Reproductive Health Travel Fund Act of 2026

Bill Number: S. 4922
Origin Chamber: Senate
Congress: 119th Congress, Session 2
Status: Introduced
Latest Action: 2026-06-24: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Last Updated: 2026-07-07T04:53:29Z

AI-Generated Summary

Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to award grants to eligible entities for covering travel-related expenses and practical support costs for individuals seeking abortion services.
Aims to address barriers created by state-level restrictions on abortion access following the 2022 Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization.

Grant Program: The Secretary may award grants starting no later than 30 days after enactment; applications are solicited for eligible uses.
Permissible uses include round-trip travel, lodging, meals, childcare, translation services, doula care, patient education, and lost wages.
Up to 15% of funds may cover organizational costs such as outreach, infrastructure, website maintenance, and staff training.
Funds may not be used for the cost of the abortion procedure itself.
Eligibility and Priority: Eligible entities are nonprofit or community-based organizations providing unbiased, medically accurate assistance; excludes entities that discourage abortions. Priority given to those serving individuals in jurisdictions with bans or severe restrictions, or those traveling across state lines.
Reporting: Annual reports to Congress required, with protections against including individually identifiable information.
Preemption and Protections: Federal provisions supersede conflicting state, tribal, territorial, or local laws. No federal agency or official may cooperate with state antiabortion investigations, prosecutions, or lawsuits related to the program.
Funding: Authorizes $350,000,000 annually for fiscal years 2027 through 2031.

Establishes a new federal grant program administered by the Department of the Treasury, with no direct amendments to prior statutes noted.
Introduces explicit federal preemption over state laws that would block fund usage and prohibits federal cooperation in certain state proceedings, creating a new layer of federal-state interaction in this area.

Government Agencies: Increases administrative responsibilities for the Treasury Department in grant solicitation, award, and reporting; may involve coordination challenges with other federal entities due to preemption rules.
Citizens: Provides financial and logistical support to individuals facing travel barriers, particularly those in restrictive jurisdictions, potentially increasing access to services without covering procedure costs.
International Relations: No direct provisions affect international matters, though findings reference collaboration among organizations at international levels.

Nonprofit and community-based organizations (including abortion funds) providing support services.
Individuals seeking abortion services, especially those traveling across state lines or from restrictive areas.
State, tribal, territorial, and local governments with abortion restrictions.
The Department of the Treasury as the administering agency.

Creates federal preemption that may conflict with state laws, potentially leading to legal challenges regarding federal authority over state-regulated health matters.
Includes confidentiality requirements and restrictions on federal involvement in state proceedings, which could raise issues around intergovernmental relations and enforcement.
Defines eligibility narrowly to exclude certain advocacy groups, which may influence organizational participation and program implementation.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

2026-06-24: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
2026-06-24: Introduced in Senate

Reproductive Health Travel Fund Act of 2026 — issued 2026-06-24 — PDF (10 pages)