Global Respect Act of 2025

The Global Respect Act of 2025 seeks to address the alarming trend of increasing violence and discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex (LGBTQI) individuals worldwide. It establishes a mechanism for the United States to hold foreign persons accountable for egregious human rights abuses targeting this community. The bill requires the President to identify and maintain a public list of foreign persons who engage in, are responsible for, or are complicit in specific human rights violations against individuals based on their actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity, or sex characteristics. These violations include torture, prolonged detention, enforced disappearance, and other flagrant denials of the right to life, liberty, or security. Foreign persons placed on this list will face significant consequences, including ineligibility for U.S. visas and admission into the United States. Furthermore, any existing U.S. visas held by these individuals will be revoked, and they will be removed from the country if present. The President retains the authority to waive these sanctions under specific circumstances, such as for national security interests or to comply with international obligations. Additionally, the legislation mandates annual reports to Congress detailing the implementation of the Act, including additions and removals from the sanctions list, and efforts to coordinate with other countries on similar sanctions. It also amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to require the inclusion of information on violence and discrimination affecting the fundamental freedoms of LGBTQI individuals in annual country human rights reports, and designates a senior State Department officer to track these issues.