Judiciary Committee, Energy and Commerce Committee
Introduced
In Committee
On Floor
Passed Chamber
Enacted
The Women's Health Protection Act of 2025 aims to establish federal statutory rights for individuals to access abortion services and for healthcare providers to offer them. It seeks to protect a person's ability to determine whether to continue or end a pregnancy, recognizing abortion as essential healthcare central to equal participation in society. The bill emphasizes reproductive justice as a human right, ensuring individuals can make decisions about their bodies and families without interference or discrimination. Specifically, the Act protects the right to terminate a pregnancy prior to fetal viability without being subject to numerous state-level limitations. These prohibited restrictions include bans on specific abortion procedures, limitations on prescribing or dispensing reproductive health drugs, and restrictions on telemedicine for abortion services. It also prevents states from imposing residency requirements for patients or prohibiting assistance to those seeking abortion care. After viability, the bill protects the right to abortion when, in the good-faith medical judgment of the provider, it is necessary to protect the patient's life or health. It also broadly prohibits any other limitation or requirement that targets abortion services and impedes access, such as medically unnecessary tests, biased counseling, or facility requirements not applied to comparable medical procedures. Courts are instructed to liberally construe the Act to effectuate its purposes. The legislation explicitly establishes a fundamental right to travel across state lines to obtain reproductive health services, including abortion, and to assist others in doing so. This Act is designed to supersede any inconsistent federal or state laws, whether statutory or common law, adopted before or after its enactment, including the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993. However, it does not supersede laws regulating physical access to clinic entrances, insurance coverage, or generally applicable state contract law. The Attorney General is authorized to commence civil actions against states or government officials who violate the Act. Additionally, individuals or entities adversely affected, including healthcare providers, have a private right of action to challenge unlawful limitations or requirements. The bill allows for pre-enforcement challenges and provides for declaratory and equitable relief, including injunctive relief, along with the award of litigation costs and attorney's fees to prevailing plaintiffs. It also abrogates state immunity in such cases.
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
The Women's Health Protection Act of 2025 aims to establish federal statutory rights for individuals to access abortion services and for healthcare providers to offer them. It seeks to protect a person's ability to determine whether to continue or end a pregnancy, recognizing abortion as essential healthcare central to equal participation in society. The bill emphasizes reproductive justice as a human right, ensuring individuals can make decisions about their bodies and families without interference or discrimination. Specifically, the Act protects the right to terminate a pregnancy prior to fetal viability without being subject to numerous state-level limitations. These prohibited restrictions include bans on specific abortion procedures, limitations on prescribing or dispensing reproductive health drugs, and restrictions on telemedicine for abortion services. It also prevents states from imposing residency requirements for patients or prohibiting assistance to those seeking abortion care. After viability, the bill protects the right to abortion when, in the good-faith medical judgment of the provider, it is necessary to protect the patient's life or health. It also broadly prohibits any other limitation or requirement that targets abortion services and impedes access, such as medically unnecessary tests, biased counseling, or facility requirements not applied to comparable medical procedures. Courts are instructed to liberally construe the Act to effectuate its purposes. The legislation explicitly establishes a fundamental right to travel across state lines to obtain reproductive health services, including abortion, and to assist others in doing so. This Act is designed to supersede any inconsistent federal or state laws, whether statutory or common law, adopted before or after its enactment, including the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993. However, it does not supersede laws regulating physical access to clinic entrances, insurance coverage, or generally applicable state contract law. The Attorney General is authorized to commence civil actions against states or government officials who violate the Act. Additionally, individuals or entities adversely affected, including healthcare providers, have a private right of action to challenge unlawful limitations or requirements. The bill allows for pre-enforcement challenges and provides for declaratory and equitable relief, including injunctive relief, along with the award of litigation costs and attorney's fees to prevailing plaintiffs. It also abrogates state immunity in such cases.
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.