A Democratic bill with 1 Republican cosponsor · See all 14 cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Global Respect Act of 2025 aims to impose sanctions on foreign individuals and entities responsible for human rights violations against LGBTQI people. The President is required to maintain a list of foreign persons who engage in conduct such as torture, prolonged detention, or disappearance based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Individuals on this list become ineligible for visas and are prohibited from entering the United States. Additionally, the Secretary of State must revoke existing visas and remove such individuals from the country. The bill also mandates tracking violence and discrimination in foreign countries through specific State Department officials and reports.
Yes· 3 of 5
- Scored +8
Would LGBTQ people be better off under this?
The bill provides direct protections and accountability measures for the human rights of LGBTQI people.
- Scored +7
Does this expand the rights of LGBTQ people?
The bill establishes sanctions and tracking mechanisms to protect LGBTQI individuals from human rights violations globally.
- Scored +4
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?
The bill mandates the public publication of a list of foreign violators in the Federal Register.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Increased Accountability for Human Rights Abuses: The bill requires the President to identify and list foreign persons responsible for conduct like torture, illegal detention, or abduction targeting LGBTQI individuals (Section 4(a)(2)). This creates a mechanism to hold those responsible accountable.
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Prevention of Entry for Human Rights Violators: Individuals identified on the required list are declared ineligible for visas and admission to the United States (Section 5(a)). This prevents those responsible for abuses from entering the country.
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Removal of Violators Currently in the U.S.: The Secretary of State and Secretary of Homeland Security are tasked with revoking visas and removing individuals on the list from the United States (Section 5(b)).
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Enhanced Tracking of Global Discrimination: The bill requires the Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor to designate officers to track violence, criminalization, and restrictions on fundamental freedoms faced by LGBTQI individuals (Section 8(a)).
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Improved Reporting on Human Rights Practices: By amending existing laws, the bill ensures that annual country reports include information regarding violence or discrimination based on actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity, or sex characteristics (Section 8(b)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Potential for National Security Exceptions: The President has the authority to include individuals on a classified list rather than a public one if it is deemed vital to national security (Section 4(d)(2)).
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Discretionary Implementation of Sanctions: The President has the power to waive the visa ineligibility and removal requirements if it is in the national security interests of the United States or necessary to comply with international obligations (Section 5(c)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would LGBTQ people be better off under this? — The bill provides direct protections and accountability measures for the human rights of LGBTQI people.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this expand the rights of LGBTQ people? — The bill establishes sanctions and tracking mechanisms to protect LGBTQI individuals from human rights violations globally.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill mandates the public publication of a list of foreign violators in the Federal Register. Does this give the federal government more power? — The bill expands federal authority to regulate entry into the U.S. based on foreign human rights records.
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Does this favour talking over confrontation abroad? — The bill uses diplomatic tools and visa restrictions to advocate for human rights abroad.
- 6/3/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 7/29/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 7/23/2025
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- 6/26/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
- 10 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
Tammy BaldwinDemocrat · Wisconsin
Cory BookerDemocrat · New Jersey
Ben LujánDemocrat · New Mexico
Edward MarkeyDemocrat · Massachusetts
Lisa MurkowskiRepublican · Alaska
Christopher MurphyDemocrat · Connecticut
Jeff MerkleyDemocrat · Oregon
Jacky RosenDemocrat · Nevada
Adam SchiffDemocrat · California
Brian SchatzDemocrat · Hawaii
Tina SmithDemocrat · Minnesota
Chris Van HollenDemocrat · Maryland
Ron WydenDemocrat · Oregon
Peter WelchDemocrat · Vermont