Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto is once again trying to lock in protections for people who cross state lines for abortion care, reintroducing a bill that would make it harder for states to punish patients or those who help them. The proposal, called the Freedom to Travel for Health Care Act, is aimed at shoring up the right to seek reproductive health services in another state as a growing patchwork of laws sends patients into pro‑choice states for care.
Local coverage from FOX5 Las Vegas reports that Cortez Masto brought the measure back with Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse, Patty Murray and Kirsten Gillibrand. That report quoted Cortez Masto calling the right to travel “a lifeline” for people shut out by state bans and noted that the bill would bar states and local jurisdictions from limiting travel for abortion access while giving individuals the power to file civil lawsuits against governments that attempt to restrict their movement.
What the bill would do
Under the bill’s text, state and local officials could not restrict or penalize someone for traveling across state lines to receive reproductive health care. The measure would authorize both the U.S. attorney general and people who say they have been harmed to seek court orders, damages and attorneys’ fees. Cortez Masto has filed earlier versions of the Freedom to Travel for Health Care Act in prior sessions, and the current language tracks those efforts, which focused on shielding both patients and providers who assist visitors from out of state. For the full bill text and sponsor materials, see Congress.gov and the senator’s office.
Legal context and the Justice Department
The Justice Department has already staked out its view of the core legal issue. In a November 2023 statement of interest, federal lawyers argued that the Constitution protects the right to travel between states and that states may not criminalize third parties who help others obtain abortions that are lawful in a different state. The filing said that position constrains how far state prosecutors can go when trying to deter or punish interstate medical travel. See the Justice Department’s statement for more detail on that analysis.
Political path and past Senate fights
Even with renewed attention, the bill faces a steep climb in a narrowly divided Senate. Previous attempts to fast‑track similar legislation ran into trouble when Democrats could not get unanimous consent, and they have acknowledged they lack the 60 votes needed to clear a filibuster, according to national reporting. In 2022, for instance, an effort to take up the measure stalled after Sen. James Lankford objected, a reminder of how Senate rules can stop the bill from ever reaching a final vote. ABC News covered those earlier floor fights.
What to watch next
Backers argue the measure would give patients and providers clearer rules as lawsuits and new state restrictions keep reshaping access. Critics counter that it intrudes on state authority and is unnecessary because, they say, no state has directly criminalized interstate travel itself. Cortez Masto has framed the effort as urgent, telling local reporters that “for women in states where abortion became illegal over the last four years, the right to travel for abortion care is a lifeline,” according to FOX5 Las Vegas. If Senate leaders decide to bring the bill up again, expect another round of procedural sparring and, if it advances, potential court fights that will test how far the federal government can go in protecting interstate travel for reproductive health care.
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