Quigley Hails New State Department Special Envoy on LGBT Rights

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Congressman Mike Quigley (IL-05) applauded the announcement from the U.S. State Department on the creation of a new Special Envoy position to advocate for LGBT rights. Rep. Quigley called for the position in legislation introduced last week, the International Human Rights Defense Act.

"The establishment of the LGBT Rights Special Envoy illustrates America's commitment to promoting equal rights and the fair treatment of the LGBT community across the world. I applaud the State Department for creating this important position, which was called for in legislation I introduced last week," said Rep. Quigley. "I am proud to stand with the LGBT community in supporting the work of the new Special Envoy to promote LGBT equality around the globe."

Last week, Rep. Quigley introduced the International Human Rights Defense Act, which directs the State Department to make preventing and responding to discrimination and violence against the LGBT community a foreign policy priority and devise a global strategy to achieve those goals. The legislation establishes a Special Envoy position in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor to coordinate that effort.

More than 80 nations around the world have laws that criminalize homosexuality, prohibit public support for the LGBT community, or promote homophobia. In seven countries, including Nigeria, home to 175 million people, homosexuality is punishable by death.

As a Vice-Chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus, Rep. Quigley has been a tireless advocate for the LGBT community. Most recently, Rep. Quigley was an original cosponsor of the International Human Rights Defense Act. Previously, he called on Illinois state legislators to pass marriage equality and celebrated when that day came. He is a co-sponsor of the original Respect for Marriage Act of 2009, and has lent his support to the national NOH8 Campaign, a global visual art protest against legislation banning gay marriage. Prior to the Supreme Court overturning the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in 2013, Rep. Quigley was a critical opponent of the law and hosted a DOMA field forum to investigate the negative impacts of the law on individuals and families in Chicago.

###