Jeff Merkley (D-OR)
A resolution recognizing September 20, 2025, as "National LGBTQ+ Servicemembers and Veterans Day".
A Democratic resolution with 17 Democratic cosponsors · See all 18 cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. (text: CR S6738)
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
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
- Scored +10
Would LGBTQ people be better off under this?
Specifically targets the recognition and restoration of rights and benefits for LGBTQ+ servicemembers and veterans.
- Scored +9
Does this expand the rights of LGBTQ people?
Recognizes a national day for LGBTQ+ servicemembers and urges the restoration of justice for those facing discrimination.
- Scored +8
Does this help veterans get medical care?
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. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would LGBTQ people be better off under this? — Specifically targets the recognition and restoration of rights and benefits for LGBTQ+ servicemembers and veterans. Would veterans be better off under this, taking everything together? — Focuses on improving healthcare access and benefits for a specific subset of the veteran population. Would people over 65 be better off under this? — Assists older veterans who were discharged under discriminatory policies in accessing benefits.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this expand the rights of LGBTQ people? — Recognizes a national day for LGBTQ+ servicemembers and urges the restoration of justice for those facing discrimination. Does this narrow the gap between how men and women are treated? — Advocates for the rights and healthcare of transgender individuals in the military and veteran community. Does this shorten or soften prison sentences? — Acknowledges the trauma of criminal charges for LGBTQ+ members and urges restoration of justice.
- Healthcare
- Does this help veterans get medical care? — Urges the VA to remove exclusions for gender-affirming surgery and provide full range of care for transgender veterans. Does this make health care easier to get in general? — Calls for expanded healthcare access specifically for transgender servicemembers, veterans, and their families.
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Does this increase the pay, pensions or support veterans receive? — Urges outreach to ensure LGBTQ+ veterans discharged based on sexual orientation or gender identity receive earned benefits.
- 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