May 13, 2025

Wyden, Merkley Co-Sponsor Legislation to Ban Conversion Therapy

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley (both D-Ore) today announced they are co-sponsoring legislation that would ban so-called “conversion therapy,” a practice fraudulently claiming to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. 

“Forcing Americans into sham therapy for a non-existent illness is medieval quackery, not modern science,” Wyden said. “This legislation protects the LGBTQ+ community from forced treatment for something that doesn’t need fixing.” 

“So-called ‘conversion therapy’ has been discredited by every mainstream medical association and is not legitimate medical care,” said Merkley. “It’s dangerous and ineffective, yet too many LGBTQ+ people are still being harmed by it. The Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act will protect LGBTQ+ Americans from this fraudulent and damaging practice.”

The Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act would ban a practice that has been recognized by the national community of professionals in health, education, social work, and counseling as both dangerous and ineffective.

In addition to Wyden and Merkley, the Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act was co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Catherine Cortez-Masto (D-Nev.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Kristen Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Angus King (D-Maine), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.),Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and led by Senators Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.).

Full text of the bill is here.