H.R. 6056: International Human Rights Defense Act of 2025
Sponsor
Robert Garcia
Democrat · CA-42
Bill Progress
Latest Action · Nov 17, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
H.R. 6056 makes LGBTQI+ rights a permanent priority
Why it matters
The bill's findings cite 64 countries that still criminalize same-sex relations, 12 countries with jurisdictions that can impose the death penalty, and at least 350 trans and gender-diverse killings in a recent 12-month period. H.R. 6056 would turn that concern into a permanent State Department job, required reporting, and new nondiscrimination rules for recipients of U.S. federal funding.
H.R. 6056 creates a permanent Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBTQI+ People at the State Department. Instead of relying on whether a president chooses to appoint someone, the office would exist in law and report to Congress on a set schedule.
The bill's findings make the case with global numbers. According to the bill, 64 countries criminalize same-sex relations, at least 42 United Nations member states have legal barriers to expression on sexual and gender diversity, and 12 countries have jurisdictions where the death penalty can be imposed for private, consensual same-sex sexual activity.
The bill also cites recent violence data. Its findings say at least 350 trans and gender-diverse people were killed between October 1, 2023, and September 30, 2024, with 73% of those killings in Latin America and the Caribbean and 30% in Brazil.
Beyond the envoy, H.R. 6056 would require annual U.S. human rights reports to specifically document criminalization, discrimination, and violence tied to sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics. That means these issues would have to be tracked every year instead of being covered inconsistently.
The bill also reaches organizations that receive U.S. federal funding. Contractors, grantees, and cooperative agreement recipients would have to adopt nondiscrimination policies that explicitly cover sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics.
It authorizes programs ranging from support for activists to training and capacity building for foreign law enforcement, courts, and health systems. But it does not set a dollar amount, so the real scale would depend on future appropriations and how agencies use existing funds.
H.R. 6056 Bill Summary
What H.R. 6056 actually does.
A permanent LGBTQI+ rights envoy at State
H.R. 6056 would create a standing Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBTQI+ People in the State Department. The president would appoint the envoy, and the role could carry ambassador rank with Senate confirmation.
Congress gets a briefing within 180 days
The envoy would have to brief key House and Senate committees within 180 days after the bill becomes law, then return for annual briefings after that. That creates a regular oversight schedule instead of ad hoc updates.
A global strategy every 2 years
The State Department would have 180 days to produce or update a global strategy on preventing and responding to criminalization and violence against LGBTQI+ people. After that, the strategy would have to be updated every 2 years.
Human rights reports must track anti-LGBTQI+ abuses
Annual U.S. human rights reports would have to include the nature and extent of criminalization, discrimination, and violence based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics. The bill's findings say that would cover issues affecting people in at least 64 countries with criminal bans.
Federal funding recipients would need clear nondiscrimination rules
Organizations receiving U.S. federal funding — including contractors, grantees, and cooperative agreement recipients — would need written nondiscrimination policies that explicitly include sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics.
Foreign assistance programs could back activists, health systems, and courts
The bill authorizes assistance programs, leadership development for international activists, health-sector work, and capacity building for foreign law enforcement and judicial systems. It does not, however, assign a specific funding total to those activities.
Who benefits from H.R. 6056?
LGBTQI+ people living under criminal bans
The bill's findings cite 64 countries that criminalize same-sex relations and 12 countries with jurisdictions that can impose the death penalty for private, consensual same-sex sexual activity. H.R. 6056 would make those conditions a standing focus of U.S. diplomacy and reporting.
Trans and gender-diverse people facing violence
The bill points to at least 350 killings in a recent 12-month period, including 73% in Latin America and the Caribbean. Required reporting and a recurring global strategy could push more sustained U.S. attention toward places the bill identifies as high-risk.
International activists and local nonprofits
Groups documenting abuses or helping targeted communities could benefit from leadership programs, health-sector support, and other assistance the bill authorizes. The measure is designed to make that support less dependent on short-term executive choices.
Congress and human-rights monitors
Lawmakers and watchdog groups would get scheduled briefings and annual reporting requirements instead of relying on whether an administration chooses to emphasize these issues. That makes it easier to compare conditions country by country over time.
Who is affected by H.R. 6056?
Federal contractors, grantees, and other funding recipients
If you receive U.S. federal funding, H.R. 6056 would require your organization to adopt nondiscrimination policies that explicitly cover sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics. That is a new compliance requirement tied to contracts, grants, and cooperative agreements.
The State Department
The department would need to stand up the envoy role in law, meet the 180-day deadlines, brief Congress every year, and keep a global strategy updated every 2 years. It would also need to fold this work into regular diplomatic and human-rights operations.
Agencies that prepare U.S. human rights reports
Officials compiling annual country reports would have to gather and publish more detailed information on criminalization, discrimination, and violence affecting LGBTQI+ people. That could require more consistent data collection across countries.
Foreign governments under U.S. scrutiny
Countries with anti-LGBTQI+ laws or documented violence would face more systematic mention in U.S. reporting and diplomacy. Some could also be drawn into U.S.-supported training or capacity-building programs in health, policing, or courts.
HR6056 Legislative Journey
House: Committee Action
Nov 17, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
About the Sponsor
Robert Garcia
Democrat, California's 42nd congressional district · 3 years in Congress
Committees: Oversight and Government Reform, Transportation and Infrastructure
View full profile →
Cosponsors (144)
All 144 cosponsors are Democrats. Cosponsors represent 36 states: Alabama, Arizona, California, and 33 more.
Sara Jacobs
Democrat · CA
Suzan DelBene
Democrat · WA
Scott Peters
Democrat · CA
Diana DeGette
Democrat · CO
Joaquin Castro
Democrat · TX
Doris Matsui
Democrat · CA
Rashida Tlaib
Democrat · MI
Chellie Pingree
Democrat · ME
Paul Tonko
Democrat · NY
Gabe Amo
Democrat · RI
Seth Magaziner
Democrat · RI
Sharice Davids
Democrat · KS
Cosponsor Coverage Map
Committee Sponsors
Foreign Affairs Committee
16 of 50 committee members cosponsored
6 Democrats across this committee haven't cosponsored yet. Mobilize their constituents
H.R. 6056 Quick Facts
- Committee
- Foreign Affairs
- Chamber
- House
- Policy
- International Affairs
- Introduced
- Nov 17, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Nov 17, 2025
Official Sources
Official bill page with status, text, actions, cosponsors, and committee referral for the International Human Rights Defense Act of 2025.
Official State Department office most directly related to the bill’s creation of a permanent Special Envoy for LGBTQI+ human rights.
These are the annual State Department human rights reports that the bill would require to include more explicit coverage of anti-LGBTQI+ criminalization, discrimination, and violence.
An example of recurring State Department country reporting to Congress, useful context for how mandated annual reporting structures work in foreign affairs.
Official federal grants portal relevant to the bill’s requirement that grantees and other funding recipients adopt specified nondiscrimination policies.
Official federal spending database useful for tracking grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts that could be affected if the bill’s nondiscrimination requirements became law.
USAID is a major foreign assistance agency and would be relevant to any international assistance, capacity-building, or civil-society support programs authorized by the bill.
Official GovInfo record for the introduced bill text, useful for readers who want the enrolled-style legislative text from the Government Publishing Office.
H.R. 6056 Common Questions
What does H.R. 6056 actually do?
It would create a permanent State Department envoy for LGBTQI+ human rights, require regular briefings to Congress, expand annual human-rights reporting, and require nondiscrimination policies for recipients of U.S. federal funding.
Does H.R. 6056 create a permanent LGBTQI+ envoy?
Yes. H.R. 6056 would put the Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBTQI+ People into law, so the office would not depend only on a president choosing to create or keep it.
How soon would Congress get a briefing?
Within 180 days after enactment, then every year after that. The bill also requires a global strategy within 180 days and updates every 2 years.
Would H.R. 6056 change annual U.S. human rights reports?
Yes. The bill would require those reports to specifically cover criminalization, discrimination, and violence based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics.
Would federal contractors and grantees have new rules?
Yes. If your organization receives U.S. federal funding, H.R. 6056 would require a nondiscrimination policy that explicitly includes sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics.
What statistics does the bill use to justify the policy?
The bill's findings cite 64 countries that criminalize same-sex relations, 12 countries with jurisdictions that can impose the death penalty, and at least 350 trans and gender-diverse killings in a recent 12-month period.
Does H.R. 6056 provide any money?
Not directly. The bill authorizes activities, but it does not name a specific dollar amount, so funding would depend on future appropriations or existing agency budgets.
What is the current status of H.R. 6056?
It was introduced in the House on November 17, 2025, and referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. It would need committee action, House passage, Senate passage, and the president's signature to become law.
Based on H.R. 6056 bill text
H.R. 6056 Bill Text
“To establish in the Department of State a Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBTQI+ Peoples, and for other purposes.”
Source: U.S. Government Publishing Office
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