S. 1320 — Servicewomen and Veterans Menopause Research Act

This section defines terms for purposes of the Act, including: (1) covered provider, as a health care provider employed by the Department of Defense or the Department of Veterans Affairs; (2) menopause, as the stage of a woman's life when menstrual periods stop permanently, she can no longer get pregnant, and that is a normal part of aging rather than a disease; (3) mid-life, as a life stage coinciding with the menopausal transition from approximately age 35 to 65 that often marks the onset of chronic diseases; (4) perimenopause, as the menopausal transition when estrogen levels fall unevenly; and (5) postmenopausal, as the stage after 12 months without a menstrual period that lasts for the rest of a woman's life and increases risks for osteoporosis and heart disease.

This section directs the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, to evaluate (1) results of completed and status of ongoing research on menopause, perimenopause, or mid-life women's health among women service members and veterans; (2) gaps in knowledge on treatments for menopause-related symptoms (hormone and non-hormone), their safety and effectiveness, links between military service (including combat roles, burn pits, toxic chemicals, and PFAS) and perimenopause or menopause, and impacts on mental health; (3) availability and uptake of professional training resources for providers on mid-life women's health; and (4) availability and uptake of such treatments. Not later than 180 days after enactment, each Secretary must submit a report to Congress containing the evaluation findings, recommendations to improve provider training, and a strategic plan to address identified research gaps and prioritize further studies on treatments for servicewomen and veterans. The Secretaries must ensure these activities minimize duplication and supplement existing Department of Health and Human Services information-sharing efforts.

This section expresses 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 uniformed services or veterans.