WHAT THE LAW DOINCongress, in plain words

H.R. 6056 · 119th Congress

International Human Rights Defense Act of 2025

IntroducedInternational Affairs
IntroducedNov 17, 2025
Passed HouseNot yet
Passed SenateNot yet
To PresidentNot yet
Became lawNot yet

How this bill changes the law

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H.R. 6056 would change 2 sections of existing law, and would create 5 new provisions of its own. Read from the bill text as introduced in the House (Nov 17, 2025).

22 U.S.C. 2151n

22 U.S.C. 2304

New provisions of the bill's own

  • Sec. 2 Findings
  • Sec. 3 Statement of policy
  • Sec. 4 Special envoy for the human rights of LGBTQI+ people
  • Sec. 6 Implementation of the united states strategy to prevent and respond to criminalization, discrimination, and violence against LGBTQI+ people and communities internationally
  • Sec. 7 Definitions
What the words would change: every change, in place (5)

Today's wording of each part of the law, with what would be struck out and added. Each change also gives the bill's own instruction, word for word.

  1. 22 U.S.C. 2151n(d)(11)(C)changedby H.R. 6056 Sec. 5(a)

    (C) such other information related to the use by such government of individuals under the age of 18 as soldiers, as determined to be appropriate by the Secretary; and

    The bill says: in paragraph (11)(C), by striking "; and" and inserting a semicolon;

    Bill text · Current law (22 U.S.C. 2151n)

  2. 22 U.S.C. 2151n(d)(12)(C)(ii)changedby H.R. 6056 Sec. 5(a)

    (ii) what steps the government of each such country has taken to preserve the safety and independence of the media, and to ensure the prosecution of those individuals who attack or murder journalists.; and

    The bill says: in paragraph (12)(C)(ii), by striking the period at the end and inserting "; and"; and

    Bill text · Current law (22 U.S.C. 2151n)

  3. 22 U.S.C. 2151n(d)added (13)by H.R. 6056 Sec. 5(a)

    (13) wherever applicable, the nature and extent of criminalization, discrimination, and violence by state and non-state actors based on sexual orientation or gender identity, as those terms are defined in section 7 of the International Human Rights Defense Act of 2025, or sex characteristics, including an identification of those countries that have adopted laws or constitutional provisions that criminalize or discriminate based on such sexual orientation, gender identity, or sex characteristics, including descriptions of such laws and provisions.

    The bill says: by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

    Bill text · Current law (22 U.S.C. 2151n)

  4. 22 U.S.C. 2304renumberedby H.R. 6056 Sec. 5(a)

    The bill says: by redesignating the second subsection (i) (relating to child marriage status) as subsection (j); and

    Bill text · Current law (22 U.S.C. 2304)

  5. 22 U.S.C. 2304added (k)by H.R. 6056 Sec. 5(a)

    (k) Sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics.— The report required under subsection (b) shall include, wherever applicable, the nature and extent of criminalization, discrimination, and violence by state and non-state actors based on sexual orientation or gender identity, as those terms are defined in section 7 of the International Human Rights Defense Act of 2025, or sex characteristics, including an identification of those countries that have adopted laws or constitutional provisions that criminalize or discriminate based on such sexual orientation, gender identity, or sex characteristics, including descriptions of such laws and provisions.

    The bill says: by adding at the end the following new subsection:

    Bill text · Current law (22 U.S.C. 2304)

From the bill's official text on GovInfo and the U.S. Code, latest edition, which may not yet show changes made since.

What it does

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The Congressional Research Service hasn't published a summary of this bill yet. They usually follow within weeks of introduction.

Our plain-language breakdown, with what it means for you and the case for and against, is written once a bill starts to move.

What has happened

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  1. 2025-11-17Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.House floor actions
  2. 2025-11-17Introduced in HouseLibrary of Congress
  3. 2025-11-17Introduced in HouseLibrary of Congress

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Cosponsors

  • Pete Aguilar D-CA-33
  • Gabe Amo D-RI-1
  • Yassamin Ansari D-AZ-3
  • Jake Auchincloss D-MA-4
  • Becca Balint D-VT-At Large
  • Nanette Diaz Barragán D-CA-44
  • Joyce Beatty D-OH-3
  • Wesley Bell D-MO-1
  • Donald S. Beyer, Jr. D-VA-8
  • Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. D-GA-2
  • Suzanne Bonamici D-OR-1
  • Brendan F. Boyle D-PA-2
  • Julia Brownley D-CA-26
  • Salud O. Carbajal D-CA-24
  • André Carson D-IN-7
  • Troy A. Carter D-LA-2
  • Ed Case D-HI-1
  • Sean Casten D-IL-6
  • Kathy Castor D-FL-14
  • Joaquin Castro D-TX-20
  • Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick D-FL-20
  • Judy Chu D-CA-28
  • Emanuel Cleaver D-MO-5
  • Steve Cohen D-TN-9
  • J. Luis Correa D-CA-46
  • Jim Costa D-CA-21
  • Joe Courtney D-CT-2
  • Angie Craig D-MN-2
  • Jasmine Crockett D-TX-30
  • Jason Crow D-CO-6
  • Sharice Davids D-KS-3
  • Danny K. Davis D-IL-7
  • Madeleine Dean D-PA-4
  • Diana DeGette D-CO-1
  • Rosa L. DeLauro D-CT-3
  • Suzan K. DelBene D-WA-1
  • Christopher R. Deluzio D-PA-17
  • Mark DeSaulnier D-CA-10
  • Maxine Dexter D-OR-3
  • Debbie Dingell D-MI-6
  • Lloyd Doggett D-TX-37
  • Veronica Escobar D-TX-16
  • Adriano Espaillat D-NY-13
  • Lizzie Fletcher D-TX-7
  • Bill Foster D-IL-11
  • Valerie P. Foushee D-NC-4
  • Lois Frankel D-FL-22
  • Maxwell Frost D-FL-10
  • John Garamendi D-CA-8
  • Sylvia R. Garcia D-TX-29
  • Jesús G. "Chuy" García D-IL-4
  • Marie Gluesenkamp Perez D-WA-3
  • Jared F. Golden D-ME-2
  • Daniel S. Goldman D-NY-10
  • Jimmy Gomez D-CA-34
  • Josh Gottheimer D-NJ-5
  • Al Green D-TX-9
  • Adelita S. Grijalva D-AZ-7
  • Jahana Hayes D-CT-5
  • Pablo José Hernández D-PR-At Large
  • Steven Horsford D-NV-4
  • Chrissy Houlahan D-PA-6
  • Val T. Hoyle D-OR-4
  • Jared Huffman D-CA-2
  • Glenn Ivey D-MD-4
  • Sara Jacobs D-CA-51
  • Pramila Jayapal D-WA-7
  • Henry C. "Hank" Johnson, Jr. D-GA-4
  • Julie Johnson D-TX-32
  • Sydney Kamlager-Dove D-CA-37
  • Robin L. Kelly D-IL-2
  • Timothy M. Kennedy D-NY-26
  • Raja Krishnamoorthi D-IL-8
  • Rick Larsen D-WA-2
  • John B. Larson D-CT-1
  • George Latimer D-NY-16
  • Summer L. Lee D-PA-12
  • Mike Levin D-CA-49
  • Ted Lieu D-CA-36
  • Stephen F. Lynch D-MA-8
  • Seth Magaziner D-RI-2
  • John W. Mannion D-NY-22
  • Doris O. Matsui D-CA-7
  • Sarah McBride D-DE-At Large
  • Jennifer L. McClellan D-VA-4
  • Morgan McGarvey D-KY-3
  • James P. McGovern D-MA-2
  • LaMonica McIver D-NJ-10
  • Gregory W. Meeks D-NY-5
  • Analilia Mejia D-NJ-11
  • Robert Menendez D-NJ-8
  • Grace Meng D-NY-6
  • Dave Min D-CA-47
  • Joseph D. Morelle D-NY-25
  • Kelly Morrison D-MN-3
  • Jared Moskowitz D-FL-23
  • Seth Moulton D-MA-6
  • Frank J. Mrvan D-IN-1
  • Kevin Mullin D-CA-15
  • Jerrold Nadler D-NY-12
  • Richard E. Neal D-MA-1
  • Donald Norcross D-NJ-1
  • Eleanor Holmes Norton D-DC-At Large
  • Ilhan Omar D-MN-5
  • Frank Pallone, Jr. D-NJ-6
  • Jimmy Panetta D-CA-19
  • Chris Pappas D-NH-1
  • Nancy Pelosi D-CA-11
  • Scott H. Peters D-CA-50
  • Brittany Pettersen D-CO-7
  • Chellie Pingree D-ME-1
  • Mark Pocan D-WI-2
  • Ayanna Pressley D-MA-7
  • Mike Quigley D-IL-5
  • Delia C. Ramirez D-IL-3
  • Emily Randall D-WA-6
  • Jamie Raskin D-MD-8
  • Deborah K. Ross D-NC-2
  • Raul Ruiz D-CA-25
  • Patrick Ryan D-NY-18
  • Mary Gay Scanlon D-PA-5
  • Janice D. Schakowsky D-IL-9
  • Bradley Scott Schneider D-IL-10
  • Hillary J. Scholten D-MI-3
  • Rep. David Scott D-GA-13
  • Robert C. "Bobby" Scott D-VA-3
  • Terri A. Sewell D-AL-7
  • Lateefah Simon D-CA-12
  • Adam Smith D-WA-9
  • Eric Sorensen D-IL-17
  • Melanie A. Stansbury D-NM-1
  • Greg Stanton D-AZ-4
  • Haley M. Stevens D-MI-11
  • Marilyn Strickland D-WA-10
  • Suhas Subramanyam D-VA-10
  • Rep. Eric Swalwell D-CA-14
  • Emilia Strong Sykes D-OH-13
  • Mark Takano D-CA-39
  • Shri Thanedar D-MI-13
  • Dina Titus D-NV-1
  • Rashida Tlaib D-MI-12
  • Paul Tonko D-NY-20
  • Ritchie Torres D-NY-15
  • Lauren Underwood D-IL-14
  • Juan Vargas D-CA-52
  • Marc A. Veasey D-TX-33
  • Nydia M. Velázquez D-NY-7
  • Eugene Simon Vindman D-VA-7
  • James R. Walkinshaw D-VA-11
  • Debbie Wasserman Schultz D-FL-25
  • Maxine Waters D-CA-43
  • Bonnie Watson Coleman D-NJ-12
  • Nikema Williams D-GA-5
  • Frederica S. Wilson D-FL-24