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Menstrual Equity

A survey of low-income women in a large U.S. city found that nearly two-thirds of women couldn’t afford menstrual products during the previous year. 1 in 5 American girls have either left school early or missed school entirely because they do not have access to period products.

No one should have to forego educational or employment opportunities just because they do not have access to menstrual products. Furthermore, people should not be forced to choose between purchasing food or paying for rent and buying menstrual products.

The problem of menstrual equity has long been an important issue for me. I learned about this issue when a teenage girl in my district wrote me a letter to explain the issue of period poverty and how it impacts women and girls in different ways.

Since then, I have passionately championed this issue by working with the Obama and Trump Administrations to change federal rules around grant programs and leading the congressional charge to pass my Menstrual Equity for All Act – a whole-of-government approach to promote menstrual equity and end period poverty once and for all.