Rep Lieu, Sen Murray And Sen Booker Reintroduce Conversion Therapy Ban

Press Release

WASHINGTON -- Today, Congressman Ted W. Lieu (D-Los Angeles County), Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and Senator Corey Booker (D-NJ) introduced the "Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act of 2021", which bans for-profit conversion therapy. The practice fraudulently seeks to change an individual's sexual orientation or gender identity based on bunk science and has been recognized by the national community of professionals in education, social work, health, and counseling as a dangerous and useless practice. Rep. Lieu authored the first ban on youth conversion therapy in the nation as a California State Senator and has introduced federal bans in the 114th, 115th, and 116th Congresses. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) introduced the Senate version today and have previously introduced federal bans in the 114th, 115th, and 116th Congresses.

Upon introduction, Rep. Lieu said:

"Conversion therapy is a harmful, fraudulent practice based on prejudice and fake science. People should be free to express their gender identity or sexual orientation, and should never be pressured into thinking they need to "cure' who they are. Conversion therapy inflicts immense harm on those subjected to it, and turns a profit for scammers posing as mental health professionals.

"I'm pleased that so many states have joined our movement to ban conversion therapy. I authored the first ban on youth conversion therapy when I was in the California State Senate because I was alarmed to learn that charlatans were allowed to pretend they were offering a legitimate service while in reality they were greatly harming our LGBTQ youth. Now it's time to end this scam in all states and pass a federal ban."

Upon introduction, Sen. Murray said:

"So-called 'conversion therapy' is based on the absolutely unacceptable, prejudiced idea that being a member of the LGBTQ community is an affliction requiring medical treatment--and it is deeply dangerous and a fraud, full stop," said Senator Patty Murray. "I'm proud to join Sen. Booker and Rep. Lieu in introducing this critical bill to help end these sham practices and the harm and pain they cause the LGBTQ community."

Upon introduction, Sen. Booker said:

"This idea of "conversion therapy' is simply abhorrent and has no place in our society," said Senator Booker. "It has continuously been discredited and proven to be a harmful practice that has been rejected by countless medical and mental health organizations for years. I am proud to reintroduce this legislation with Senator Murray and Representative Lieu that will make this practice unlawful and ban its use."

Additional House Cosponsors (75): Reps. Derek Kilmer; Raul Grijalva; Madeleine Dean; Peter Welch; John Yarmuth; Grace F. Napolitano; Eleanor Holmes Norton; Judy Chu; Bonnie Watson Coleman; Ritchie Torres; Mark Pocan; Cindy Axne; Jerrold Nadler; David Cicilline; Mark Takano; Katherine Clark; Peter DeFazio; Carolyn B. Maloney; Hakeem Jeffries; Suzan K. DelBene; Kim Schrier; Bill Foster; Ayanna Pressley; Joyce Beatty; Sylvia R. Garcia; Barbara Lee; Debbie Wasserman Schultz; Gerald E. Connolly; Lucille Roybal-Allard; Lois Frankel; Seth Moulton; Grace Meng; Henry C. "Hank" Johnson, Jr.; Diana DeGette; Karen Bass; Marie Newman; Julia Brownley; Thomas R. Suozzi; Jerry McNerney; Sean Casten; Ro Khanna; Mike Quigley; Chellie Pingree; Frederica S. Wilson; Jake Auchincloss; Kaiali'i Kahele; Ann Kirkpatrick; Ann McLane Kuster; Pete Aguilar; Kathy Manning; Al Green; Brian Higgins; Darren Soto; Betty McCollum; Elissa Slotkin; Nikema Williams; Chrissy Houlahan; Paul D. Tonko; Albio Sires; Sara Jacobs; Tom O'Halleran; Jahana Hayes; Lisa Blunt Rochester; David E. Price; Jim Costa; Brendan F. Boyle; Lauren Underwood; Suzanne Bonamici; Val Demings; James Langevin; Teresa Leger Fernandez; Bradley S. Schneider; Lizzie Fletcher; Daniel T. Kildee; and Rashida Tlaib.

Additional Senate Cosponsors (33): Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Tom Carper (D-DE), Bob Casey (D-PA), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ed Markey (D-MA), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (D-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), Tina Smith (D-MN), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

The Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act Is Endorsed By: Human Rights Campaign, Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) Action Fund, PFLAG National, American Psychological Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, National Center for Transgender Equality, Equality California, National Association of School Psychologists, National Association of Secondary School Principals, The Trevor Project, National Center for Lesbian Rights, Los Angeles LGBT Center, California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists.

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