Advocates for Trans Equality Unveils 118th Congressional Champions List

[Washington, D.C.] - Today, Advocates for Trans Equality proudly announced the release of its inaugural Trans Equality Champions Report, recognizing the members of 118th Congress who have fought to protect and advance trans rights amidst a surge of federal legislative attacks.  
 
The Trans Equality Champions Report highlights the 118th Congress's intensified attacks on trans rights, tracking over 100 anti-trans bills introduced since January 2023. Key legislation includes bills targeting trans students, athletes, and healthcare access. The report stresses the harmful impact on trans youth and healthcare, while recognizing ally lawmakers' efforts to advance protective legislation. This report calls for the 119th Congress to pass crucial pro-equality bills like the Equality Act and the Do No Harm Act to safeguard transgender rights. 

“The 118th Congress introduced over 100 bills aimed at restricting gender-affirming care, erode anti-discrimination protections, and reverse pro-LGBTQI+ policies implemented by President Biden”, said Caius Willingham, Senior Policy Advocate at Advocates for Trans Equality. "We are deeply grateful to our Trans Equality Champions and allies for their unwavering support. Their leadership has been critical in countering the harmful wave of anti-trans legislation and we look forward to working together to continue advancing the rights and dignity of trans people in the 119th Congress." 
 
The House of Representatives introduced at least 73 anti-trans bills, passing 17. Some of the most damaging bills target transgender students and their families. The House passed the so-called “Parents Bill of Rights Act” (H.R.5), which would force schools to disclose a student's gender identity to guardians without their consent, risking the safety and well-being of trans youth. The House also passed the so-called “Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act” (H.R.734), which would ban transgender girls from participating in school sports. In the Senate, 32 harmful bills were introduced. Despite this, President Biden stood firm, vetoing measures like S.J.Res.32, which sought to roll back efforts to collect data on lending disparities by gender identity. 
 
In response to the introduction of these discriminatory bills, a group of courageous members of Congress have consistently fought to defend trans rights, introducing pro-LGBTQI+ bills and advocating for policies that ensure safety, dignity, and equal opportunity for trans people. 
 
Senate Congressional Champions 

• Senator Richard “Dick” Blumenthal (D-CT) 

• Senator Cory A. Booker (D-NJ) 

• Senator Laphonza R. Butler (D-CA) 

• Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD) 

• Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) 

• Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) 

• Senator Edward J. Markey (D-MA) 

• Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) 

• Senator Christopher Murphy (D-CT) 

• Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) 

• Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) 

House Congressional Champions 

• Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-CA-33) 

• Rep. Colin Z. Allred (D-X-32) 

• Rep. Gabe Amo (D-RI-01) 

• Rep. Becca Balint (D-VT-00) Co-Chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus 

• Rep. Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-CA-44) 

• Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-OH-03) 

• Rep. Ami Bera (D-CA-06) 

• Rep. Donald S. Beyer (D-VA-08) 

• Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE-00) 

• Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR-01) 

• Rep. Julia Brownley (D-CA-26) 

• Rep. Nikki Budzinksi (D-IL-13) 

• Rep. Salud O. Carbajal (D-CA-24) 

• Rep. André Carson (D-IN-07) 

• Rep. Greg Casar (D-TX-35) 

• Rep. Sean Casten (D-IL-06) 

• Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX-20) 

• Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA-28) 

• Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN-28) 

• Rep. James E. Clyburn (D-SC-06) 

• Rep. Gerald E. Connolly (D-VA-11) 

• Rep. Jim Costa (D-CA-31) 

• Rep. Angie Craig (D-MN-02) Co-Chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus 

• Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO-06) 

• Rep. Sharice Davids (D-KS-03) Co-Chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus 

• Rep. Danny K. Davis (D-IL-07) 

• Rep. Madeline Dean (D-PA-04) 

• Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro (D-CT-03) 

• Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA-10) 

• Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-TX-16) 

• Rep. Anna G. Eshoo (D-CA-16) 

• Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-NY-13) 

• Rep. Dwight Evans (D-PA-03) 

• Rep. Lizzie Fletcher (D-TX-07) 

• Rep. Valerie P. Foushee (D-NC-04) 

• Rep. Lois Frankel (D-FL-22) 

• Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-FL-10) 

• Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ-03) 

• Rep. John Garamendi (D-CA-08) 

• Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA-42) Co-Chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus 

• Rep. Sylvia R. Garcia (D-TX-29) 

• Rep. Daniel S. Goldman (D-NY-10) 

• Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-CA-34) 

• Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ-05) 

• Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ-07) 

• Rep. Jahana Hayes (D-CT-05) 

• Rep. James A. Himes (D-CT-04) 

• Rep. Steven Horsford (D-NV-04) 

• Rep. Jared Huffman (D-CA-02) 

• Rep. Glenn Ivey (D-MD-04) 

• Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-CA-51) 

• Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA-07) 

• Rep. Henry C. “Hank” Johnson (D-GA-04) 

• Rep. William R. Keating (D-MA-09) 

• Rep. Robin L. Kelly (D-IL-02) 

• Rep. Daniel T. Kildee (D-MI-08) 

• Rep. Derek Kilmer (D-WA-06) 

• Rep. Andy Kim (D-NJ-03) 

• Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-08) 

• Rep. Rick Larsen (D-WA-02) 

• Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA-12) 

• Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández (D-NM-03) 

• Rep. Mike Levin (D-CA-49) 

• Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA-36) 

• Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA-18) 

• Rep. Stephen F. Lynch (D-MA-08) 

• Rep. Seth Magaziner (D-RI-02) 

• Rep. Doris O. Matsui (D-CA-07) 

• Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN-04) 

• Rep. Morgan McGarvey (D-KY-03) 

• Rep. James P. McGovern (D-MA-02) 

• Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY-06) 

• Rep. Kweisi Mfume (D – MD-07) 

• Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY-12)  

• Rep. Grace F. Napolitano (D-CA-31) 

• Rep. Wiley Nickel (D-NC-13) 

• Rep. Donald Norcross (D-NJ-01) 

• Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC-00) 

• Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05) 

• Rep. Chris Pappas (D-NH-01) Co-Chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus 

• Rep. Scott H. Peters (D-CA-50) 

• Rep. Brittany Pettersen (D-CO-07) 

• Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-ME-01) 

• Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI-02) Chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus 

• Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA-47) 

• Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL-05) 

• Rep. Delia C. Ramirez (D-IL-03) 

• Rep. Raul Ruiz. M.D. (D-CA-25) 

• Rep. Patrick Ryan (D-NY-12) 

• Rep. Andrea Salinas (D-OR-06) 

• Rep. Linda T. Sánchez (D-CA-38) 

• Rep. John P. Sarbanes (D-MD-03) 

• Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA-05) 

• Rep. Janice D. Schakowsky (D-IL-09) 

• Rep. Adam B. Schiff (D-CA-30) 

• Rep. Bradley Scott Schneider (D-IL-10) 

• Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA-32) 

• Rep. Eric Sorensen (D-IL-17) Co-Chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus 

• Rep. Melanie Ann Stansbury (D – NM-01) 

• Rep. Greg Stanton (D-AZ-04) 

• Rep. Haley M. Stevens (D-MI-11) 

• Rep. Marilyn Strickland (D-WA-10) 

• Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA-14) 

• Rep. Emilia Strong Sykes (D-OH-13) 

• Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA-39) Co-Chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus 

• Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-MI-13) 

• Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-12) 

• Rep. Jill N. Tokuda (D-HI-02) 

• Rep. Paul Tonko (D-NY-20) 

• Rep. Norma J. Torres (D-CA-35) 

• Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY-15) Co-Chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus 

• Rep. Lori Trahan (D-MA-03)  

• Rep. David J. Trone (D-MD-06) 

• Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-IL-14) 

• Rep. Juan Vargas (D-CA-52) 

• Rep. Marc A. Veasey (D-TX-33) 

• Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY-07) 

• Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL-25) 

• Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA-43) 

• Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ-12) 

• Rep. Jennifer Wexton (D-VA-10) 

• Rep. Nikema Williams (D-GA-05) 

• Rep. Frederica S. Wilson (D-FL-24) 
   
   

As the 119th Congress approaches in January 2025, the fight for trans equality continues. Advocates for Trans Equality calls on Congress to pass the Equality Act and the Do No Harm Act, which would safeguard anti-discrimination protections and prevent the misuse of religious freedom laws to justify discrimination. 

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Advocates for Trans Equality (A4TE) is an organization that fights for the legal and political rights of transgender people in the United States. Introduced in July 2024 after the Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund and National Center for Trans Equality merged, A4TE is the largest trans-led advocacy organization in the U.S. and brings together experts, advocates, and communities to shift government and society toward an equitable future where trans people live joyful lives without barriers.