I 
117TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 8297 
To prohibit the interference, under color of State law, with the provision 
of interstate abortion services, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 7, 2022 
Mrs. FLETCHER (for herself, Ms. STRICKLAND, and Mr. RASKIN) introduced 
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 
Commerce 
A BILL 
To prohibit the interference, under color of State law, with 
the provision of interstate abortion services, 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 ‘‘Ensuring Access to 
Abortion Act of 2022’’. 
SEC. 2. INTERFERENCE WITH INTERSTATE ABORTION 
SERVICES PROHIBITED. 
(a) INTERFERENCE PROHIBITED.—No person acting 
under color of State law, including any person who, by 
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operation of a provision of State law, is permitted to im-
plement or enforce State law, may prevent, restrict, or im-
pede, or retaliate against, in any manner— 
(1) a health care provider’s ability to provide, 
initiate, or otherwise enable an abortion service that 
is lawful in the State in which the service is to be 
provided to a patient who does not reside in that 
State; 
(2) any person or entity’s ability to assist a 
health care provider to provide, initiate, or otherwise 
enable an abortion service that is lawful in the State 
in which the service is to be provided to a patient 
who does not reside in that State, if such assistance 
does not violate the law of that State; 
(3) any person’s ability to travel across a State 
line for the purpose of obtaining an abortion service 
that is lawful in the State in which the service is to 
be provided; 
(4) any person’s or entity’s ability to assist an-
other person traveling across a State line for the 
purpose of obtaining an abortion service that is law-
ful in the State in which the service is to be pro-
vided; or 
(5) the movement in interstate commerce, in ac-
cordance with Federal law or regulation, of any drug 
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approved or licensed by the Food and Drug Admin-
istration for the termination of a pregnancy. 
(b) ENFORCEMENT BY ATTORNEY GENERAL.—The 
Attorney General may bring a civil action in the appro-
priate United States district court against any person who 
violates subsection (a) for declaratory and injunctive relief. 
(c) PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION.—Any person who is 
harmed by a violation of subsection (a) may bring a civil 
action in the appropriate United States district court 
against the person who violated such subsection for declar-
atory and injunctive relief, and for such compensatory 
damages as the court determines appropriate, including 
for economic losses and for emotional pain and suffering. 
The court may, in addition, award reasonable attorney’s 
fees and costs of the action to a prevailing plaintiff. 
(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘abortion service’’ means— 
(A) an abortion, including the use of any 
drug approved or licensed by the Food and 
Drug Administration for the termination of a 
pregnancy; and 
(B) any health care service related to or 
provided in conjunction with an abortion 
(whether or not provided at the same time or 
on the same day as the abortion). 
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(2) The term ‘‘health care provider’’ means any 
entity or individual (including any physician, cer-
tified nurse-midwife, nurse practitioner, physician’s 
assistant, or pharmacist) that is— 
(A) engaged or seeks to engage in the de-
livery of health care services, including abortion 
services; and 
(B) licensed or certified to perform such 
service under applicable State law. 
(3) The term ‘‘drug’’ has the meaning given 
such term in section 201 of the Federal Food, Drug, 
and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 321). 
(4) The term ‘‘State’’ includes the several 
States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth 
of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, 
American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Is-
lands, each Indian tribe, and each territory or pos-
session of the United States. 
(e) SEVERABILITY.—If any provision of this Act, or 
the application of such provision to any person, entity, 
government, or circumstance, is held to be unconstitu-
tional, the remainder of this Act, or the application of such 
provision to all other persons, entities, governments, or 
circumstances, shall not be affected thereby. 
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