Menstrual Equity For All Act of 2025

Bill Number

H.R. 3644

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Health

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-05-29: Referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Financial Services, Energy and Commerce, Transportation and Infrastructure, Ways and Means, and the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Last Updated

2026-07-10T08:05:53Z

AI-Generated Summary

Summary of H.R. 3644: Menstrual Equity For All Act of 2025

Purpose

This legislation seeks to address "period poverty"—a lack of access to menstrual products like pads, tampons, cups, or underwear—by making these essentials more available and affordable, especially for low-income individuals, students, incarcerated people, and the homeless. It aims to improve health, education, and economic participation by ensuring free or low-cost access in key settings, while reducing related risks like infections or mental health issues.

Key Provisions

The bill includes findings on the impacts of period poverty (Sec. 2) and enacts targeted measures across education, justice, health, employment, and social services:

• Education (Secs. 3–4):
• Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to require schools receiving certain federal funds to provide free menstrual products to students.
• Establishes a competitive grant program ($5 million authorized annually) for at least four higher education institutions, with at least 50% going to community colleges. Grants support free product distribution in campus restrooms, wellness centers, and dorms; outreach; and assistance with public benefits. Priority goes to schools with high Pell Grant enrollment (federal aid for low-income students) and minority-serving institutions like historically Black colleges.

• Justice System (Sec. 5):
• Requires states receiving federal crime grants to certify annual free access to menstrual products for incarcerated people and detainees; no visitor bans due to product use. Non-compliance reduces state funding by 20%, with reallocation to compliant states.
• Mandates the Attorney General and Bureau of Prisons to ensure free access in federal facilities.
• Directs the Department of Homeland Security to provide free products to immigration detainees.

• Homeless Assistance (Sec. 6):
• Amends the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act to allow Emergency Food and Shelter Program funds for menstrual product distribution by nonprofits and local governments.

• Health Coverage (Sec. 7):
• Adds menstrual products to Medicaid (federal-state health program for low-income people) as a covered benefit, effective one year after enactment (with exceptions for states needing legislative changes).

• Workplace (Sec. 8):
• Amends the Occupational Safety and Health Act to require the Secretary of Labor to issue rules mandating employers with 100+ employees to provide free menstrual products.

• Federal Facilities (Sec. 9):
• Requires federal agencies and the Architect of the Capitol to stock free menstrual products in restrooms of public federal buildings open to visitors.

• Social Services Funding (Sec. 10):
• Increases Social Services Block Grant funding to $1.9 billion annually (2026–2029), with $200 million earmarked for states to distribute to eligible entities (governments, tribes, nonprofits) for free product programs, outreach, and integration with other aid like food or child health programs. Limits administrative costs to 9%; requires evaluation by 2031. Exempts funds from budget cuts (sequestration).

• Taxation (Sec. 11):
• Prohibits states and local governments from taxing retail sales of menstrual products, effective 120 days after enactment.

• Welfare Programs (Sec. 12):
• Authorizes $10 million annually under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program for competitive grants to states and localities to help low-income families buy menstrual products. Benefits don't count against other aid eligibility. Requires biennial evaluations of program effectiveness.

Throughout, "menstrual product" is defined consistently as items meeting industry standards for menstruation, including pads, tampons, liners, cups, discs, or underwear. The Secretary of Education must issue rules on the definition within one year.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Amendments to Major Acts: Expands the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, Higher Education Act, Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act, McKinney-Vento Act, Social Security Act (Medicaid and TANF), and Occupational Safety and Health Act to include menstrual products as essential items, shifting them from optional to required or funded elements.
• New Mandates and Funding: Introduces penalties for state non-compliance in justice grants; creates grant programs for higher education and TANF; boosts block grant funding with specific allocations; and bans sales taxes, overriding state revenue practices.
• Implementation Timelines: Varies by section (e.g., 180 days for state certifications, one year for Medicaid), with guidance and evaluations required from federal agencies like Education, Health and Human Services, and Justice.

Potential Impacts

• On Citizens: Improves access for millions, particularly low-income women, girls, minorities (e.g., Black, Latina, Indigenous), students, incarcerated individuals, homeless people, and welfare recipients. Could reduce health risks (e.g., infections from makeshift substitutes), school absences, job loss, and mental health issues like depression, promoting equity and participation in education and work.
• On Government Agencies: Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, Justice, Homeland Security, and Labor must develop rules, oversee grants, ensure compliance, and conduct evaluations, increasing administrative workload. States face funding cuts or boosts based on certification; federal buildings require stocking updates.
• On International Relations: No direct impacts mentioned, though immigration detainee provisions could indirectly affect U.S. detention practices for non-citizens.
• Broader Effects: May lower overall poverty cycles by addressing a basic need, but implementation costs could strain budgets without full funding offsets.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Individuals: Primarily those who menstruate with limited resources, including low-income families, students (K-12 and college), incarcerated/detained people, homeless individuals, Medicaid/TANF recipients, and employees at large firms.
• Institutions and Employers: Public schools, colleges (especially community and minority-serving), prisons/detention centers, federal buildings, and businesses with 100+ workers must provide products.
• Governments and Nonprofits: States, localities, tribes, and 501(c)(3) organizations receive or distribute new funds but must comply with reporting and certifications; federal agencies handle oversight.
• Communities: Disproportionately benefits marginalized groups (e.g., Black, Latina, immigrant households) facing higher period poverty rates.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Establishes menstrual products as a federally protected essential in specific contexts (e.g., schools, prisons), potentially leading to enforcement lawsuits for non-compliance. Tax ban limits state fiscal authority, enforceable via federal law but possibly challenged in court. Definitions ensure consistency but allow agency rulemaking for flexibility.
• Constitutional: Raises federalism concerns, as mandates on states (e.g., grant conditions, tax prohibitions) and private entities (e.g., employers) could be seen as overreach under the 10th Amendment (states' rights). No direct free speech, equal protection, or due process issues noted, but it advances gender equity under equal protection principles.
• Political: Promotes social justice by framing period poverty as a public health and equity issue, with bipartisan potential in health/education but controversy over costs, mandates, and state autonomy. Requires congressional appropriations for full effect; evaluations will inform future policy.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Meng, Grace [D-NY-6]

Cosponsors (75)

Rep. Balint, Becca [D-VT-At Large], Rep. Barragán, Nanette Diaz [D-CA-44], Rep. Beatty, Joyce [D-OH-3], Rep. Brown, Shontel M. [D-OH-11], Rep. Brownley, Julia [D-CA-26], Rep. Budzinski, Nikki [D-IL-13], Rep. Carson, André [D-IN-7], Rep. Casten, Sean [D-IL-6], Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick, Sheila [D-FL-20], Rep. Chu, Judy [D-CA-28], Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9], Rep. Crockett, Jasmine [D-TX-30], Rep. DelBene, Suzan K. [D-WA-1], Rep. Dingell, Debbie [D-MI-6], Rep. Doggett, Lloyd [D-TX-37], Rep. Escobar, Veronica [D-TX-16], Rep. Evans, Dwight [D-PA-3], Rep. Foushee, Valerie P. [D-NC-4], Rep. García, Jesús G. "Chuy" [D-IL-4], Rep. Garcia, Sylvia R. [D-TX-29], Rep. Goldman, Daniel S. [D-NY-10], Rep. Gomez, Jimmy [D-CA-34], Rep. Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5], Rep. Green, Al [D-TX-9], Rep. Hayes, Jahana [D-CT-5], Rep. Jacobs, Sara [D-CA-51], Rep. Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7], Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4], Rep. Kelly, Robin L. [D-IL-2], Rep. Latimer, George [D-NY-16], Rep. Lee, Summer L. [D-PA-12], Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-36], Rep. Lynch, Stephen F. [D-MA-8], Rep. McGarvey, Morgan [D-KY-3], Rep. McGovern, James P. [D-MA-2], Rep. McIver, LaMonica [D-NJ-10], Rep. Meeks, Gregory W. [D-NY-5], Rep. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ-8], Rep. Morelle, Joseph D. [D-NY-25], Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6], Rep. Mrvan, Frank J. [D-IN-1], Rep. Mullin, Kevin [D-CA-15], Rep. Nadler, Jerrold [D-NY-12], Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large], Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, Alexandria [D-NY-14], Rep. Pingree, Chellie [D-ME-1], Rep. Pocan, Mark [D-WI-2], Rep. Quigley, Mike [D-IL-5], Rep. Ramirez, Delia C. [D-IL-3], Rep. Scanlon, Mary Gay [D-PA-5] and 25 more

Recent Actions

• 2025-05-29: Referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Financial Services, Energy and Commerce, Transportation and Infrastructure, Ways and Means, and the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
• 2025-05-29: Referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Financial Services, Energy and Commerce, Transportation and Infrastructure, Ways and Means, and the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
• 2025-05-29: Referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Financial Services, Energy and Commerce, Transportation and Infrastructure, Ways and Means, and the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
• 2025-05-29: Referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Financial Services, Energy and Commerce, Transportation and Infrastructure, Ways and Means, and the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
• 2025-05-29: Referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Financial Services, Energy and Commerce, Transportation and Infrastructure, Ways and Means, and the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
• 2025-05-29: Referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Financial Services, Energy and Commerce, Transportation and Infrastructure, Ways and Means, and the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
• 2025-05-29: Referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Financial Services, Energy and Commerce, Transportation and Infrastructure, Ways and Means, and the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
• 2025-05-29: Introduced in House
• 2025-05-29: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Menstrual Equity For All Act of 2025 — issued 2025-05-29 — PDF (29 pages)

Related Bills

• H.R. 922 (119th Congress)