119-hr4395

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4395 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 4395

To provide for research and education with respect to uterine fibroids, 
 and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 July 15, 2025

Ms. Clarke of New York (for herself, Ms. Brown, Ms. Kelly of Illinois, 
 Mrs. Watson Coleman, Mr. David Scott of Georgia, Ms. Sewell, Mrs. 
 Foushee, Ms. Norton, Ms. McClellan, Ms. Velazquez, Mr. Fields, Mrs. 
 Dingell, Ms. Tlaib, Mrs. Trahan, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Mr. Peters, 
 Mr. Frost, Ms. Ansari, Mr. Thanedar, Ms. Castor of Florida, Mr. 
Thompson of Mississippi, Mr. Krishnamoorthi, Ms. Salinas, Mrs. McIver, 
 Mr. Carter of Louisiana, Ms. Meng, Ms. Wilson of Florida, Ms. Lee of 
Pennsylvania, Ms. Simon, Ms. Wasserman Schultz, Mr. Takano, Ms. Craig, 
Mr. Figures, Ms. Adams, Mr. Khanna, Mr. Meeks, Ms. Underwood, Mr. Green 
 of Texas, Ms. Tokuda, Ms. Rivas, and Mr. Mannion) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 
 Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

To provide for research and education with respect to uterine fibroids, 
 and for other purposes.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Stephanie Tubbs Jones Uterine 
Fibroid Research and Education Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

 Congress finds as follows:

    (1) It is estimated that 20 percent to 50 percent of women 
 of reproductive age currently have uterine fibroids, and up to 
 77 percent of women will develop fibroids before menopause.

    (2) In the United States, an estimated 26,000,000 women 
 between the ages of 15 and 50 have uterine fibroids, and 
 approximately 15,000,000 of these individuals experience 
 symptoms. Uterine fibroids may cause significant morbidity 
 through their presence in the uterus and pelvic cavity, and 
 symptoms can include pelvic pain, severe menstrual bleeding, 
 iron-deficiency anemia, fatigue, bladder or bowel dysfunction, 
 infertility, and pregnancy complications and loss.

    (3) The pain, discomfort, stress, and other physical and 
 emotional symptoms of living with fibroids may significantly 
 interfere with a woman's quality of life, compromising her 
 ability to function normally or work or care for her family, 
 and may lead to more severe health and wellness issues.

    (4) Most women will experience uterine fibroids by the age 
 of 50, yet few data exist describing the overall patient 
 experience with fibroids.

    (5) Many people with fibroids are likely undiagnosed. 
 Patients wait on average 3.6 years before seeking treatment, 
 and over 40 percent of patients see two or more health care 
 providers prior to receiving a diagnosis, underscoring the need 
 for improved awareness and education.

    (6) People of color are more likely to develop uterine 
 fibroids. It is estimated that more than 80 percent of Black 
 women and about 70 percent of White women develop fibroids by 
 the time they reach menopause. Black individuals with fibroids 
 have also been shown to have more severe symptoms and develop 
 early-onset uterine fibroids that develop into larger tumors.

    (7) Current research and available data do not provide 
 adequate information on the prevalence and incidence of 
 fibroids in Asian, Hispanic, and Black individuals.

    (8) Symptomatic uterine fibroids can cause reproductive 
 problems, including infertility. People with uterine fibroids 
 are much more likely to miscarry during early pregnancy than 
 people without them.

    (9) According to the Evidence Report Summary on the 
 Management of Uterine Fibroids, as compiled by the Agency for 
 Healthcare Research and Quality of the Department of Health and 
 Human Services, there is a ``remarkable lack of high-quality 
 evidence supporting the effectiveness of most interventions for 
 symptomatic fibroids''.

    (10) Most medical options for managing fibroid symptoms 
 regulate or suppress menstruation and prevent pregnancy. There 
 is a great need for minimally invasive, fertility-friendly 
 therapies, as well as biomarkers, imaging assessments, or risk-
 based algorithms that can help predict patient response to 
 therapy.

    (11) The presence of symptomatic uterine fibroids is the 
 most common reason for hysterectomies, accounting for 39 
 percent of hysterectomies annually in the United States. 
 Approximately 42 per 1,000 women are hospitalized annually 
 because of uterine fibroids, but Black patients have higher 
 rates of hospitalization, hysterectomies, and myomectomies 
 compared to White women. Uterine fibroids are also the leading 
 cause of hospitalization related to a gynecological disorder.

    (12) The personal and societal costs of uterine fibroids in 
 the United States are significant. Uterine fibroid tumors have 
 been estimated to cost the United States $5,900,000,000 to 
 $34,400,000,000 annually. The annual direct costs, including 
 surgery, hospital admissions, outpatient visits, and 
 medications, were estimated at $4,100,000,000 to $9,400,000,000 
 annually. Estimated lost work-hour costs ranged from 
 $1,550,000,000 to $17,200,000,000 annually. Obstetric outcomes 
 that were attributed to fibroid tumors resulted in costs of 
 $238,000,000 to $7,760,000,000 annually.

    (13) At the Federal level, uterine fibroid research remains 
 drastically underfunded as compared to patient disease burden. 
 In 2019, fibroid research received about $17,000,000 in funding 
 from the National Institutes of Health, putting it in the 
 bottom 50 of 292 funded conditions.

SEC. 3. RESEARCH WITH RESPECT TO UTERINE FIBROIDS.

    (a) Research.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services (referred 
to in this Act as the ``Secretary'') shall expand, intensify, and 
coordinate programs for the conduct and support of research with 
respect to uterine fibroids.

    (b) Administration and Coordination.--The Secretary shall carry out 
the conduct and support of research pursuant to subsection

    (a) , in 
coordination with the appropriate institutes, offices, and centers of 
the National Institutes of Health and any other relevant Federal 
agency, as determined by the Director of the National Institutes of 
Health.
            (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--For the purpose of carrying 
out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated $30,000,000 
for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030.

SEC. 4. RESEARCH WITH RESPECT TO MEDICAID COVERAGE OF UTERINE FIBROIDS 
 TREATMENT.

    (a) Research.--The Secretary (or the Secretary's designee) shall 
establish a research database, or expand an existing research database, 
to collect data on services furnished to individuals diagnosed with 
uterine fibroids under a State plan (or a waiver of such a plan) under 
the Medicaid program under title XIX of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 1396 et seq.) or under a State child health plan (or a waiver of 
such a plan) under the Children's Health Insurance Program under title 
XXI of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1397aa et seq.) for the treatment of such 
fibroids for purposes of assessing the frequency at which such 
individuals are furnished such services.

    (b) Report.--

    (1) In general.--Not later than the date that is two years 
 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
 shall submit to Congress a report on the amount of Federal and 
 State expenditures with respect to services furnished for the 
 treatment of uterine fibroids under State plans (or waivers of 
 such plans) under the Medicaid program under such title XIX and 
 State child health plans (or waivers of such plans) under the 
 Children's Health Insurance Program under such title XXI.

    (2) Coordination.--The Secretary shall coordinate the 
 development and submission of the report required under 
 paragraph

    (1) with any other relevant Federal agency, as 
 determined by the Secretary.

SEC. 5. EDUCATION AND DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION WITH RESPECT TO 
 UTERINE FIBROIDS.

    (a) Uterine Fibroids Public Education Program.--The Secretary shall 
develop and disseminate to the public information regarding uterine 
fibroids, including information on--

    (1) the awareness, incidence, and prevalence of uterine 
 fibroids among individuals, including all minority individuals;

    (2) the elevated risk for minority individuals to develop 
 uterine fibroids; and

    (3) the availability, as medically appropriate, of the 
 range of treatment options for symptomatic uterine fibroids, 
 including non-hysterectomy treatments and procedures.

    (b) Dissemination of Information.--The Secretary may disseminate 
information under subsection

    (a) directly or through arrangements with 
intra-agency initiatives, nonprofit organizations, consumer groups, 
institutions of higher education (as defined in 

section 101 of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)), or Federal, State, or 
local public private partnerships.
            (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--For the purpose of carrying 
out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as 
may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030.

SEC. 6. INFORMATION TO HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS WITH RESPECT TO UTERINE 
 FIBROIDS.

    (a) Dissemination of Information.--The Secretary shall, in 
consultation and in accordance with guidelines from relevant medical 
societies, work with health care-related specialty societies and health 
systems to promote evidence-based care for individuals with fibroids. 
Such efforts shall include minority individuals who have an elevated 
risk to develop uterine fibroids and the range of available options for 
the treatment of symptomatic uterine fibroids, including non-
hysterectomy drugs and devices approved under the Federal Food, Drug, 
and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 301 et seq.).

    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--For the purpose of carrying 
out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as 
may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 2026 through 2030.

SEC. 7. DEFINITION.

 In this Act, the term ``minority individuals'' means individuals 
who are members of a racial and ethnic minority group, as defined in 

section 1707

    (g) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300u-6

    (g) ).
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