This bill formally includes Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) populations—such as Lebanese, Iranian, Egyptian, Moroccan, and Kurdish individuals—in the federal government's official definition of racial and ethnic minority groups for health purposes. Currently, MENA individuals are excluded from this definition, which prevents them from accessing health programs and resources specifically designed to address disparities in underserved communities. The legislation directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct a comprehensive study examining health patterns, outcomes, and disparities among MENA populations, including data on chronic diseases, disabilities, maternal health, and social determinants of health like income and language access. The bill requires an interim report within two years and a final report within four years, along with establishment of a public online database sharing the study results. The bill authorizes necessary funding for the study and includes strict privacy protections to safeguard individuals' personal information, with criminal penalties for unauthorized disclosure of health data.
Take Action
Your position
Add a comment
to comment on this bill.
Annotate the text
Highlight any passage on the Summary or Full Text tab to attach a note. Annotations appear on the Annotations tab.