[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 198 (Tuesday, December 5, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H9637-H9639]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
STOPPING ABUSIVE FEMALE EXPLOITATION ACT OF 2017
Mr. RUTHERFORD. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 3317) to amend title 18, United States Code, to increase the
penalty for female genital mutilation, and for other purposes, as
amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 3317
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 ``Stopping Abusive Female
Exploitation Act of 2017'' or the ``SAFE Act of 2017''.
SEC. 2. INCREASED PENALTY FOR FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION.
Section 116 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by
striking ``5 years'' each place it appears and inserting ``15
years''.
SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of Congress that States should have in
place laws that require health care professionals, teachers,
and other school employees to report to local law enforcement
agencies any instance of suspected female genital mutilation.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Florida (Mr. Rutherford) and the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson
Lee) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida.
General Leave
Mr. RUTHERFORD. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their
remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 3317, currently under
consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Florida?
There was no objection.
Mr. RUTHERFORD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, today I rise in strong support of H.R. 3317, the
Stopping Abusive Female Exploitation Act, or the SAFE Act.
This legislation increases the criminal penalty for female genitalia
mutilation of a minor from a maximum of 5 years to a maximum of 15
years. It also encourages States to adopt laws to require certain
professionals who work with children to report suspected mutilation
cases.
Female genitalia mutilation, or FGM, is internationally recognized as
a human rights violation for girls and women. It is an extreme form of
abuse against women and girls, often causing serious and permanent
health complications, including shock and death.
Across at least 30 countries, more than 200 million girls and women
alive today have been subjected to FGM and more than 3 million girls
are estimated to be at risk every year of being subjected to this
procedure even though it is outlawed in 42 countries.
Congress first passed legislation making this horrific practice
illegal in 1996. The Federal Prohibition of Female Genitalia Mutilation
Act made it illegal to perform FGM on girls younger than 18 years of
age in the United States.
In 2013, Congress passed another law, the Transport for Female
Genital Mutilation Act, which amended the 1996 legislation and made it
a crime to knowingly transport a girl out of the United States for the
purpose of FGM, yet the practice still continues. According to some
estimates, the number of girls who have undergone FGM has tripled over
the past 2 decades.
In 2017, after 20 years on the books, the first charges were filed
under the FGM statute against a doctor in Michigan who performed this
disfiguring assault on two 7-year-olds.
By increasing the criminal exposure for this crime, we send a message
that our country will not tolerate the mutilation of our young girls
and women and we will do what we can to prevent that.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Mr. Trott from the great State of
Michigan for introducing this legislation, and I urge my colleagues to
support it.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, let me thank the gentleman from Florida for managing
this bill along with the previous initiative, and let me thank Mrs.
Maloney and Mr. Trott for their leadership on this very important
legislation.
Protecting girls and young women from abuse and exploitation is vital
to the health of our communities. The Stopping Abusive Female
Exploitation Act is intended to amend 18 U.S.C. Section 116 by raising
the penalty such that the maximum penalty for the crime of genital
mutilation is 15 years.
{time} 1300
Given the abhorrent nature of this practice, States should have in
place laws that require healthcare professionals, school employees, and
other professionals who work with children to report any suspected
practice of female genital mutilation to the appropriate law
enforcement entity.
This legislation is important as a means for Congress to
appropriately punish those who commit this crime. Female genital
manipulation, cutting, is internationally recognized as a violation of
human rights of girls and women. It is currently a crime in 26 States,
including Michigan and Texas. It is also a Federal crime.
Around the world, at least five girls are mutilated, cut, every hour.
An estimated 100 million girls and 140 million women worldwide are
living with the consequences of FGM. Despite the fact that FGM has been
banned in the United States since 1996, people continue to engage in
this abusive practice.
Recently, Michigan was faced with the first Federal prosecution under
this statute, whereby a Michigan doctor was charged with performing
female genital mutilation on two girls that crossed State lines.
Because this intolerable practice has no medical benefits, it has no
place in our society, and those who commit these horrendous crimes
should be held accountable for their actions. I, therefore, ask support
for this bill and urge my colleagues to do the same.
[[Page H9638]]
Protecting girls and young women from abuse and exploitation is vital
to the health of our communities.
``The Stopping Abusive Female Exploitation Act of 2017'' is intended
to amend 18 U.S.C. Sec. 116 by increasing the maximum penalty for the
crime of female genital mutilation (FGM) from five years to fifteen.
Given the abhorrent nature of this practice, States should have in
place laws that require health care professionals, school employees and
other professionals that work with children, to report any suspected
practice of female genital mutilation, to the appropriate law
enforcement entity.
I support this legislation as a means for Congress to appropriately
punish those that commit this crime.
Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) is internationally
recognized as a violation of the human rights of girls and women. It is
currently a crime in 26 states, including Michigan and Texas. It is
also a federal crime.
Around the world, at least five girls are mutilated/cut every hour.
An estimated 100 million girls and 140 million women worldwide are
living with the consequences of FGM.
Despite the fact that FGM has been banned in the United States since
1996, people continue to engage in this abusive practice.
Recently, Michigan was faced with the first federal prosecution under
this statute, whereby, a Michigan doctor was charged with performing
female genital mutilation on two girls that crossed state-lines.
Because this intolerable practice has no medical benefits, it has no
place in our society and those who commit these horrendous crimes
should be held accountable for their actions.
I therefore, support this bill and urge my colleagues to do the same.
Mr. Speaker, we must do everything we can to protect victims,
particularly, the most vulnerable people in our society, our children.
This bill will certainly do that. Beyond serving as a deterrence for
many in our society that continue to engage in the practice of female
genital mutilation, this legislation will also provide a more
appropriate punishment for violation of the FGM statute, under 18
U.S.C. Sec. 116.
For all these reasons, I therefore, support this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. RUTHERFORD. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
Michigan (Mr. Trott), my good friend.
Mr. TROTT. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my friend from Florida for
managing this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3317, the SAFE Act,
legislation that will increase the Federal penalty for female genital
mutilation from 5 years to 15 years.
This past April, just north of Detroit, reports of this appalling and
brutal practice surfaced in my district. As a lifelong resident of
southeast Michigan, I was horrified to learn that three local
residents, including two physicians, professionals we trust with our
children, were charged for allegedly performing and participating in
this barbaric practice.
The subsequent Federal prosecution has shed light on an evil practice
that has no place in southeast Michigan or the United States. This
person who claims to be a physician is a monster and has reportedly
committed this heinous act hundreds of times.
This despicable practice has no place in our society, and we must
ensure our Federal laws reflect this principle. We must make it clear
to Americans and the rest of the world that this practice will not be
tolerated.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that over
500,000 girls in the United States have undergone or are at risk of
FGM. That is 500,000 girls too many. We must set a zero tolerance
against this practice. This is gender violence and oppression, and it
is time for the government to punish such egregious behavior
accordingly.
My bipartisan SAFE Act will increase the Federal penalty from 5 to 15
years, putting it more in line with other developed countries. We need
to protect our girls right here at home, and increasing the penalty
will go a long way toward accomplishing this goal.
I want to thank the coauthor of this bill, the gentlewoman from New
York (Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney), my friend and colleague, for her work.
I also want to thank Chairman Goodlatte for his effort and leadership
in moving this bill through the committee process.
Mr. Speaker, today we can step toward eradicating this barbaric
practice, and I urge my colleagues to support passage of H.R. 3317.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, it is certainly a pleasure to yield 2
minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Carolyn B.
Maloney), a good friend and a champion of these issues dealing with
vulnerable women, the original sponsor of this legislation along with
Mr. Trott.
Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good
friend, Sheila Jackson Lee, for her extraordinary leadership on this
issue and so many others, and I thank her for yielding to me.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3317, the Stopping
Abusive Female Exploitation, or SAFE, Act. It is a bipartisan,
noncontroversial issue; and I hope this body unanimously supports it,
as it will save the health and protection and stop the abuse of girls
in our country.
I am the Democratic lead on this bill and, first, want to thank my
friend and colleague from Michigan (Mr. Trott) for his devotion,
extraordinary leadership, and commitment to bringing this bill to the
floor.
Female genital mutilation is an issue that affects women and girls in
the United States and around the world.
I want to express my regret that he has decided to retire from this
body. We will miss his leadership in Congress. His district, I am sure,
and State will miss it, and, I must say, I believe our country will
miss it. It is one thing when a woman champions a woman's issue, but to
have a like-minded man join you and lead you is a very, very special
expression of leadership, and I am deeply grateful for the gentleman's
leadership on behalf of the girls and women that this bill will help.
Female genital mutilation is a terrible, abusive practice that causes
immense physical and emotional pain and damage to young girls that can
last a lifetime. It is a Federal crime. Twenty-two States have laws
against it, yet it is still being practiced in our great country.
It is illegal in the United States, and while we condemn this
practice around the world, we really need to do more to stop it right
here at home.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. I yield the gentlewoman an additional 1 minute.
Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. The CDC estimates that in 2012,
500,000 females in the United States have been subjected to or are at
risk of female genital mutilation, and that number is rising. It is up
to us to bring that number to zero.
This bill creates a harsher and more appropriate penalty, increasing
the current sentence of 5 years to 15 years imprisonment. Stricter
penalties for performing the procedure are critical to eradicating this
horrific abuse.
I not only thank my colleague, but also Chairman Goodlatte and
Ranking Member Nadler and our sponsors in the Senate, Senators
Feinstein and Grassley.
This is an important bill. I hope this entire body supports it. It
will literally save the lives of many young girls in our country.
Mr. RUTHERFORD. Mr. Speaker, I have no more speakers on this bill.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to yield 3 minutes to
the gentleman from New York (Mr. Nadler), the ranking member of the
House Judiciary Committee.
Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3317.
Unfortunately, this bill is needed to help protect young women and
girls from the horrible practice of female genital mutilation. H.R.
3317 would increase the maximum penalty from 5 years to 15 years for
female genital mutilation to appropriately punish those who commit this
horrible crime.
FGM, female genital mutilation, is internationally recognized as a
violation of the human rights of girls and young women. It is currently
a crime in 26 States, including New York, in addition to the
prohibition in the Federal criminal code.
Around the world, at least five girls are mutilated in this way every
single hour. An estimated 100 million girls and 140 million women
worldwide are living with the consequences of genital mutilation.
Despite the fact that female genital mutilation has been banned in
the United States since 1996, people continue to engage in this abusive
practice. Recently, the first prosecution
[[Page H9639]]
was initiated under the Federal statute. A doctor in Michigan was
charged with performing female genital mutilation on two girls who had
been brought across State lines for this purpose.
Those who commit these horrendous crimes should be held accountable
for their actions. I support increasing the maximum penalty under
Federal law from 5 to 15 years in order to reflect the severity of
these injuries and their long-lasting consequences and, perhaps, to
better deter these crimes. Therefore, I support this bill, and I urge
my colleagues to do the same.
Mr. RUTHERFORD. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Again, let me thank the gentleman from Florida for managing and
joining me in the managing of this legislation, and, again, I thank the
cosponsors.
Let me also express my appreciation to the gentleman from Michigan
(Mr. Trott) for his service to this Congress and, as well, for his
excellent bill that is on the floor.
I thank the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney), as
well, for her leadership on this legislation.
I think it is important to note that these are dastardly acts against
women and girls; and as I indicated, across the world, we are talking
about 140 million women and 100 million girls who have been subjected
to living with the consequences of the FGM. It was banned in the United
States since 1996, but we know this act still goes on. So we must do
everything we can to protect victims, particularly the most vulnerable
people in our society: our children.
This is not a mandatory minimum. This is upwards of 15 years. This is
a deserving penalty for a horrific crime. This bill will certainly do
that to try to protect these children here in the United States.
Beyond serving as a deterrent for many in our society who continue to
engage in the practice of female genital mutilation, this legislation
will also provide appropriate punishment for violation of the FGM
statute under 18 U.S.C. 116.
For all these reasons, I ask my colleagues to support this bill.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. RUTHERFORD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
I would first like to thank the gentlewoman from Texas for helping to
manage these two very important bills on the floor today.
I, too, want to congratulate Mrs. Maloney and Mr. Trott on H.R. 3317,
to ban this horrible procedure of FGM and really help to protect the
women and girls of the United States.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, the Stopping Abusive Female Exploitation,
or ``SAFE,'' Act addresses the internationally-recognized human rights
violation of female genital mutilation (FGM). The Center for Disease
Control estimates that approximately 500,000 women and girls in the US
have undergone the procedure or are at risk of having it inflicted upon
them, and it has only grown in prevalence over the last two decades.
FGM provides no health benefits for women and girls, and has long-
lasting and harmful physical and psychological consequences.
While FGM is rightly a federal crime under current law, the current
penalty is insufficient. It does not reflect the barbaric and medieval
nature of the crime; nor does it reflect the harm caused to these young
girls. That is why we are considering the SAFE Act today.
As a father and grandfather, I can think of no more important work
than protecting our children from those who seek to do them harm.
I commend Representative Dave Trott, an alumnus of this Committee,
and Representative Carolyn Maloney, for introducing the SAFE Act and
for their tireless efforts on behalf of FGM victims. I urge my
colleagues to support this important legislation.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Rutherford) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3317, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. RUTHERFORD. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.
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