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 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.
