Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) joined U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) to introduce the No Place for LGBTQ+ Hate Act, which will ensure that President Donald Trump’s executive orders targeting LGBTQ+ Americans have no force or effect, and will ensure that no federal funds are used to implement, administer, enforce, or carry out those executive orders. U.S. Representative Becca Balint (D-Vt.) introduced companion legislation in the House. The lawmakers’ bill comes as anti-LGBTQ+ hate continues to rise across the United States.
“As LGBTQ+ Americans continue to face increasing discrimination and violence, we must keep fighting to achieve equality for all,” said Bennet. “This bill will ensure that President Trump’s harmful executive orders cannot roll back hard-won protections for the LGBTQ+ community.”
“Freedom is the right to safely live as your authentic self without fear of harassment, discrimination, or violence,” said Merkley. “President Trump and Republicans are attacking our LGBTQ+ neighbors, friends, and family members by rubberstamping discrimination in every aspect of daily life. As we mark Pride Month this year, we say ‘hell no’ to this hate and honor those who have fought for LGBTQ+ equality by never giving up on the vision of America as a land of freedom for all.”
“Trump cannot take away our rights or our health care just with the stroke of a pen. I’m standing with Senator Merkley and my colleagues to show the Trump administration that their hate and dehumanizing rhetoric targeting queer Americans doesn’t intimidate us. We won’t back down when it comes to protecting our rights. No matter how much they try to erase us and our history, LGBTQI+ people are valued members of every community across this country,” said Balint.
The No Place for LGBTQ+ Hate Act takes aim at the Trump Administration’s anti-LGBTQ+ executive orders, including:
- The Day One executive order to mandate discrimination against transgender, non-binary, intersex, and gender non-conforming individuals;
- An executive order to reinstate and expand the transgender military ban;
- An executive order to prevent medically necessary health care from being provided to transgender youth;
- An executive order to prohibit transgender students from participating in school sports; and
- An executive order requiring schools to deny the existence of transgender people.
Bennet is an ardent supporter of the LGBTQ+ community. In June 2023, Bennet and 49 of his colleagues reintroduced the Equality Act, which bans discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in housing, education, employment, public accommodations, federal funding, and more. In April 2025, Bennet reintroduced a resolution to designate March 26, 2025 as “Clela Rorex Day” in honor of Clela Rorex, the Boulder County Clerk who issued the first marriage license to a same-sex couple. In June 2020, Bennet spoke on the Senate floor to urge his colleagues to support the Respect for Marriage Act to protect marriage equality. In December 2022, Bennet joined President Biden at the White House for its signing.
This bill is endorsed by the Human Rights Campaign, Advocates for Trans Equality, ACLU, National Women’s Law Center Action Fund, Reproductive Freedom for All, and Planned Parenthood.
In addition to Bennet and Merkley, U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) cosponsored the bill.
The text of the bill is available HERE.