Guttmacher's Director of Federal Policy Amy Friedrich-Karnik explains that, with abortion banned in 13 US states, tens of thousands of patients must travel long distances for care—facing significant financial and logistical burdens—while anti-abortion efforts seek to restrict even the ability to cross state lines. Friedrich-Karnik highlights two new federal bills to protect travel rights and support patients, urging Congress to act.
New legislation to protect the right to travel for abortion care in the US
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The right to travel across state lines for health care should not be up for debate, but right now, where you live can determine whether or not you're able to access abortion care.
Thirteen states ban abortion, and even though many people in those states are able to access medication abortion, for many others who might prefer or require in-person or clinical care, they may have to travel across state lines to access that care, sometimes even hundreds of miles.
That is why Senator Cortez Masto has introduced a federal bill to help preserve the right to travel across state lines for health care, including abortion. It's called the Freedom to Travel for Health Care Act. And why Senator Baldwin has reintroduced the Reproductive Health Travel Fund Act, which would help support people pay for travel or practical expenses that they might be required to spend when they want to travel across state lines to get the abortion care that they need.
Here's why these bills matter. According to Guttmacher research, in 2025, 142,000 people needed to cross state lines in order to get abortion care. Make no mistake, this travel is expensive, time-consuming, and a huge burden on the folks who need to do it. And yet, anti-abortion forces are trying to take even that ability away by trying to pass laws in states that would ban travel for abortion care.
These federal bills that would block abortion travel bans and support patients who need to travel are important part of the solution that we need. Absolutely no one should have to leave their state for essential health care, especially the method of abortion care that they prefer. And while we will continue working to make sure that people can access that abortion care in their state where they live, in the meantime, we really need these policies to make sure that people are supported in their ability to be able to access the care and travel for what they need.
We urge Congress to pass these critical bills.