IV 118th CONGRESS 1st Session H. RES. 351 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES May 2, 2023 Ms. Meng (for herself, Ms. Clarke of New York , Ms. Barragán , Mrs. Beatty , Mr. Evans , Ms. Lois Frankel of Florida , Mr. Grijalva , Ms. Norton , Mr. Payne , and Ms. Velázquez ) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce , and in addition to the Committee on Education and the Workforce , 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 RESOLUTION Recognizing the impact the stigmatization of menstruation has on the lives of women, girls, and people who menstruate, and expressing support for the designation of the month of May as National Menstrual Health Awareness Month .

Whereas menstrual health is an integral part of overall health because most women menstruate, on average, for 40 years of life between menarche and menopause; Whereas the World Bank estimates that globally, 500,000,000 people lack access to menstrual products and clean, safe water and sanitation facilities for menstrual hygiene management; Whereas the United Nations Population Fund recognizes that menstruation is intrinsically related to human dignity; Whereas menstrual health impacts the fulfillment of rights such as adequate and secure housing, education, safe and healthy working conditions, and freedom from discrimination; Whereas access to safe, private water and sanitation facilities is essential for effectively managing menstrual hygiene with dignity; Whereas cultural stigma and lack of access to menstrual health and hygiene education, sanitation, and infrastructure can limit access to school, employment, and religious activities; Whereas negative stigmas around menstruation can impact girls from the onset of puberty and throughout the remainder of their lives; Whereas menstruation is a normal and healthy part of life for most women and girls, yet, in many societies, the experience of menstruators continues to be constrained by cultural taboos and discriminatory social norms; Whereas the lack of resources for safe and dignified management of menstruation can cause discomfort and psychological stress and add to the shame and sometimes depression that women and girls experience as a result of menstruation-related taboos and stigma; Whereas women’s health research continues to be understudied, resulting in a lack of research and education around menstrual and uterine health issues such as fibroids, endometriosis, and polycystic ovary syndrome, impacting millions of women in the United States; Whereas an investment in menstrual health is an investment in gender equity and equality; and Whereas menstrual health disparities impact economic opportunities and empowerment: Now, therefore, be it

That the House of Representatives— (1) supports the goals and ideals of National Menstrual Health Awareness Month , which are to— (A) normalize menstruation as a healthy biological process and eliminate period stigma; (B) educate young people to understand menstrual health management and its impacts on the overall physical health, mental health, and well-being of women, girls, and those who menstruate; (C) support the development of new supportive standards of menstrual health education and care for menstruating girls, women, and people; and (D) improve access to care, treatment, and information regarding menstrual health, including for conditions such as dysmenorrhea, fibroids, endometriosis, and polycystic ovary syndrome; (2) acknowledges the importance of ensuring access to appropriate menstrual products and safe, private sanitation and hygiene facilities in schools and workplaces in the United States and abroad; (3) recognizes the importance of promoting health equity and addressing the burden negative stigmas around menstruation have on women, girls, and those who menstruate; (4) recognizes the importance of expanding clinical research and health education on conditions impacting menstrual health such as fibroids, endometriosis, and polycystic ovary syndrome; and (5) supports the designation of a National Menstrual Health Awareness Month .