Homeless Youth Menstrual Product Access Act of 2024
📝 TL;DR
This bill would allow organizations that help homeless youth to use their existing federal grant money to buy tampons and pads for the young people they serve. It's a simple one-page amendment that addresses 'period poverty' among homeless youth without creating new programs or requiring additional federal spending.
Plain English Summary
The Homeless Youth Menstrual Product Access Act of 2024 (HR 10417) is a targeted amendment to existing federal law that would explicitly authorize organizations serving homeless youth to use federal grant funds to provide menstrual hygiene products. The bill amends the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act, which provides federal grants to organizations that offer services to runaway and homeless youth, including emergency shelter, transitional living programs, and street outreach services. While these programs already provide various essential services like food, clothing, and health care, menstrual products have not been explicitly listed as an allowable expense under federal grants. This bill addresses what advocates call 'period poverty' - the lack of access to menstrual products that can force young people to miss school, work, or other activities, and can lead to health and safety risks when individuals resort to unsafe alternatives or wear products for extended periods.
Detailed Analysis
HR 10417 is remarkably straightforward in its approach, consisting of only two substantive sections that make a surgical amendment to existing law. The bill targets Section 311(a)(2)(C) of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act, which currently lists four categories of services that grant recipients may provide using federal funds. The existing law allows for basic center services, street-based services, home-based services, and drug abuse education and prevention services. The amendment adds a fifth category specifically authorizing the 'provision of sanitary napkins and tampons that conform to applicable industry standards.' This legislative strategy avoids creating new programs or bureaucracies and instead works within the established framework of homeless youth services. The amendment preserves the existing grant structure, eligibility requirements, and oversight mechanisms while simply expanding the scope of allowable services. By specifying that products must 'conform to applicable industry standards,' the bill ensures quality control without creating new regulatory burdens. The bill's brevity reflects its narrow focus - it does not address broader issues of homelessness, expand funding levels, or create new administrative requirements. This targeted approach may increase its chances of passage by avoiding contentious policy debates while addressing a specific gap in services. However, the bill's effectiveness will ultimately depend on whether grant recipients have sufficient funding within their existing budgets to purchase these products, as the bill does not authorize additional appropriations.
🎯 Key Provisions
Short Title and Identification: Establishes the official name of the legislation as the 'Homeless Youth Menstrual Product Access Act of 2024.' This provides a clear legislative identifier for tracking and reference purposes. (Section 1 - 'This Act may be cited as the Homeless Youth Menstrual Product Access Act of 2024')
Amendment to Existing Services List: Modifies the technical structure of the existing law by removing the final punctuation from clause (iv) to allow for the addition of a new service category. (Section 2(2) - striking the period at the end of clause (iv) in Section 311(a)(2)(C))
Authorization for Menstrual Product Provision: Explicitly authorizes grant recipients under the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act to use federal funds to provide sanitary napkins and tampons to homeless youth they serve. (Section 2(3) - adding 'provision of sanitary napkins and tampons that conform to applicable industry standards')
Quality Standards Requirement: Requires that any menstrual products provided must meet applicable industry standards, ensuring product safety and quality without creating new regulatory frameworks. (Section 2(3) - products must 'conform to applicable industry standards')
Integration with Existing Grant Framework: The amendment preserves all existing provisions of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act, including eligibility requirements, oversight mechanisms, and funding structures. (Section 2 - amends Section 311(a)(2)(C) of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (42 U.S.C. 11211(a)(2)(C)))
Committee Referral for Legislative Process: The bill has been referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, which has jurisdiction over youth services and related federal programs. (Bill header - 'referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce')
👥 Impact Analysis
Direct Effects If enacted, this bill would immediately authorize hundreds of organizations across the country that receive federal grants under the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act to purchase menstrual products using federal funds. These organizations include emergency shelters, transitional living programs, and street outreach services that serve an estimated 4.2 million youth who experience homelessness annually according to federal data. The direct beneficiaries would be homeless youth who menstruate, who would gain access to essential hygiene products that can cost $5-10 per month - a significant expense for someone with no income. This could help youth maintain attendance at school or work, reduce health risks associated with inadequate menstrual hygiene, and restore dignity during a vulnerable time in their lives.
Indirect Effects The bill could set a precedent for other federal programs to explicitly include menstrual products as allowable expenses, potentially influencing policy in areas like school nutrition programs, housing assistance, or other social services. It may also encourage state and local governments to examine their own policies around menstrual product access. However, the bill's effectiveness may be limited if organizations lack sufficient funding within their existing budgets to purchase these products regularly, potentially creating an unfunded mandate situation where the authorization exists but resources are inadequate.
Affected Groups - Homeless youth who menstruate - Organizations receiving Runaway and Homeless Youth Act grants - Federal grant administrators - Menstrual product manufacturers and suppliers - Social workers and case managers in youth services
Fiscal Impact The bill does not include any specific appropriations or authorize additional federal spending. Instead, it allows existing grant recipients to use their current federal funding to purchase menstrual products, which would represent a reallocation of existing resources rather than new government expenditure. The Congressional Budget Office has not yet provided a cost estimate, but the fiscal impact would likely be minimal since it would come from existing grant budgets. Organizations might need to reduce spending in other areas to accommodate menstrual product purchases, unless Congress separately increases appropriations for these programs.
📋 Latest Action
12/16/2024
Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.