U.S. Could Deny Visas to LGBT Rights Offenders

Rhode Island congressman David Cicilline has introduced a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives intended "to protect the basic human rights of the international LGBT community."

Called the Global Respect Act, Cicilline's bill instructs the State Department to deny U.S. entry visas to egregious violators of LGBT people's rights.

“The United States and the international community have a responsibility to condemn horrific acts of discrimination and targeted violence against all individuals, including egregious offenses based on sexual orientation and gender identity,” said the congressman in a statement issued after the bill's introduction Thursday. “The Global Respect Act will protect the rights of the LGBT community across the globe and uphold America’s commitment to defending basic human rights in all corners of the world.”

An aide to the out congressman told The Advocate that the legislation could likely be reconciled with a similar bill recently introduced by Massachusetts senator Ed Markey, perhaps combining to create comprehensive legislation aimed at improving the plights of LGBT people around the world. Speaking on background, the aide noted that Cicilline's bill, which has a growing list of (so far) all Democratic cosponsors, was already in the works long before Markey's bill was introduced in the Senate last week.

http://www.advocate.com/world/2014/06/20/us-could-deny-visas-lgbt-rights-offenders