I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4475 
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 prod-
ucts. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 6, 2023 
Mr. CASTEN (for himself, Ms. MENG, Ms. SEWELL, Ms. VELA´ZQUEZ, Mr. 
MORELLE, Ms. CROCKETT, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Ms. NORTON, Mr. PAYNE, 
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin, Mr. GOTTHEIMER, 
Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Ms. BUDZINSKI, Ms. CLARKE of New York, and Mr. 
GARCI´A 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 jurisdic-
tion 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 Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Period PROUD (Pro-
viding Resources for Our Underserved and Disadvan-
taged) Act of 2023’’. 
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 sub-
section (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 2025 
through 2028, to carry out this section. 
(B) RESERVATIONS.— 
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(i) PURPOSES.—The Secretary shall 
reserve, from the amount appropriated 
under subparagraph (A) to carry out this 
section— 
(I) for each of fiscal years 2025 
through 2028, not more than 2 per-
cent of the amount appropriated for 
the fiscal year for purposes of enter-
ing into an agreement with an eligible 
entity described in subparagraph (C) 
to assist in providing technical assist-
ance 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 de-
scribed in this section; and 
(II) for fiscal year 2025, an 
amount, not to exceed $2,000,000, for 
purposes of conducting an evaluation 
under subsection (d). 
(ii) NO STATE ENTITLEMENT TO RE-
SERVED
FUNDS.—The State entitlement 
under section 2002(a) of the Social Secu-
rity Act (42 U.S.C. 1397a(a)) shall not 
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apply to the amounts reserved under clause 
(i). 
(C) ELIGIBLE ENTITY DESCRIBED.—An el-
igible 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 more than 1 
State in the area of community distribu-
tions of basic need services, including expe-
rience collecting, warehousing, and distrib-
uting basic necessities such as menstrual 
products; 
(ii) demonstrates competency to im-
plement a project, provide fiscal account-
ability, collect data, and prepare reports 
and other necessary documentation; and 
(iii) demonstrates a willingness to 
share information with researchers, practi-
tioners, and other interested parties. 
(b) RULES
GOVERNING
USE
OF
ADDITIONAL 
FUNDS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Funds are used in accord-
ance with this subsection if— 
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(A) the State, in consultation with relevant 
stakeholders, including agencies, professional 
associations, and nonprofit organizations, dis-
tributes the funds to eligible entities to— 
(i) decrease the unmet need for men-
strual products by low-income menstru-
ating individuals through— 
(I) the distribution of free men-
strual products; 
(II) community outreach to assist 
in participation in existing menstrual 
product distribution programs; or 
(III) improving access to men-
strual products among low-income in-
dividuals; and 
(ii) increase the ability of communities 
and low-income families in such commu-
nities to provide for the need for menstrual 
products of low-income adults; and 
(B) the funds are used subject to the limi-
tations in section 2005 of the Social Security 
Act (42 U.S.C. 1397d). 
(2) ALLOWABLE
USES
BY
ELIGIBLE
ENTI-
TIES.— 
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(A) IN GENERAL.—An eligible entity re-
ceiving funds made available under subsection 
(a) shall use the funds for any of the following: 
(i) To pay for the purchase and dis-
tribution of menstrual products among 
low-income individuals. 
(ii) To integrate activities carried out 
under subparagraph (A) with other basic 
needs assistance programs serving low-in-
come families, including the following: 
(I) Programs funded by the tem-
porary 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 sup-
port the health of eligible children, 
such as the Children’s Health Insur-
ance Program under title XXI of the 
Social Security Act, the Medicaid pro-
gram under title XIX of such Act, or 
State funded health care programs. 
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(III) Programs funded through 
the special supplemental nutrition 
program for women, infants, and chil-
dren 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 re-
ceiving funds made available under this section 
shall not use more than 9 percent of the funds 
for administrative costs incurred pursuant to 
this section. 
(3) AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.— 
(A) FUNDS
DISTRIBUTED
TO
ELIGIBLE 
ENTITIES.—Funds made available under sub-
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section (a) that are distributed to an eligible en-
tity by a State for a fiscal year may be ex-
pended 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 eval-
uation 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 sec-
tion, shall— 
(1) not later than December 30, 2030, complete 
an evaluation of the effectiveness of the assistance 
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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 fami-
lies; 
(2) not later than March 31, 2031, 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 re-
port on the results of the evaluation; and 
(3) not later than April 30, 2031, 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 eli-
gible entities, allowable use of funds, and reporting re-
quirements. 
(f) BEST PRACTICES.—The Secretary of Health and 
Human Services, in cooperation with the Secretary of 
Education, shall develop best practices for school officials 
to use in discussing menstruation with students, and shall 
publish this information on the internet website of the De-
partment of Health and Human Services. 
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(g) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) MENSTRUAL PRODUCTS.—The term ‘‘men-
strual 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 Edu-
cation Assistance Act), or a nonprofit organization 
described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Rev-
enue Code of 1986 and exempt from taxation under 
section 501(a) of such Code that— 
(A) has experience in the area of commu-
nity distributions of basic need services, includ-
ing experience collecting, warehousing, and dis-
tributing 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 
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(C) demonstrates a willingness to share in-
formation with researchers, practitioners, and 
other interested parties. 
(3) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ has the mean-
ing given in section 1101(a)(1) of the Social Secu-
rity Act for purposes of title XX of such Act. 
(h) LIMITATION ON AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIA-
TIONS.—For the administration of this section, there are 
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Health 
and Human Services not more than $6,000,000 for fiscal 
years 2025 through 2028. 
(i) 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. 
Æ 
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