[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3247 Introduced in House (IH)]

103d CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3247

To amend title 18, United States Code, to carry out certain obligations 
  of the United States under the International Covenant on Civil and 
 Political Rights by prohibiting the practice of female circumcision, 
                        and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 7, 1993

 Mrs. Schroeder (for herself and Miss Collins of Michigan) introduced 
the following bill; which was referred jointly to the Committees on the 
                   Judiciary and Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend title 18, United States Code, to carry out certain obligations 
  of the United States under the International Covenant on Civil and 
 Political Rights by prohibiting the practice of female circumcision, 
                        and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Federal Prohibition of Female 
Genital Mutilation Act of 1993''.

SEC. 2. TITLE 18 AMENDMENT.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 7 of title 18, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 116. Female genital mutilation
    ``(a) Except as provided in subsection (b), whoever knowingly 
circumcises, excises, or infibulates the whole or any part of the labia 
majora or labia minora or clitoris of another person who has not 
attained the age of 18 years shall be fined under this title or 
imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both.
    ``(b) A surgical operation is not a violation of this section if 
the operation is--
            ``(1) necessary to the health of the person on whom it is 
        performed, and is performed by a person licensed in the place 
        of its performance as a medical practitioner; or
            ``(2) performed on a person in labor or who has just given 
        birth and is performed for medical purposes connected with that 
        labor or birth by a person licensed in the place it is 
        performed as a medical practitioner, midwife, or person in 
        training to become such a practitioner or midwife.
    ``(c) In applying subsection (b)(1), no account shall be taken of 
the effect on the person on whom the operation is to be performed of 
any belief on the part of that or any other person that the operation 
is required as a matter of custom or ritual.
    ``(d) Whoever knowingly denies to any person medical care or 
services or otherwise discriminates against any person in the provision 
of medical care or services, because--
            ``(1) that person has undergone female circumcision, 
        excision, or infibulation; or
            ``(2) that person has requested that female circumcision, 
        excision, or infibulation be performed on any person;
shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, 
or both.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
chapter 7 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the 
end the following new item:

``116. Female genital mutilation.''.

SEC. 3. EDUCATION AND OUTREACH.

    The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall carry out 
appropriate education, preventive, and outreach activities in 
communities that traditionally practice female circumcision, excision, 
or infibulation, to inform people in those communities about the health 
risks and emotional trauma inflicted by those practices, and to inform 
them and the medical community about the provisions of section 2 of 
this Act.

SEC. 4. EFFECTIVE DATES.

    Section 3 of this Act shall take effect immediately, and the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services shall commence carrying it out 
not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
Section 2 of this Act shall take effect 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act.

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