Civil Rights and Social Justice
Madeleine Troup, of Houston, wipes tears of joy away Friday after the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriages nationwide. (Photo By Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)
Except for some reporters and cameras on the East Front, the Capitol grounds were fairly quiet Friday morning, standing in stark contrast to the electric crowds across the street.
Today, in Michael Ferguson v. JONAH – a case brought by the Southern Poverty Law Center in New Jersey Superior Court against practitioners of so-called “conversion therapy” – the jury found that the defendants providing this dangerous and discredited anti-LGBT practice are guilty of fraud under New Jersey’s consumer protection laws. HRC praised the decision as an important legal victory.
WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman Ted W. Lieu (D | Los Angeles) released the following statement on the Supreme Court’s ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges. The court has ruled in favor of marriage equality. Congressman Lieu serves as a Vice Chair of the House LGBT Equality Caucus and joined 167 Representatives and 44 Senators in filing an amicus curiae brief for this case in support of marriage equality.
WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman Ted W. Lieu (D | Los Angeles) released the following statement on this afternoon’s jury decision in Ferguson v. Jews Offering New Opportunities for Healing (JONAH), a landmark lawsuit alleging that so-called “conversion therapy” is fraud. In a unanimous verdict, the jury found that JONAH violated New Jersey consumer protection laws by offering conversion therapy services and claiming they could change their clients’ sexual orientation.
WASHINGTON - Yesterday, Congressman Ted W. Lieu (D | Los Angeles)’s amendment to H.R. 2578, the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016 was adopted by voice vote. The federal government’s Cannabis Eradication/Suppression Program is funded out of the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA)’s Salaries and Expenses Account. Last year, $18 million was used for marijuana eradication/suppression.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 19, 2015
CONTACT: Jack d’Annibale | 202-330-1613
Today, Congressman Lieu discussed the Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act, the first federal bill to stop conversion therapy, on KNX 1070 News Radio in Los Angeles. Click here to listen to the interview.
WASHINGTON — On Tuesday morning, Democratic Rep. Ted Lieu of California will introduce a federal bill to ban commercial efforts to change people’s sexual orientation or gender identity — often called conversion therapy.
“The public views conversion therapy as quackery, as something that harms people,” Lieu told BuzzFeed News on Monday afternoon, just after landing back in D.C. from California. “Eventually, I believe Congress will catch up to that, but you do need to start somewhere, so that’s why we’re introducing this legislation.”
WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Tuesday, May 19, Congressman Ted W. Lieu (D-Los Angeles) will introduce the first federal ban on so-called “conversion therapy”. Conversion therapy, which seeks to change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity, is a dangerous but often overlooked form of discrimination against LGBT Americans.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 13, 2015
CONTACT: Jack d’Annibale | 202-330-1613