I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5542 
To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a grant 
program to facilitate the distribution of funding for travel related ex-
penses paid by individuals impacted by restrictions to the provision 
of abortion services, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 8, 2021 
Mr. SHERMAN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee 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 juris-
diction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to 
establish a grant program to facilitate the distribution 
of funding for travel related expenses paid by individuals 
impacted by restrictions to the provision of abortion serv-
ices, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Medical Travel Assist-
ance to Protect Women’s Right to Choose Act of 2021’’. 
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SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 
It is the sense of Congress that the Attorney General 
shall undertake all necessary actions to prevent a State 
from frustrating the protections outlined in Roe v. Wade 
(410 U.S. 113 (1973)). 
SEC. 3. GRANTS TO INDIVIDUALS IMPACTED BY RESTRIC-
TIONS TO PROVISION OF ABORTION SERV-
ICES. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 30 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
Health and Human Services shall establish a program (in 
this Act referred to as the ‘‘Program’’) to facilitate the 
distribution of funding for travel related expenses paid 
with respect to accessing an abortion service by an indi-
vidual residing in a State that does not have a State law 
protecting the right to abortion services before the fetus 
is viable. 
(b) GRANT AUTHORITY.—In carrying out the Pro-
gram, the Secretary may award a grant to each individual 
in accordance with this section. 
(c) ELIGIBLE
RECIPIENTS.—The Secretary may 
award a grant under the Program to any individual deter-
mined by the Secretary to— 
(1) be a resident of a State that does not have 
a State law protecting the right to abortion services 
before the fetus is viable; and 
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(2) have traveled to a State other than the 
State of such individual’s residence to be provided 
abortion services. 
(d) APPLICATIONS.—To be eligible for a grant under 
the Program, the individual shall submit to the Secretary 
an application in such form, at such time, and containing 
such information as the Secretary determines appropriate. 
(e) GRANT AMOUNT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The amount of the grant 
awarded under the Program shall be up to $1,000 
and based on the travel related expenses paid by an 
eligible recipient. 
(2) ADDITIONAL
AMOUNT.—In extraordinary 
circumstances, as determined by the Secretary, the 
amount of the grant awarded under the Program 
may exceed $1,000. 
(f) TRAVEL RELATED EXPENSES DEFINED.—In this 
section, the term ‘‘travel related expenses’’— 
(1) includes— 
(A) the expense of round trip travel to the 
location where the abortion service is provided; 
and 
(B) lodging and meals; and 
(2) does not include— 
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