Washington, D.C. – Representatives Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07), Marilyn Strickland (WA-10) and more than 128 original co-sponsors introduced the Ensuring Women’s Right to Reproductive Freedom Act.

The legislation, which passed the House in the 117th Congress, protects the constitutional right to travel between states to access reproductive health care. The introduction came on the third anniversary of the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturned Roe v. Wade. Since then, 22 states have eliminated or sharply limited abortion access, and some states and jurisdictions are even attempting to block women from crossing state lines to get the care they need. 

“Because the Supreme Court dismantled the constitutional right to abortion, it is critical now to protect the right to travel across state lines to obtain health care. Our bill will protect patients and health care workers and safeguard women’s basic constitutional freedoms against Orwellian control by Trump and authoritarian MAGA extremists,” said Congressman Jamie Raskin. “We are fighting to be one pro-choice nation again but, in the meantime the right of all Americans to travel the nation must be protected.”

“Three years after the Dobbs decision, my home state of Texas remains in a health care crisis that affects women and families across our state,” said Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher. “Like those in other the eighteen other states where access to abortion has been outlawed, Texans who are able to do so have been forced to travel out of state to obtain the reproductive health care they need.  In response to this exercise of the constitutional right to travel between the states and engage in legal activities there, lawmakers and others in Texas—and in states across the country—have been threatening to take away that right, too.  We cannot let that happen in any state in the United States of America.

“To that end, I am glad to reintroduce the Ensuring Women’s Right to Reproductive Freedom Act with Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland, Congressman Jamie Raskin, and more than 128 of our colleagues as original co-sponsors,” Congresswoman Fletcher continued. I look forward to continuing our work together to protect the health, privacy, dignity, and freedom of women and families across our country.” 

“In 2022, we saw the Supreme Court end a woman’s right to reproductive choice, and states have followed suit with even greater attempts to limit women’s reproductive health care. Impeding a woman’s right to travel for care is an assault on her freedom,” said Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland. “This bill reaffirms that Constitutional right, and I am proud to stand with my colleagues as we stand up for what’s just and right.”

If enacted, the Ensuring Women’s Right to Reproductive Freedom Act would:  

• Prohibit any person acting under color of state law from restricting or impeding 

• 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; and
• Any health care provider in providing or otherwise enabling lawful abortion services in that state.

• Empower the 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 a violation of this law to obtain declaratory and injunctive relief, damages, and attorneys’ fees.

To view the full text of the Ensuring Women’s Right to Reproductive Freedom Act, click here.