Sponsors (19)
The bill improves recognition, data, and targeting of health and social services for MENA communities—potentially reducing disparities—but imposes administrative costs, creates privacy and implementation risks, and requires careful safeguards and resourcing to avoid harms and inequities.
People of Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) backgrounds will be explicitly recognized as a distinct federal demographic category, increasing their inclusion in federal health data and eligibility for programs.
Public health data will disaggregate MENA from non‑Hispanic White, producing clearer evidence about MENA health needs that can guide interventions and resource allocation.
MENA individuals and communities will gain better access to targeted prevention, screening, treatment, and culturally appropriate programs because OMH eligibility, studies, and outreach can be tailored to documented needs.
MENA individuals — particularly those in small or vulnerable communities — face increased risks that granular identity and health data could be breached or misused, with possible harms or discrimination.
State and federal agencies, health providers, and taxpayers will incur administrative and IT costs to change forms, databases, training, and outreach to implement the new category across programs and surveys.
During the transition, inconsistent implementation or narrow illustrative lists could lead to misclassification and unequal access to programs for some MENA individuals.
Based on analysis of 5 sections of legislative text.
Adds Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) to the federal statutory definition of racial and ethnic minority group and orders HHS to clarify implementation and conduct a comprehensive MENA health study.
Introduced December 16, 2025 by Rashida Tlaib · Last progress December 16, 2025
Amends federal health law to add "Middle Easterners and North Africans" to the statutory definition of "racial and ethnic minority group," directs the HHS Secretary to review and clarify whether that amended definition applies across HHS programs and to report to Congress within two years, and requires HHS to conduct or support a comprehensive, disaggregated study of health patterns, risk factors, and outcomes for MENA populations in the United States. The law defines who counts as MENA for the purposes of the statute and lists many specific health topics and drivers that the study must examine and report on.