Queens Congresswoman Unveils Plan For Free Tampons, Pads

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congresswoman Grace Meng of Queens unveiled a bill Wednesday to increase access to free or affordable menstrual products.

The "Menstrual Equity for All Act" would require public federal buildings, prisons, jails, immigration detention centers and large employers to provide free tampons and pads. The bill, if passed, would require Medicaid to cover the cost of menstrual products. It would also allow states to use federal funds to pay for tampons and pads for students.

The bill does not provide direct funding for menstrual products.

"Today, I am introducing legislation that ends our nation’s inequities toward women, girls, and individuals who menstruate," said Meng, who represents Flushing, Forest Hills, Bayside and other parts of Queens.

"We live in the richest nation and yet millions of women and girls suffer from issues of access and affordability. We want women to succeed and advancing menstrual equity is critical to reach this goal."

Meng's office said in a press release that the "Menstrual Equity for All Act" would:

• Give states the option to use federal grant funds to provide students with free menstrual hygiene products in schools – these grants already provide funding for health and wellness efforts
• Ensure that incarcerated individuals and detainees in federal (including immigration detention centers), state, and local facilities have access to free, unrationed menstrual hygiene products
• Ensure that no visitor is prohibited from visiting an incarcerated individual due to the visitor’s use of menstrual hygiene products
• Allow homeless assistance providers to use grant funds that cover shelter necessities (such as blankets and toothbrushes) to also use those funds to purchase menstrual hygiene products
• Allow individuals to use pre-tax dollars from their health flexible spending accounts to purchase menstrual hygiene products
• Require that Medicaid covers the cost of menstrual hygiene products for recipients
• Direct large employers (with 100 or more employees) to provide free menstrual hygiene products for their employees in the workplace
• Require that all public federal buildings, including buildings on the Capitol campus, provide free menstrual hygiene products in the restrooms

"The Menstrual Equity for All Act importantly tackles some of the key challenges that girls, women and people who menstruate face here in the U.S.," said Dr. Marni Sommer, associate professor at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health. "I’d challenge us to go further in the coming years — to go beyond products, which, although essential, are only one component of achieving menstrual equity."

Read Rep. Meng's bill here.