House lawmakers voted narrowly on Tuesday to create an education and outreach program aimed at stopping “female genital mutilation” in immigrant communities but stopped short of giving prosecutors additional tools against the practice.

After a lengthy and emotional debate, the House voted 76-71 against creating a new crime of “female genital mutilation” – on top of existing federal and state prohibitions – for a procedure estimated by the United Nations to have been performed on at least 200 million girls and women in 30 countries.

Maine House Narrowly Rejects Bill to Create Crime of ‘Female Genital Mutilation’ – The Press Herald