[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1145 Introduced in House (IH)]
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117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. RES. 1145
Recognizing Menstrual Hygiene Day.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 27, 2022
Ms. Meng (for herself, Ms. Bass, Mrs. Beatty, Ms. Clarke of New York,
Mr. Espaillat, Mr. Green of Texas, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Ms. Lee of
California, Mr. Lieu, Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney of New York, Ms. Moore of
Wisconsin, Ms. Norton, Ms. Schakowsky, Ms. Speier, Mr. Takano, Mrs.
Torres of California, Mr. Trone, Ms. Velazquez, Mrs. Watson Coleman,
Ms. Williams of Georgia, and Mr. Bowman) submitted the following
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and
in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, 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 Menstrual Hygiene Day.
Whereas, since 2013, Menstrual Hygiene Day is annually commemorated on May 28 to
raise awareness and catalyze political action around the challenges
menstruators around the world face;
Whereas approximately half of the population will have a period every month for
decades of their lives;
Whereas period supplies are a necessary product, each month, for people across
the country and the world;
Whereas 16,900,000 individuals in the United States report lacking access to
menstrual products;
Whereas national surveys and research studies report that 1 in 4 menstruators
struggle to secure enough period products to meet their monthly needs
due to lack of income;
Whereas this lack of period supplies, known as period poverty, can adversely
affect people's health and well-being;
Whereas 1 in 5 women and girls reports missing work or school as a result of
period poverty;
Whereas period poverty exacerbates the vicious cycle of poverty by forcing
menstruators to withdraw from daily life, losing pay or missing
educational opportunities;
Whereas people experiencing period poverty risk infections by using proxy
products, such as socks or toilet paper, or not changing products as
often as medically advised;
Whereas when students can easily access period products they are less likely to
face disruptions to their education and better able to participate in
educational activities;
Whereas States and communities across the United States are recognizing the
importance of providing period products to students in order to support
their educational and personal development; and
Whereas providing access to period products in schools and other public
locations can lead to economic opportunity and improved health by
ensuring all people have access to the basic necessities required to
thrive and reach their full potential: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) recognizes the need to break the silence, raise
awareness, and change negative social norms surrounding
menstrual hygiene around the world;
(2) recognizes the need for increased research on access to
menstrual health management both in the United States and
around the world;
(3) recognizes the barriers that vulnerable populations
face to access period products, including in schools,
employment facilities, prisons, homeless shelters, after
natural disasters, and in refugee camps;
(4) recognizes the work of activists around the country
working to combat period poverty;
(5) urges the enactment of laws to comprehensively address
the challenges of menstruators in the United States and around
the world; and
(6) encourages the people of the United States to observe
Menstrual Hygiene Day.
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