House Administration Committee Chairwoman Zoe Lofgren decided Tuesday to allow members to use their federal funds to purchase feminine hygiene products.
Ms. Lofgren also ordered menstrual hygiene products be made available in the restroom by the House Floor and in the Office Supply Store, effective immediately.
The request to use Members Representational Allowances to buy the products came from three Democratic House members — Reps. Patrick Maloney and Grace Meng of New York and Debbie Wasserman-Schultz of Florida.
MRAs are the funds that members of Congress use to cover office expenses and staff salaries.
“This decision is a tremendous step in providing greater access to menstrual hygiene products on Capitol Hill,” Ms. Meng said in a statement.
Mr. Maloney found out that members were not allowed to use their MRAs last year when he was required to reimburse Congress after he used federal funds to purchase feminine hygiene products to keep in his office for female staffer and visitors.
“Thanks to Chairperson Lofgren’s leadership, policies on Capitol Hill are finally catching on to the fact that women work here,” Mr. Maloney said in a statement.
• Gabriella Muñoz can be reached at gmunoz@washingtontimes.com.
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