Period PROUD (Providing Resources for Our Underserved and Disadvantaged) Act of 2022
Bill: H.R.9504 | Sponsor: Rep. Casten, Sean (D-IL)
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Period PROUD (Providing Resources for Our Underserved and Disadvantaged) Act of 2022
This bill provides additional funding through FY2027 for the Social Services Block Grant to support the provision of menstrual products (e.g., menstrual cups and underwear, sanitary napkins, and tampons) to low-income individuals. (This grant is a flexible funding stream used by states and territories to support a wide range of social services.)
The bill also exempts the additional funds from sequestration. Sequestration is a process of automatic, across-the-board reductions under which budgetary resources are permanently cancelled to enforce specific budget policy goals.

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 2022''.

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 2024 through 
        2027, 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 
                2024 through 2027, 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 2024 
                                through 2027, 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 2024, 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 more than 1 State 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; and
                    (B) the funds are used subject to the limitations 
                in section 2005 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
                1397d).
            (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 and 
                        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.
            (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, the 
eligible entities described in subsection (a)(2)(C) receiving funds 
made available under this section, shall--
            (1) not later than December 30, 2030, 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, 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 
        report 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 eligible entities, allowable use of funds, and 
reporting requirements.
    (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 Department of Health and Human Services.
    (g) 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) 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.
    (h) Limitation on Authorization of Appropriations.--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 2024 through 2027.
    (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.
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