[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 941 Introduced in House (IH)]







104th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 941

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

                           February 14, 1995

 Mrs. Schroeder (for herself, Miss Collins of Michigan, Mrs. Morella, 
 and Ms. Rivers) introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
 the Committee on the Judiciary and, in addition, to the Committee on 
Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in 
   each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the 
                jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 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 1995''.

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. INFORMATION AND EDUCATION REGARDING FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall 
do the following:
            (1) Compile data on the number of females living in the 
        United States who have been subjected to female genital 
        mutilation (whether in the United States or in their countries 
        of origin), including a specification of the number of girls 
        under the age of 18 who have been subjected to such mutilation.
            (2) Identify communities in the United States that practice 
        female genital mutilation, and design and carry out outreach 
        activities to educate individuals in the communities on the 
        physical and psychological health effects of such practice. 
        Such outreach activities shall be designed and implemented in 
        collaboration with representatives of the ethnic groups 
        practicing such mutilation and with representatives of 
        organizations with expertise in preventing such practice.
            (3) Develop recommendations for the education of students 
        of schools of medicine and osteopathic medicine regarding 
        female genital mutilation and complications arising from such 
        mutilation. Such recommendations shall be disseminated to such 
        schools.
    (b) Definition.--For purposes of this section, the term ``female 
genital mutilation'' means the removal or infibulation (or both) of the 
whole or part of the clitoris, the labia minor, or the labia major.

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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