119-hr922

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 922 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 922

 To provide targeted funding for States and other eligible entities 
 through the Social Services Block Grant program to increase the 
availability of menstrual products for individuals with limited access 
 to such products.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 February 4, 2025

 Mr. Casten (for himself, Ms. Meng, Ms. Stansbury, Ms. Velazquez, Ms. 
 Dean of Pennsylvania, Mrs. Cherfilus-McCormick, Ms. Norton, Ms. Moore 
 of Wisconsin, Ms. Sherrill, Mr. Grijalva, Mrs. Watson Coleman, Mr. 
Torres of New York, Mr. Meeks, Mr. Gottheimer, Mrs. McIver, Mr. Johnson 
 of Georgia, Mr. Tonko, Ms. Jayapal, Ms. Wasserman Schultz, Ms. Clarke 
 of New York, Ms. Tokuda, Mrs. Hayes, Mrs. McBath, Ms. Crockett, Ms. 
 Budzinski, Ms. Schakowsky, Ms. Lee of Pennsylvania, and Mr. Garcia of 
 Illinois) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
 Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on 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

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To provide targeted funding for States and other eligible entities 
 through the Social Services Block Grant program to increase the 
availability of menstrual products for individuals with limited access 
 to such products.

 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 ``Period PROUD (Providing Resources 
for Our Underserved and Disadvantaged) Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. TARGETED FUNDING FOR MENSTRUAL PRODUCTS THROUGH THE SOCIAL 
 SERVICES BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) Increase in Funding for Social Services Block Grant Program.--

    (1) In general.--The amount specified in subsection
            (c) of 
 

section 2003 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1397b) for 
 purposes of subsections

    (a) and

    (b) of such section is deemed 
 to be $1,900,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 through 
 2028, of which the amount equal to $200,000,000, reduced by the 
 amounts reserved under paragraph

    (2)
        (B) for each such fiscal 
 year, shall be obligated by States in accordance with 
 subsection

    (b) .

    (2) Appropriation.--
        (A) In general.--Out of any money in the Treasury 
 of the United States not otherwise appropriated, there 
 is appropriated $200,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
 2026 through 2029, to carry out this section.
        (B) Reservations.--
            (i) === Purposes ===
-The Secretary shall reserve, 
 from the amount appropriated under subparagraph
        (A) to carry out this section--
            (I) for each of fiscal years 2026 
 through 2029, not more than 2 percent 
 of the amount appropriated for the 
 fiscal year for purposes of entering 
 into an agreement with an eligible 
 entity described in subparagraph
            (C) to 
 assist in providing technical 
 assistance and training, to support 
 effective policy, practice, research, 
 and cross-system collaboration among 
 grantees and subgrantees, and to assist 
 in the administration of the program 
 described in this section; and
            (II) for fiscal year 2026, an 
 amount, not to exceed $2,000,000, for 
 purposes of conducting an evaluation 
 under subsection
            (d) .
            (ii) No state entitlement to reserved 
 funds.--The State entitlement under 

section 2002

    (a) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
 1397a

    (a) ) shall not apply to the amounts 
 reserved under clause
            (i) .
            (C) Eligible entity described.--An eligible entity 
 described in this subparagraph is a nonprofit 
 organization described in 

section 501
            (c) (3) of the 
 Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from taxation 
 under 

section 501

    (a) of such Code, that--
            (i) has experience in the area of community 
 distributions of basic need services, including 
 experience collecting, warehousing, and 
 distributing basic necessities such as 
 menstrual products;
            (ii) demonstrates competency to implement a 
 project, provide fiscal accountability, collect 
 data, and prepare reports and other necessary 
 documentation; and
            (iii) demonstrates a willingness to share 
 information with researchers, practitioners, 
 and other interested parties.

    (b) Rules Governing Use of Additional Funds.--

    (1) In general.--Funds are used in accordance with this 
 subsection if--
        (A) the State, in consultation with relevant 
 stakeholders, including agencies, professional 
 associations, and nonprofit organizations, distributes 
 the funds to eligible entities to--
            (i) decrease the unmet need for menstrual 
 products by low-income menstruating individuals 
 through--
            (I) the distribution of free 
 menstrual products;
            (II) community outreach to assist 
 in participation in existing menstrual 
 product distribution programs; or
            (III) improving access to menstrual 
 products among low-income individuals; 
 and
            (ii) increase the ability of communities 
 and low-income families in such communities to 
 provide for the need for menstrual products of 
 low-income adults;
        (B) the funds are used subject to the limitations 
 in 

section 2005 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
 1397d); and
            (C) the funds are used to supplement, and not 
 supplant funds that are or have been made available 
 from Federal, State, local, or philanthropic sources to 
 carry out subtitle A of title XX of such Act.

    (2) Allowable uses by eligible entities.--
        (A) In general.--An eligible entity receiving funds 
 made available under subsection

    (a) shall use the funds 
 for any of the following:
            (i) To pay for the purchase of menstrual 
 products by, and the distribution of menstrual 
 products among low-income individuals.
            (ii) To integrate activities carried out 
 under subparagraph
        (A) with other basic needs 
 assistance programs serving low-income 
 families, including the following:
            (I) Programs funded by the 
 temporary assistance for needy families 
 program under part A of title IV of the 
 Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et 
 seq.), including the State maintenance 
 of effort provisions of such program.
            (II) Programs designed to support 
 the health of eligible children, such 
 as the Children's Health Insurance 
 Program under title XXI of the Social 
 Security Act, the Medicaid program 
 under title XIX of such Act, or State 
 funded health care programs.
            (III) Programs funded through the 
 special supplemental nutrition program 
 for women, infants, and children under 
 

section 17 of the Child Nutrition Act 
 of 1966.
            (IV) Programs that offer early home 
 visiting services, including the 
 maternal, infant, and early childhood 
 home visiting program (including the 
 Tribal home visiting program) under 
 

section 511 of the Social Security Act 
 (42 U.S.C. 711).
            (iii) To provide training or technical 
 assistance in carrying out activities under 
 this section.
            (iv) To cover administrative costs.
        (B) Limitation on use of funds for administrative 
 costs.--An eligible entity receiving funds made 
 available under this section shall not use more than 9 
 percent of the funds for administrative costs incurred 
 pursuant to this section.
            (C) No limits on where menstrual products may be 
 distributed.--The Secretary may not limit the locations 
 at which menstrual products may be distributed pursuant 
 to this section.

    (3) Availability of funds.--
        (A) Funds distributed to eligible entities.--Funds 
 made available under subsection

    (a) that are 
 distributed to an eligible entity by a State for a 
 fiscal year may be expended by the eligible entity only 
 in such fiscal year or the succeeding fiscal year.
        (B) Evaluation.--Funds reserved under subsection

    (a)

    (2)
        (B)
            (i) 
            (II) to carry out the evaluation under 
 subsection
            (d) shall be available for expenditure 
 through September 30, 2028.

    (4) No effect on other programs.--Any assistance or 
 benefits received by a family through funds made available 
 under subsection

    (a) shall be disregarded for purposes of 
 determining the family's eligibility for, or amount of, 
 benefits under any other Federal needs-based programs.
            (c) Annual Reports.--

Section 2004 of the Social Security Act shall 
apply with respect to payments made to a State under this section in 
the same way it applies with respect to payments made to a State under 

section 2002 of such Act.
            (d) Evaluation.--The Secretary, in consultation with States and the 
eligible entities described in subsection

    (a)

    (2)
            (C) receiving funds 
made available under this section, shall--

    (1) not later than December 30, 2031, complete an 
 evaluation of the effectiveness of the assistance program 
 carried out pursuant to this section, such as the effect of 
 activities carried out under this Act on mitigating the health 
 risks of unmet menstrual products need among individuals in 
 low-income families;

    (2) not later than March 31, 2032, submit to the Committees 
 on Energy and Commerce and on Ways and Means of the House of 
 Representatives and the Committee on Finance of the Senate a 
 report on the results of the evaluation; and

    (3) not later than April 30, 2032, publish the results of 
 the evaluation on the internet website of the Department of 
 Health and Human Services.

    (e) Guidance.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall issue guidance regarding how 
the provisions of this section should be carried out, including 
information regarding eligible entities, allowable use of funds, and 
reporting requirements.

    (f) 

=== Definitions. ===
-In this section:

    (1) Menstrual products.--The term ``menstrual products'' 
 means menstrual cups, menstrual discs, menstrual underwear, and 
 sanitary napkins and tampons, that conform to applicable 
 industry standards.

    (2) Eligible entities.--The term ``eligible entity'' means 
 a State or local governmental entity, an Indian tribe or tribal 
 organization (as defined in 

section 4 of the Indian Self-
 Determination and Education Assistance Act), or a nonprofit 
 organization described in 

section 501
            (c) (3) of the Internal 
 Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from taxation under 

section 501

    (a) of such Code that--
        (A) has experience in the area of community 
 distributions of basic need services, including 
 experience collecting, warehousing, and distributing 
 basic necessities such as diapers, food, or menstrual 
 products;
        (B) demonstrates competency to implement a project, 
 provide fiscal accountability, collect data, and 
 prepare reports and other necessary documentation; and
            (C) demonstrates a willingness to share information 
 with researchers, practitioners, and other interested 
 parties.

    (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
 of Health and Human Services.

    (4) State.--The term ``State'' has the meaning given in 
 

section 1101

    (a)

    (1) of the Social Security Act for purposes of 
 title XX of such Act.

    (g) Limitation on Authorization of Appropriations.--For the 
administration of this section, there are authorized to be appropriated 
to the Secretary not more than $6,000,000 for fiscal years 2026 through 
2029.

    (h) Exemption From Sequestration.--Funds made available to carry 
out this section shall be exempt from reduction under any order issued 
under the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.
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