State of Men’s Health Act (2026): A quick explainer

On February 20, 2026, Representatives Troy A. Carter (D-LA) and Greg Murphy, MD (R-NC) introduced the State of Men’s Health Act (H.R. 7602), bipartisan legislation that would require a comprehensive federal assessment of men’s health outcomes and establish an Office of Men’s Health within HHS.

Efforts to create such an office date back over two decades, but none has ever received a committee vote. H.R. 7602 takes a different approach than its predecessors. It also comes at a time of increased policy attention to boys and men, both domestically and internationally.

Our fact sheet below breaks down the bill’s provisions, the data driving it, and the history of legislative efforts in this space.

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H.R. 7602  |  119th Congress  |  Introduced February 20, 2026

H.R. 7602 would require a comprehensive GAO assessment of the state of men’s health and establish an Office of Men’s Health within HHS to coordinate federal programs related to men’s health outcomes.

Sponsors: Rep. Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-LA), introduced with Rep. Greg Murphy, M.D. (R-NC)

Endorsements: The American Urological Association, Men’s Health Network, ZERO Prostate Cancer, American Medical Association

Committee referral: House Energy & Commerce

MEN’S HEALTH: BY THE NUMBERS

KEY PROVISIONS

1. GAO study on the state of men’s health (within 1 year of enactment)

• Assess the problem: identify men’s health disparities across the U.S., review male engagement in health care, and evaluate the federal research landscape.
• Identify what’s missing: audit existing federal programs and recommend new programs or investments to fill gaps.
• Design the infrastructure: map federal coordination on men’s health and identify which existing efforts could be combined or transitioned into an Office of Men’s Health.

2. Office of Men’s Health within HHS (within 18 months of enactment)

• Coordinates HHS programs related to men’s health, including public awareness, education, and screening.
• Maintains a database of best practices, clinical guidelines, and funding opportunities.
• Reports to Congress within 2 years of establishment.

3. No additional funding required, uses existing appropriations

4. Funds may not be reallocated from women’s health efforts

• Funds from the Office on Women’s Health or other HHS women’s health efforts explicitly may not be used for the report or office.

LEGISLATIVE CONTEXT

Since 2000, at least 15 bills across 9 Congresses have proposed creating a federal Office of Men’s Health. The last iteration of the bill was sponsored by Donald Payne Jr., who passed away in 2024 at age 65 after cardiac arrest linked to diabetes complications.

None has received a committee vote. H.R. 7602 differs from prior versions in several respects:

• Design-first approach: Requires a comprehensive GAO study that maps not just the issue but existing federal infrastructure to identify structural opportunities for the office — prior bills prescribed the structure without this groundwork.
• Institutional and bipartisan support: Introduced with the Congressional Men’s Health Caucus, major medical association endorsements, and bipartisan co-sponsors, a combination not seen in previous versions.
• Fiscal framing and guardrails: Bill text leads with “no new spending” framing and includes specific cost data ($142B government, $156B employer). The prominence of cost considerations and an explicit guardrail protecting women’s health funding are new.

This bill also arrives during a period of growing domestic and international attention to men’s health: Canada announced a Men and Boys Health Strategy in February 2026, England published one in 2025, and Australia and Ireland both have ongoing initiatives.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY