's powers over foreign affairs and immigration (Article I, Section 8), reinforcing U.S. commitments to international human rights treaties without creating new enforcement bodies.
• Political: Demonstrates bipartisan support (introduced by senators from both parties), signaling U.S. commitment to LGBTQI rights as a foreign policy priority; may politicize sanctions if perceived as selective, but the public list and congressional input promote transparency and reduce executive overreach risks.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH]

Cosponsors (14)

Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK], Sen. Murphy, Christopher [D-CT], Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD], Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR], Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ], Sen. Welch, Peter [D-VT], Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA], Sen. Schatz, Brian [D-HI], Sen. Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI], Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR], Sen. Rosen, Jacky [D-NV], Sen. Smith, Tina [D-MN], Sen. Luján, Ben Ray [D-NM], Sen. Schiff, Adam B. [D-CA]

Recent Actions

• 2025-06-26: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
• 2025-06-26: Introduced in Senate

Bill Versions

• Global Respect Act of 2025 — issued 2025-06-26 — PDF (14 pages)