H.R. 8452 (117^th): Reproductive Health Travel Fund Act of 2022

On June 24, 2022, in its decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the Supreme Court overruled Roe v. Wade, reversing decades of precedent recognizing the constitutional right to terminate a pregnancy.

The abortion access landscape was already strained. This decision will decimate access for millions of people in the United States. Roughly half of States are predicted to ban or severely restrict abortion in the coming months.

The implications of this decision will fall hardest on people who already face barriers to health care access, particularly Black people, Indigenous people, and other people of color, people with disabilities, people in rural areas, young people, people with documentation barriers, and those having difficulty making ends meet.

People have always had abortions and always will, even in the face of legal, financial, and logistical barriers, or criminalization. While some will self-manage their abortions, and have the option of using pills that are medically safe and effective, many others are traveling hundreds of miles out of State, or forced to carry pregnancies to term.

Abortion funds and practical support funds are community-based organizations that support people in overcoming financial and logistical barriers to abortion care.

Funds work together to remove financial and logistical barriers to abortion access and have been doing this work for years. Some of these barriers are, but are not limited to, transportation, food, lodging, childcare, translation, and doula services.

Many funds are led by people who have had abortions themselves, including a growing base of Black and Brown leaders who have themselves faced abortion obstacles and understand the complex circumstances callers may face.

Abortion funds have a history of being underresourced and rely mostly on volunteer time and energy to support communities.

Abortion and practical support funds hold some of the closest ties to people who are having abortions and have the first-hand experience, up-to-date and on-the-ground knowledge, and the regional and national connections needed to support abortion seekers financially, emotionally, or logistically.

Clinics in States where abortion is legal and more accessible are receiving an influx of people seeking abortions. Provider shortages plus this rapid increase in patients will cause longer waits for appointments.

When people are not able to access an abortion when they need it, they are often pushed much further into pregnancy. This increases costs exponentially. For many, the increased financial burden will push abortion care completely out of reach.

A rapidly changing access landscape, as bans are implemented and challenged, means that the window to access care in certain States may be limited. People who are put in a position where they must postpone their care due to financial or other constraints may face appointment cancellations due to overnight changes in legality.

Funds often work with each other if they cannot fully assist a caller, or if a caller is traveling across regions. A national network of almost 100 abortion and practical support funds has demonstrated these funds are uniquely positioned to lead in this moment and need support.