Bill Summary
The "HHS Reproductive and Sexual Health Ombuds Act of 2025" establishes a dedicated position within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), known as the Ombuds for Reproductive and Sexual Health. This Ombuds will be responsible for overseeing and improving access to reproductive and sexual health services, including abortion care and services for marginalized communities.
Key features of the legislation include:
1. **Qualifications**: The Ombuds must have expertise in sexual and reproductive health and a commitment to serving diverse populations.
2. **Independence**: The Ombuds will operate independently from other HHS officials involved in reproductive health, ensuring unbiased oversight.
3. **Duties**: The Ombuds will focus on public education, data analysis on healthcare access, dissemination of information about healthcare resources, and addressing misinformation regarding reproductive and sexual health.
4. **Collaboration**: The Ombuds will work with various federal and state agencies to analyze health insurance coverage and promote awareness of available health plans.
5. **Privacy Protections**: The Ombuds must comply with federal privacy laws and is not authorized to collect individually identifiable health information.
6. **Reporting**: The Ombuds is required to submit annual reports to Congress evaluating its activities and effectiveness.
This legislation aims to enhance access to essential reproductive and sexual health services, improve public understanding of these services, and protect the rights and health of individuals across various demographics.
Possible Impacts
The "HHS Reproductive and Sexual Health Ombuds Act of 2025" could affect people in the following ways:
1. **Improved Access to Reproductive Health Services**: The establishment of an Ombuds for Reproductive and Sexual Health may lead to better access to reproductive health services, including abortion and care for LGBTQ+ individuals. The Ombuds will analyze data regarding consumer access and work to identify gaps in health coverage, which could result in more tailored programs and support for underserved communities. This can particularly benefit individuals from racial and ethnic minorities, those with disabilities, and those from low socioeconomic backgrounds.
2. **Public Education and Misinformation Reduction**: The Ombuds is tasked with educating the public on reproductive and sexual health issues and providing evidence-based, medically accurate information. This could help reduce the spread of misinformation related to reproductive health, empower individuals to make informed decisions, and foster a more informed public discourse on these issues. This is especially important in a landscape where misinformation can have significant consequences for health outcomes.
3. **Enhanced Consumer Protection and Advocacy**: The Ombuds will coordinate with the Federal Trade Commission to address consumer protection concerns and data privacy related to reproductive and sexual health services. This could lead to stronger safeguards for individuals seeking these services, ensuring that their rights are protected and that they receive adequate support when navigating health care systems. Additionally, the Ombuds will provide information on how individuals can connect with health care providers and resources, enhancing advocacy for consumers in this domain.
[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)).
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