The “Ensuring Access to Abortion Act” Would Push Back Against Lawmakers Threatening to Strip the Right of Women to Travel Outside of Their Home State to Seek Abortions

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Representative Abigail Spanberger is backing legislation to protect American women from being criminalized for interstate travel to seek abortions.

Since the U.S. Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade, it has recently been reported that anti-abortion lawmakers and third-party groups are already crafting legislation in some states that would allow private citizens to sue anyone who helps a resident of a state that has banned abortion to terminate a pregnancy outside of that state.

Following these reports, Spanberger backed the Ensuring Access to Abortion Act, which would defend the right of Americans to travel across state lines to obtain reproductive healthcare.

“In the past few weeks, the Supreme Court has tossed settled case law, Justice Thomas has signaled his goal to erode the right to privacy, and anti-abortion politicians in some states have made a concerted effort to criminalize women seeking abortions outside their home states,” said Spanberger. “The current threat to our fundamental liberties is evident. Congress must take quick action to protect the ability to freely travel from one state to another to receive these healthcare services — to affirm that state governments do not and should never have the right to restrict this fundamental freedom.”

The Ensuring Access to Abortion Act is led in the U.S. House by U.S. Representatives Lizzie Fletcher (D-TX-07), Marilyn Strickland (D-WA-10), and Jamie Raskin (D-MD-08).

Specifically, the Spanberger-backed bill would:

• Prohibit the restricting of:

• A person’s constitutional right to travel across state lines for the purpose of obtaining a lawful abortion.

• A person or entity’s ability to assist an individual in traveling across state lines for the purpose of obtaining a lawful abortion.

• Any healthcare provider in providing or otherwise enabling abortion services that are lawful in that state.

• Empower the U.S. Attorney General to bring a civil action for declaratory and injunctive relief against any person who is in violation of this law.

• Create a private right of action for any person harmed by a violation of this law to obtain declaratory and injunctive relief, damages, and attorneys’ fees.

Click here to read the full bill text.

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