# 119-s-988: Women's Retirement Protection Act

119-s-988, Women's Retirement Protection Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Sen. Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI] (D-WI); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2025-12-21).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-988
- As of: 2025-12-21
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-s-988
- Congress: 119
- Title: Women's Retirement Protection Act
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2025-03-12
- Sponsor: Sen. Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI] (D-WI)
- Cosponsors: 12
- Policy area: Labor and Employment
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2025-12-21

## Summary

**Requires spousal consent for many defined‑contribution retirement account distributions and beneficiary changes.** The bill would also fund grants and require consumer links to CFPB resources to help women access and understand retirement benefits.

## Cosponsors (12)

- Sen. Murray, Patty [D-WA] (D-WA), 2025-03-12T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Cantwell, Maria [D-WA] (D-WA), 2025-03-12T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT] (D-CT), 2025-03-12T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI] (D-HI), 2025-03-12T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN] (D-MN), 2025-03-12T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT] (I-VT), 2025-03-12T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR] (D-OR), 2025-03-12T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD] (D-MD), 2025-03-12T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Kaine, Tim [D-VA] (D-VA), 2025-03-12T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA] (D-MA), 2025-03-12T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR] (D-OR), 2025-03-12T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Duckworth, Tammy [D-IL] (D-IL), 2025-03-24T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Grants to help get QDROs: benefit, medium. If enacted, the Labor Department would run a competitive grant program to help low-income women and survivors of domestic violence prepare and obtain qualified domestic relations orders (QDROs). Grants must be at least $250,000 each. The bill would authorize $100 million per year starting in fiscal…
- Grants to teach women about money: benefit, medium. If enacted, the Labor Department would award competitive grants to community groups to teach working-age and retired women about financial and retirement planning. Grants must be at least $250,000. The bill would authorize $100 million per year starting in fiscal year 2026 to run the program. Local…
- Spousal consent for retirement accounts: benefit, medium. If enacted, many individual retirement plans would generally need your spouse's written consent before most distributions or beneficiary changes. Plans would have to give a written explanation and get spouse consent during a consent period (generally the 90 days before a distribution). Consent must…
- Required CFPB link on retirement offers: benefit, low. If enacted, companies that offer retirement financial products would have to include an easy link to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau website. The Financial Literacy and Education Commission would publish the exact link and format. The rule would apply any time you get an offer to buy, sell…

## Related bills

- 119-s-5066: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026
- 119-s-3869: Healthy Families Act
- 119-s-51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act
- 119-s-5108: Right to IVF Act of 2026
- 119-s-1503: Equality Act
- 119-s-852: Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2025

## Sources
- [119-s-988 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/988)

## Related
- [119-s-5066: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5066)
- [119-s-3869: Healthy Families Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3869)
- [119-s-51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-51)
- [119-s-5108: Right to IVF Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5108)
- [119-s-1503: Equality Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1503)
- [119-s-852: Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-852)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-988 (as of 2025-12-21).