April 8, 2025
Mrs. Murray (for herself and Ms. Ernst) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
To direct the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to take certain steps regarding research related to menopause, perimenopause, or mid-life women’s health, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Servicewomen and Veterans Menopause Research Act
.
Sec. 2. Definitions
In this Act:
(1) Covered provider
The term covered provider means a health care provider employed by the Department of Defense or the Department of Veterans Affairs.
(2) Menopause
The term menopause means the stage of a woman’s life—
(A)
when menstrual periods stop permanently and she can no longer get pregnant; and
(B)
that is not a disease state, but a normal part of aging for women.
(3) Mid-life
The term mid-life means a life stage that—
(A)
coincides with the menopausal transition in women, which may be physical or emotional;
(B)
encompasses the late reproductive age, which can begin at approximately 35 years of age, to the late postmenopausal stages of reproductive aging, which can extend to approximately 65 years of age; and
(C)
often marks the onset of many chronic diseases.
(4) Perimenopause
The term perimenopause means the time during a woman's life when levels of the hormone estrogen fall unevenly in a woman’s body and is also called the menopausal transition.
(5) Postmenopausal
The term postmenopausal means the stage of a woman's life after a woman has been without a menstrual period for 12 months that lasts for the rest of a woman’s life and reflects a time when women are at increased risk for osteoporosis and heart disease.
Sec. 3. Evaluation of certain research related to menopause, perimenopause, or mid-life women’s health
(a) In general
The Secretary of Defense, in coordination with Secretary of Veterans Affairs, shall evaluate—
(1)
the results of completed research related to menopause, perimenopause, or mid-life women’s health among women who are members of the Armed Forces or veterans;
(2)
the status of such research that is ongoing;
(3)
any gaps in knowledge and research on—
(A)
treatments for menopause-related symptoms, including hormone and non-hormone treatments;
(B)
the safety and effectiveness of treatments for menopause-related symptoms;
(C)
the relation of service in the Armed Forces to perimenopause and menopause and the impact of such service on perimenopause and menopause;
(D)
the effect of combat roles on symptoms relating to perimenopause and menopause, including exposure to burn pits, toxic chemicals, and perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (commonly known as PFAS
); and
(E)
the impact of perimenopause and menopause on the mental health of women who are members of the Armed Forces or veterans;
(4)
the availability of and uptake of professional training resources for covered providers relating to mid-life women’s health with respect to the care, treatment, and management of perimenopause and menopausal symptoms, and related support services; and
(5)
the availability of and uptake of treatments for women who are members of the Armed Forces or veterans who are experiencing perimenopause or menopause.
(b) Report; strategic plan
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall each submit to Congress a report containing—
(1)
the findings of the evaluation conducted under subsection (a);
(2)
recommendations for improving professional training resources described in subsection (a)(4) for covered providers; and
(3)
a strategic plan that—
(A)
resolves the gaps in knowledge and research identified in the report; and
(B)
identifies topics in need of further research relating to potential treatments for menopause-related symptoms of women who are members of the Armed Forces or veterans.
(c) Nonduplication and supplementation of efforts
In carrying out activities under this section, the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall ensure that such activities minimize duplication and supplement, not supplant, existing information-sharing efforts of the Department of Health and Human Services.
Sec. 4. Sense of Congress on additional research related to menopause, perimenopause, or mid-life women’s health
It is the sense of Congress that the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs should each conduct research related to menopause, perimenopause, or mid-life health regarding women who are members of the Armed Forces or veterans.