Sheila Jackson Lee: “Let me, first of all, thank the ranking member, Congresswoman Barbara Lee, for her consistent, steady, and unrelenting…”

“Let me, first of all, thank the ranking member, Congresswoman Barbara Lee, for her consistent, steady, and unrelenting commitment to world affairs as well as to the peace and harmony of women around the world and humanitarian practices. That is why this amendment and this emphasis on FGMC is so important because other significant barriers to combating the practice of FGMC include the high concentration in Pacific regions associated with several cultural traditions that are not tied to any one religion, so it spreads all over. I emphasize to this body that girls as young as 14 who can make no determination are put upon by this process. According to UNICEF, FGMC is reported to occur in all parts of the world but is most prevalent in parts of Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. Due to the commonality of this practice, many migrants to the U.S. bring the practices of FGMC with them, increasing the importance of combating FGMC abroad. As I said, it happens in the United States. My amendment prioritizes funding for foreign assistance to combat female genital mutilation or cutting, an internationally recognized violation of the human rights of girls and women, so that it can finally come to an end. With the negatives of this Defense appropriation, let's do something positive with the State Department appropriations.…”