[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 79 (Thursday, May 21, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3245-S3246]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    SENATE RESOLUTION 184--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE THAT 
CONVERSION THERAPY, INCLUDING EFFORTS BY MENTAL HEALTH PRACTITIONERS TO 
CHANGE THE SEXUAL ORIENTATION, GENDER IDENTITY, OR GENDER EXPRESSION OF 
 AN INDIVIDUAL, IS DANGEROUS AND HARMFUL AND SHOULD BE PROHIBITED FROM 
                       BEING PRACTICED ON MINORS

  Mr. BOOKER (for himself, Mr. Brown, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Markey, Mr. 
Franken, Mr. Murphy, Mrs. Shaheen, Mrs. Gillibrand, Mr. Wyden, Mr. 
Whitehouse, Mr. Menendez, Ms. Warren, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Schumer, Mr. 
Heinrich, Mr. Merkley, Mrs. Boxer, Mr. Udall, Ms. Hirono, Ms. Stabenow, 
Mr. Peters, Mr. Casey, Mr. Schatz, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Cardin, and Mr. 
Durbin) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions:

                              S. Res. 184

       Whereas being lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or 
     gender nonconforming is not a disorder, disease, illness, 
     deficiency, or shortcoming;
       Whereas the development of all children and adolescents 
     into healthy and productive adults is a priority of the 
     United States and

[[Page S3246]]

     ending prejudice and injustice based on sexual orientation, 
     gender identity, and gender nonconformity is a human rights 
     issue;
       Whereas the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American 
     Counseling Association, the American Psychiatric Association, 
     the American Psychological Association, the American School 
     Counselor Association, the National Association of School 
     Psychologists, and the National Association of Social 
     Workers, together representing more than 480,000 health and 
     mental health professionals, have all taken the position that 
     homosexuality is not a mental disorder and thus is not 
     something that needs to be or can be ``cured'';
       Whereas the American Psychological Association, the 
     American Psychiatric Association, the National Association of 
     Social Workers, the American Counseling Association Governing 
     Council, and the American Psychoanalytic Association have not 
     found conversion therapy to be safe or effective;
       Whereas several States have enacted or are considering 
     legislation and other measures to prohibit conversion therapy 
     in children and adolescents; and
       Whereas enacted State legislation to prohibit conversion 
     therapy in children and adolescents has been upheld as 
     constitutional: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This resolution may be cited as the ``Stop Harming Our Kids 
     Resolution of 2015''.

     SEC. 2. SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING CONVERSION THERAPY 
                   DIRECTED AT MINORS.

       (a) Conversion Therapy Defined.--In this resolution, the 
     term ``conversion therapy''--
       (1) means any practice by a licensed, certified, or 
     registered mental health provider, health care provider, or 
     counselor that seeks or purports to impose change of the 
     sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression of 
     an individual, including reducing or eliminating sexual or 
     romantic attractions or feelings toward an individual of the 
     same gender and efforts to change behaviors, gender identity, 
     or gender expression; and
       (2) does not include counseling--
       (A) that--
       (i) provides acceptance, support, and understanding of an 
     individual;
       (ii) facilitates the coping, social support, and identity 
     exploration and development of an individual;
       (iii) provides developmentally appropriate counseling for 
     an individual undergoing gender transition; or
       (iv) provides sexual orientation- and gender identity-
     neutral interventions to prevent or address unlawful conduct 
     or unsafe sexual practices; and
       (B) that does not seek to change sexual orientation, gender 
     identity, or gender expression.
       (b) Sense of the Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate 
     that conversion therapy directed at minors is discredited and 
     ineffective, has no legitimate therapeutic purpose, and is 
     dangerous and harmful.
       (c) State Encouragement.--The Senate encourages each State 
     to take steps to protect minors from efforts that promote or 
     promise to change sexual orientation, gender identity, or 
     gender expression based on the premise that being lesbian, 
     gay, bisexual, transgender, or gender nonconforming is a 
     mental illness or developmental disorder that can or should 
     be cured.

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