I 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2972 

To ensure affordable abortion coverage and care for every woman, and for 

other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 8, 2015 

Ms. LEE (for herself, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Ms. DEGETTE, Ms. SLAUGHTER, Ms. 

NORTON, Ms. MOORE, Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, Mr. GRIJALVA, Ms. 

JUDY CHU of California, Mr. ELLISON, Mr. HONDA, Mr. FARR, Mr. CONYERS, Mr. QUIGLEY, Mr. GALLEGO, Ms. CLARKE of New York, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mr. CA ́RDENAS, Mr. TED LIEU of California, Mr. NADLER, Ms. DELAURO, Ms. JACKSON LEE, Mr. JOHNSON

of Georgia, Mr. SWALWELL of California, Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN, Ms. 

BROWN of Florida, Ms. MCCOLLUM, Mr. BEYER, Mr. DEUTCH, Ms. 

LINDA T. SA ́NCHEZ of California, Ms. FUDGE, Ms. BONAMICI, Ms. 

EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. KENNEDY, Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts, Mrs. LAWRENCE, Mr. RYAN of Ohio, Ms. CASTOR of Florida, 

Mr. DESAULNIER, Mr. GUTIE ́RREZ, Mr. ISRAEL, Ms. KELLY of Illinois, 

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida, Mrs. LOWEY, Ms. PINGREE, Mr. RANGEL, Mr. 

TONKO, Mr. ENGEL, Mr. CAPUANO, Ms. BASS, Mr. CUMMINGS, Ms. WILSON of Florida, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New 

York, Mr. PRICE of North Carolina, Mr. SERRANO, Mr. POCAN, Mr. CONNOLLY, Ms. EDWARDS, Mr. SCHIFF, Ms. SPEIER, Mr. O’ROURKE, Mr. 

PALLONE, Ms. ADAMS, Mr. WELCH, Mr. NORCROSS, Mr. COHEN, Ms. 

BROWNLEY of California, Mr. KILMER, and Ms. MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM of New Mexico) introduced the following bill; which was referred to 

the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means and Oversight and Government Reform, 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 


SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 2972 IH

A BILL 

To ensure affordable abortion coverage and care for every 

woman, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Equal Access to Abor5 tion Coverage in Health Insurance (EACH Woman) Act 

6 of 2015’’. 

7 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

8 Congress makes the following findings: 

9 (1) Affordable, comprehensive health insurance 

10 that includes coverage for a full range of pregnancy11 related care, including abortion, is critical to the 

12 health of every woman. 

13 (2) Neither a woman’s income level nor her 

14 type of insurance should prevent her from having ac15 cess to a full range of pregnancy-related care, in16 cluding abortion services. 

17 (3) No woman should have the decision to have, 

18 or not to have, an abortion made for her based on 

19 her ability or inability to afford the procedure. 

20 (4) Since 1976, the Federal Government has 

21 withheld funds for abortion coverage in most cir22 cumstances. As a 2013 analysis by the Guttmacher 


SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 2972 IH

1 Institute shows, this affects women of reproductive 

2 age in the United States who are insured through 

3 the Medicaid program, as well as women who receive 

4 insurance or care through other Federal health plans 

5 and programs. 

6 (5) Moreover, 25 States also prohibit abortion 

7 coverage in private insurance plans within or beyond 

8 health insurance marketplaces under the Patient 

9 Protection and Affordable Care Act, according to an 

10 analysis of State policies by the Guttmacher Insti11 tute. 

12 (6) A report by the Center for Reproductive 

13 Rights details how restrictions on abortion coverage 

14 interfere with a woman’s personal decisionmaking, 

15 with her health and well-being, and with her con16 stitutionally protected right to a safe and legal med17 ical procedure. 

18 (7) Restrictions on abortion coverage have a 

19 disproportionate impact on low-income women, 

20 women of color, immigrant women, and young 

21 women, according to reports by both the Center for 

22 American Progress and the Guttmacher Institute. 

23 Also according to the reports, these women are al24 ready disadvantaged in their access to the resources, 

25 information, and services necessary to prevent an 


SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 2972 IH

1 unintended pregnancy or to carry a healthy preg2 nancy to term. 

3 SEC. 3. ABORTION COVERAGE AND CARE REGARDLESS OF 

4 INCOME OR SOURCE OF INSURANCE. 

5 (a) ENSURING ABORTION COVERAGE AND CARE

6 THROUGH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN ITS ROLE AS

7 AN INSURER, EMPLOYER, OR HEALTH CARE PRO8 VIDER.—The Federal Government shall— 

9 (1) ensure coverage for abortion care in public 

10 health insurance programs including Medicaid, 

11 Medicare, and the Children’s Health Insurance Pro12 gram; 

13 (2) in its role as an employer or health plan 

14 sponsor, ensure coverage for abortion care for par15 ticipants and beneficiaries; and 

16 (3) in its role as a provider of health services, 

17 ensure abortion care is made available to individuals 

18 who are eligible to receive services in its own facili19 ties or in facilities with which it contracts to provide 

20 medical care. 

21 (b) PROHIBITING RESTRICTIONS ON PRIVATE INSUR22 ANCE COVERAGE OF ABORTION CARE.— 

23 (1) FEDERAL RESTRICTIONS.—The Federal 

24 Government shall not prohibit, restrict, or otherwise 


SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
5 

•HR 2972 IH

1 inhibit insurance coverage of abortion care by State 

2 or local government or by private health plans. 

3 (2) STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT RESTRIC4 TIONS.—State and local governments shall not pro5 hibit, restrict, or otherwise inhibit insurance cov6 erage of abortion care by private health plans. 

7 SEC. 4. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 

8 It is the sense of the Congress that— 

9 (1) the Federal Government, acting in its ca10 pacity as an insurer, employer, or health care pro11 vider, should serve as a model for the Nation to en12 sure coverage of abortion care; and 

13 (2) moreover, restrictions on coverage of abor14 tion care in the private insurance market must end. 

15 SEC. 5. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION. 

16 Nothing in this Act shall be construed to have any 

17 effect on any Federal, State, or local law that includes 

18 more protections for abortion coverage or care than those 

19 set forth in this Act. 

20 SEC. 6. SEVERABILITY. 

21 If any portion of this Act or the application thereof 

22 to any person or circumstances is held invalid, such inva23 lidity shall not affect the portions or applications of this 


SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
6 

•HR 2972 IH

1 Act which can be given effect without the invalid portion 

2 or application. 

Æ 


SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS