Democratic Nevada Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto reintroduced a bill Thursday that would establish a federal grant program for abortion funds and community health clinics, drawing inspiration from similar programs for cancer patients.
In the time since she last introduced the bill in December, organizations helping patients cover abortion-related costs ― including travel, lodging and child care when they must travel out of state for the procedure ― have become increasingly overwhelmed as more and more states enact post-Roe abortion bans, forcing more patients than ever before to seek their help in getting care hundreds of miles away from home.
“I think the federal government should support these groups and make it easier for patients to find them and work with them,” Cortez Masto said.
“There are already programs out there that the federal government funds to help women connect with essential health care. Why should this be any different?” she continued, referencing similar grant programs the federal government funds to help cancer patients navigate clinical trials and offer other assistance.
The bill, called the Reproductive Health Patient Navigator Act, has several co-sponsors, including Democratic Sens. Elizabeth Warren (Mass.), Patty Murray (Wash.) and Amy Klobuchar (Minn.).
To qualify for the potential grant money, organizations may provide a number of resources in the reproductive health care space, including coordinating the booking of appointments, arranging financing for travel-related costs and offering general help navigating the country’s new patchwork of abortion availability.
While such organizations have been around for decades, they’ve become one of the most integral parts of helping patients access abortion following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization last summer.
Abortion providers in states where the procedure remains legal have seen a massive uptick in out-of-state patients, and they’re relying on patient navigator services to help get those patients to them. Dr. Colleen McNicholas, the chief medical officer at Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri, told HuffPost last month that since her branch opened a regional logistics center to help get people to abortion appointments, it’s served more than 5,000 patients and provided nearly $3 million in assistance for direct procedural care, along with nearly $1 million in practical support.
Cortez Masto’s legislation is similar to a state-level effort in California, which vowed late last year to put $20 million toward providing grants to organizations helping patients come to California for abortions.
The previous version of her bill was referred to the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee but never came up for a vote. The new bill will also have a slim chance of becoming law, given Republicans’ control in the House.
But Cortez Masto is determined to push on legislation that ensures patients can travel for abortion care. She’s also introduced a bill that aims to stop anti-choice states from banning their citizens from traveling out of state for abortion services. Such restrictions have already become a reality, with Idaho passing a law in April banning minors from traveling out of state for abortions without parental consent.
“Reproductive rights and the right to choose are under attack,” Cortez Masto said, “and we have to stand up to those extremists who are out there who think it’s okay to control women and take away women’s rights to choose.”
A number of Democratic senators also wrote a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland last week asking him to ensure the Justice Department is safeguarding patients’ rights to interstate travel.