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[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5925 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 5925
To establish within the Department of Health and Human Services an
Ombuds for Reproductive and Sexual Health.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
November 4, 2025
Ms. Williams of Georgia (for herself, Ms. Garcia of Texas, Ms. Escobar,
Ms. Jacobs, Ms. Norton, and Ms. Tlaib) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish within the Department of Health and Human Services an
Ombuds for Reproductive and Sexual Health.
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 ``HHS Reproductive and Sexual Health
Ombuds Act of 2025''.
SEC. 2. OMBUDS FOR REPRODUCTIVE AND SEXUAL HEALTH.
(a) In General.--
(1) Position established.--There shall be within the
Department of Health and Human Services (in this section
referred to as the ``Department'') an Ombuds for Reproductive
and Sexual Health (in this section referred to as the
``Ombuds'').
(2) Qualifications.--To be eligible to be appointed as the
Ombuds, an individual shall, prior to such appointment, have
expertise in sexual and reproductive health and demonstrated
commitment to the provision of specified health care services,
including abortion and the care of LGBTQ+ individuals,
individuals belonging to a racial or ethnic minority,
individuals with disabilities, and individuals of low socio-
economic status.
(3) Reporting directly to secretary.--The Ombuds shall
report directly to the Secretary of Health and Human Services
(in this section referred to as the ``Secretary'').
(b) Organizational Independence.--The Secretary shall take
appropriate action to ensure the independence of the Ombuds's office
from other officers or employees of the Department engaged in
reproductive and sexual health activities.
(c) Staffing.--The Secretary shall take appropriate action to
ensure that the Ombuds's office is sufficiently staffed and resourced
to carry out its duties effectively and efficiently.
(d) Functions.--The functions of the Ombuds shall be as follows:
(1) To educate the public on specified health care
services, including by making evidence-based, medically
accurate educational materials available to the public.
(2) To analyze data collected by the Department of Health
and Human Services about consumer access to specified health
care services.
(3) In coordination with the Secretary of Labor, the
Secretary of the Treasury, and State insurance commissioners
(or their designees within the applicable agency), to--
(A) gather information about benefits for specified
health care services under health plans and programs
specified under subsection (j)(1); and
(B) provide an analysis of any gaps in such
coverage.
(4) To disseminate information about how individuals can
connect with--
(A) health care providers receiving Federal funds
under title X of the Public Health Service Act (42
U.S.C. 300 et seq.);
(B) abortion funds; and
(C) other clinics that provide specified health
care services.
(5) To provide the public with evidence-based and medically
accurate information related to medication abortions conducted
outside formal medical settings.
(6) To collect information regarding, and to address,
reproductive and sexual health misinformation being
disseminated to the public.
(7) To coordinate with the Federal Trade Commission to
collect information about, and address consumer protection and
data privacy concerns on, the provision of any services
relating to reproductive and sexual health.
(8) In coordination with entities receiving grants under
section 1311(i) of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care
Act (42 U.S.C. 18031(i)) and other entities assisting
individuals eligible to enroll in qualified health plans (as
defined in section 1301(a) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 18021(a)))
through an Exchange established pursuant to title I of such
Act, to promote awareness of the availability of such plans and
the benefits under such plans for specified health care
services.
(e) Request for Investigations.--The Ombuds may request the
Inspector General of the Department to conduct inspections,
investigations, and audits related to any of the functions under
subsection (d).
(f) Protection of Information.--The Ombuds shall comply with all
applicable Federal privacy laws (and the regulations issued thereunder)
in the collection, analysis, or release of any information or data,
including in any reports issued under subsection (i).
(g) Coordination With Department Components.--Not later than 60
days after a request from the Ombuds to the Secretary for records of
the Department necessary to execute the functions of the Ombuds under
subsection (d), the Secretary shall establish procedures to provide the
Ombuds access to all such records.
(h) Public Outreach.--The Secretary shall take all appropriate
actions to advise and engage with the public regarding the existence,
authorities, and duties of the Ombuds and the Ombuds's office.
(i) Annual Reporting.--Not later than June 30, 2026, and each June
30 thereafter, the Ombuds shall submit to the Congress a report that--
(1) evaluates the efforts of the Ombuds (or the Secretary,
as applicable) with respect to each of the functions specified
in subsection (d); and
(2) contains such other information as the Secretary
determines is appropriate.
(j) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) The term ``health plans and programs'' refers to any of
the following:
(A) Each Federal health care program (as defined in
section 1128B of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.
1320a-7b) but including the program established under
chapter 89 of title 5, United States Code).
(B) Health insurance coverage offered in the large
group market (as such terms are defined in section 2791
of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300gg-91)).
(C) Health insurance coverage offered in the small
group market (as so defined).
(D) Health insurance coverage offered in the
individual market (as so defined).
(E) Self-insured group health plans.
(2) The term ``reproductive and sexual health
misinformation'' includes any information relating to
reproductive and sexual health that is not evidence-based or
medically accurate, including inaccuracy in the provision of
any related services.
(3) The term ``specified health care services'' means
evidence-based, medically accurate medical, surgical,
counseling, or referral services relating to reproductive and
sexual health, including services relating to pregnancy and the
termination of a pregnancy.
(k) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this Act shall be construed
as authorizing the Ombuds to collect, or as requiring other Federal,
State, local, or private entities to provide to the Ombuds,
individually identifiable information about individual patients,
including protected health information (as defined in section 160.103
of title 45, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations)) or
individually identifiable health information (as defined in such
section (or successor regulations)).
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
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