Girls Protection Act of 2011

Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Girls' Protection Act of 2011. This legislation addresses a topic that is difficult to talk about. It deals with the issue of female genital mutilation, FGM, a harmful cultural ritual with origins in Africa, Asia and the Middle East, that involves the removal of part or all of female genitalia.

FGM has no medical justification and is not based in religious beliefs. In fact, FGM, which is usually carried out on young girls sometime between infancy and fifteen years of age, can cause lifelong physical and psychological damage. The procedure is typically performed without an anesthetic and can cause bleeding, shock, infections and even death because of hemorrhage and unhygienic conditions. Lifelong health consequences include chronic infection, complications during pregnancy and labor, as well as severe pain during urination, menstruation, and sexual intercourse. This cruel procedure has been internationally recognized as a violation of the human rights of girls and women.

I first learned about FGM in 1994 when I read an article reporting the arrest of two men in Egypt who arranged for the filming of this appalling ritual procedure being performed on a ten year-old girl. Although this ritual is predominately practiced in various parts of Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, some ethnic communities in the United States continue to subject young girls to FGM. This compelled me to introduce legislation, which was enacted in 1996, that criminalizes the practice of FGM on girls under the age of 18 in the United States. The legislation I am introducing today seeks to strengthen this law by closing what is known as a ``vacation loophole'' by banning the act of transporting girls overseas to be subject to FGM.

While it is difficult to know precisely how many girls in the United States are at risk of being subject to FGM, estimates from various sources suggest that approximately 200,000 women living in the United States have been, or are at risk, of being subject to FGM. Enactment of The Girls Protection Act would help to better protect these girls by serving as a deterrent for those parents who are considering sending their young girls to their home countries to undergo FGM.

I am introducing The Girls' Protection Act today in honor of International Human Rights Defenders Day as well as the recognition of the Sixteen Days of Activism Against Gender Violence which occurs between November 25 and December 10 of each year. It is important to honor those individuals who are working, often under difficult circumstances and hostile social environments, for the advancement of women's health, dignity and human rights. The passage of this legislation would go a long way to support these efforts and to help end this degrading and inhumane practice.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Girls' Protection Act of 2011. This legislation addresses a topic that is difficult to talk about. It deals with the issue of female genital mutilation, FGM, a harmful cultural ritual with origins in Africa, Asia and the Middle East, that involves the removal of part or all of female genitalia.

FGM has no medical justification and is not based in religious beliefs. In fact, FGM, which is usually carried out on young girls sometime between infancy and fifteen years of age, can cause lifelong physical and psychological damage. The procedure is typically performed without an anesthetic and can cause bleeding, shock, infections and even death because of hemorrhage and unhygienic conditions. Lifelong health consequences include chronic infection, complications during pregnancy and labor, as well as severe pain during urination, menstruation, and sexual intercourse. This cruel procedure has been internationally recognized as a violation of the human rights of girls and women.

I first learned about FGM in 1994 when I read an article reporting the arrest of two men in Egypt who arranged for the filming of this appalling ritual procedure being performed on a ten year-old girl. Although this ritual is predominately practiced in various parts of Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, some ethnic communities in the United States continue to subject young girls to FGM. This compelled me to introduce legislation, which was enacted in 1996, that criminalizes the practice of FGM on girls under the age of 18 in the United States. The legislation I am introducing today seeks to strengthen this law by closing what is known as a ``vacation loophole'' by banning the act of transporting girls overseas to be subject to FGM.

While it is difficult to know precisely how many girls in the United States are at risk of being subject to FGM, estimates from various sources suggest that approximately 200,000 women living in the United States have been, or are at risk, of being subject to FGM. Enactment of The Girls Protection Act would help to better protect these girls by serving as a deterrent for those parents who are considering sending their young girls to their home countries to undergo FGM.

I am introducing The Girls' Protection Act today in honor of International Human Rights Defenders Day as well as the recognition of the Sixteen Days of Activism Against Gender Violence which occurs between November 25 and December 10 of each year. It is important to honor those individuals who are working, often under difficult circumstances and hostile social environments, for the advancement of women's health, dignity and human rights. The passage of this legislation would go a long way to support these efforts and to help end this degrading and inhumane practice.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.