H.R. 3243: Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act of 2025
Sponsor
Ted Lieu
Democrat · CA-36
Bill Progress
Latest Action · May 7, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
No one should profit from conversion therapy
Why it matters
H.R. 3243 targets paid services Congress says can contribute to depression, self-harm, family rejection, and suicide. It would create a nationwide ban on selling, advertising, or getting paid to help provide conversion therapy.
H.R. 3243 would make it unlawful to provide conversion therapy for money anywhere in the country. That includes services sold directly to a person and services bundled into another paid product or program.
The bill also blocks advertising that says conversion therapy can change sexual orientation or gender identity, reduce same-gender attraction, or is harmless. If someone knowingly helps run or facilitate the service for compensation, they can be covered too.
Enforcement would run through the Federal Trade Commission, with the U.S. attorney general and state attorneys general also able to bring civil cases. In practice, that means the bill would treat commercial conversion therapy like other allegedly deceptive or unlawful products sold to consumers.
The bill does draw a line around what it does not ban. It says counseling that does not seek to change sexual orientation or gender identity is outside the law, including support during gender transition and counseling focused on acceptance, coping, social support, identity exploration, or safer behavior.
H.R. 3243 Bill Summary
What H.R. 3243 actually does.
Paid conversion therapy becomes illegal nationwide
H.R. 3243 would ban providing conversion therapy when the provider is paid directly or through a paid product or service tied to it.
Ads promising to change you are banned
The bill would prohibit advertising that says conversion therapy can change sexual orientation or gender identity, reduce same-gender attraction, or is harmless or risk-free.
Paid middlemen can be liable too
People or organizations that knowingly assist or facilitate conversion therapy for compensation could also face enforcement, even if they are not the direct provider.
FTC gets the lead enforcement role
The Federal Trade Commission would be the main federal enforcer, with authority to use its consumer-protection tools and write implementing rules.
States can bring their own civil cases
State attorneys general could sue in federal court, alongside the U.S. attorney general, giving states a direct role in enforcement.
Supportive counseling stays outside the ban
The bill says it does not cover counseling that does not seek to change sexual orientation or gender identity, including support during gender transition and counseling centered on acceptance, coping, and identity exploration.
Who benefits from H.R. 3243?
LGBTQ people and gender-nonconforming people offered paid conversion therapy
If you are being sold a service that claims it can change who you are, H.R. 3243 would make that commercial offer unlawful nationwide.
Families deciding whether to pay for these services
The bill would block businesses from marketing conversion therapy as safe or effective, making it harder for families to be sold claims Congress says are unsupported and harmful.
Supportive therapists, counselors, and transition-related care providers
Providers offering acceptance-based counseling or assistance during gender transition are specifically carved out, as long as they are not trying to change a person's sexual orientation or gender identity.
State consumer-protection offices
State attorneys general would get clear authority to bring civil enforcement actions instead of relying only on state law or professional licensing boards.
Who is affected by H.R. 3243?
Businesses and practitioners selling conversion therapy
Anyone charging for conversion therapy could no longer legally provide it if H.R. 3243 became law.
Marketers, advertisers, and referral networks
Organizations promoting these services or helping route customers into them for compensation could face federal or state enforcement.
Federal and state enforcers
The FTC, the U.S. attorney general, and state attorneys general would all take on enforcement responsibilities, including investigations and civil lawsuits.
People seeking counseling on sexuality or gender identity
Supportive counseling would still be allowed, but paid services aimed at changing sexual orientation or gender identity would be treated differently under federal law.
HR3243 Legislative Journey
House: Committee Action
May 7, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
About the Sponsor
Ted Lieu
Democrat, California's 36th congressional district · 11 years in Congress
Committees: the Judiciary, Foreign Affairs
View full profile →
Cosponsors (146)
All 146 cosponsors are Democrats. Cosponsors represent 35 states: Alabama, Arizona, California, and 32 more.
Jerrold Nadler
Democrat · NY
Stephen Lynch
Democrat · MA
Linda Sánchez
Democrat · CA
Rashida Tlaib
Democrat · MI
Janice Schakowsky
Democrat · IL
Richard Neal
Democrat · MA
Gwen Moore
Democrat · WI
Greg Landsman
Democrat · OH
Morgan McGarvey
Democrat · KY
Yassamin Ansari
Democrat · AZ
David Scott
Democrat · GA
John Garamendi
Democrat · CA
Cosponsor Coverage Map
Committee Sponsors
Energy and Commerce Committee
19 of 54 committee members cosponsored
5 Democrats across this committee haven't cosponsored yet. Mobilize their constituents
H.R. 3243 Quick Facts
- Committee
- Energy and Commerce
- Chamber
- House
- Policy
- Commerce
- Introduced
- May 7, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
May 7, 2025
Official Sources
Official bill page with status, text, sponsors, and actions for the Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act of 2025.
The bill would be enforced primarily through the FTC’s consumer-protection authority.
Provides the core federal unfair-or-deceptive-practices framework that the bill would use for enforcement.
Relevant because the U.S. attorney general would also be able to bring civil enforcement actions under the bill.
The bill’s findings discuss risks including depression, self-harm, and suicide, making this official mental-health crisis resource relevant context.
Supports the bill’s discussion of mental-health harms associated with practices Congress describes as dangerous.
Official federal database for biomedical literature that can help readers locate research relevant to the bill’s findings about conversion therapy harms and lack of efficacy.
H.R. 3243 Common Questions
Would H.R. 3243 ban conversion therapy nationwide?
Yes — if money is involved. H.R. 3243 would make it illegal to provide conversion therapy for compensation anywhere in the country.
Does H.R. 3243 apply only to paid services?
Mostly yes. The bill is aimed at commercial conversion therapy, meaning the provider is paid directly or through a paid product or service connected to it.
Would ads for conversion therapy become illegal?
Yes. H.R. 3243 would ban ads claiming conversion therapy can change sexual orientation or gender identity, reduce same-gender attraction, or is harmless.
Could referral partners or paid helpers be sued under H.R. 3243?
Yes. If someone knowingly helps provide conversion therapy and gets paid in connection with it, the bill says they can be covered too.
Would gender transition counseling still be allowed?
Yes. H.R. 3243 says counseling for someone undergoing gender transition is excluded, as long as it is not trying to change the person's sexual orientation or gender identity.
Does the bill still allow supportive counseling and identity exploration?
Yes. Counseling focused on acceptance, coping, social support, identity exploration, or safer behavior is excluded if it is not trying to change sexual orientation or gender identity.
Who would enforce H.R. 3243?
The FTC would be the main enforcer. The U.S. attorney general and state attorneys general could also bring civil cases.
Can states bring their own lawsuits under H.R. 3243?
Yes, but they generally must notify the FTC first. If advance notice is not feasible, they must notify the FTC right after filing.
Based on H.R. 3243 bill text
H.R. 3243 Bill Text
“To prohibit commercial sexual orientation conversion therapy, and for other purposes.”
Source: U.S. Government Publishing Office
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