Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2025

Floor Speech

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Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of my amendment No. 44--which has been included in the En Bloc amendment--to help ensure that the U.S. remains focused on helping to end female genital mutilation around the world at a time when some countries are considering repealing existing bans.

Female genital mutilation (FGM) involves procedures that alter or injure the female genitalia for non-medical reasons and is recognized internationally as a violation of the human rights of girls and women.

As the person who led efforts to outlaw female genital mutilation in the State of Wisconsin, I am too keenly aware that this remains a pressing issue.

More than 200 million girls and women alive today have undergone female genital mutilation. And it is estimated that 4.4 million girls are at risk of experiencing this harmful practice this year alone.

This is a practice that has no health benefits but harms girls and women.

I share concerns that have been raised about the overall funding levels in this bill that have been so well articulated and the deep cuts to a range of programs that are vital to our Nation's interest and national security efforts.

I am also troubled by a number of policy riders that have been inserted into this bill. The bill defunds agencies like the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) that have been working to address female genital mutilation for years. Agencies like the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) that have also been engaged in helping to move the world towards the elimination of this practice. The Department of State has annually provided about $5 million to UNICEF to support a Joint Programme on the Elimination of Female Genital Mutilation.

While we have not yet eliminated the practice of FGM, our investments and those of our international partners have seen results. As noted by the UN, over the last three decades, the prevalence of FGM has declined globally.

It wasn't by accident.

It took hard work by dedicated partners at all levels from the international community to the local community working to reframe laws and attitudes.

But the work must continue.

For example, the parliament in The Gambia is considering repealing the FGM ban enacted in that country in 2015.

The repeal campaign began after the government dared to actually enforce the law a few years ago.

Overall, there is concern that if The Gambia repeals its law, this could inspire other countries to do likewise.

But more importantly, is what it would mean for the women and girls in Gambia, where some estimated that up to three-quarters of the women and girls have undergone the procedure.

In February of this year, when the world commemorated the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, our Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, ``FGM, in all forms, is a Human rights abuse that harms all women.''

We cannot rollback the U.S. commitment to ending this human rights abuse and that includes ensuring that we adequately fund these efforts.

Our commitment to eliminating FGM--working with international organizations, such as UNICEF and UNFPA, coUntries, survivors, and other stakeholders--will only go as deep as our resources take it. My amendment would send a message that we still think this is important even in a bill that makes harmful cuts across the board to development, diplomacy, and humanitarian assistance.

I urge support.

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