HR 12 · 118th Congress 2023–2025, ended

Women’s Health Protection Act of 2023

Introduced Mar 30, 2023 Originated House Sponsor Judy Chu D-CA

Fact sheet Spreadsheet

Latest action · Apr 7, 2023 Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Progress

Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.

  1. IntroducedMar 30, 2023
  2. Passed HouseNot reached
  3. Passed SenateNot reached
  4. To the PresidentNot reached
  5. Became lawNot reached

Summary

Women's Health Protection Act of 2023

This bill prohibits governmental restrictions on the provision of, and access to, abortion services.

Before fetal viability, governments may not restrict providers from

  • using particular abortion procedures or drugs,
  • offering abortion services via telemedicine, or
  • immediately providing abortion services if delaying risks the patient's health.

Furthermore, governments may not require providers to

  • perform unnecessary medical procedures,
  • provide medically inaccurate information, or
  • comply with credentialing or other conditions that do not apply to providers who offer medically comparable services to abortions.

Additionally, governments may not require patients to make medically unnecessary in-person visits before receiving abortion services or disclose their reasons for obtaining services.

After fetal viability, governments may not restrict providers from performing abortions when necessary to protect a patient's life and health. The same provisions that apply to abortions before viability also apply to necessary abortions after viability. Additionally, states may authorize post-viability abortions in circumstances beyond those that the bill considers necessary.

Further, the bill recognizes an individual's right to interstate travel, including for abortion services.

The bill also prohibits governments from implementing measures that are similar to those restricted by the bill or that otherwise single out and impede access to abortion services, unless the measure significantly advances the safety of abortion services or health of patients and cannot be achieved through less restrictive means.

The Department of Justice, individuals, or providers may sue states or government officials to enforce this bill, regardless of certain immunity that would otherwise apply.

Cosponsors 216

Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Mar 30, 2023 to Nov 19, 2024; 206 are original cosponsors, there from the day it was introduced.

SeatCosponsorSigned on
D-VAAbigail Davis SpanbergerOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-CAAdam B. SchiffOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-WAAdam SmithOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-NYAdriano EspaillatOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-TXAl GreenOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-NYAlexandria Ocasio-CortezOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-NCAlma S. AdamsOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-CAAmi BeraOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-INAndré CarsonOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-ORAndrea SalinasOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-NJAndy KimOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-MNAngie CraigOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-NHAnn M. KusterOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-CAAnna G. EshooOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-MAAyanna PressleyOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-CABarbara LeeOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-VTBecca BalintOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-MSBennie G. ThompsonOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-MNBetty McCollumOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-ILBill FosterOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-NJBill Pascrell, Jr.OriginalMar 30, 2023
D-NJBonnie Watson ColemanOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-CABrad ShermanOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-ILBradley Scott SchneiderOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-PABrendan F. BoyleOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-COBrittany PettersenOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-MDC. A. Dutch RuppersbergerOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-MEChellie PingreeOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-PAChrissy HoulahanOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-PAChristopher R. DeluzioOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-TXColin Z. AllredOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-MOCori BushOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-NYDaniel S. GoldmanOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-MIDaniel T. KildeeOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-ILDanny K. DavisOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-FLDarren SotoOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-MDDavid J. TroneOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-RIDavid N. CicillineOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-MNDean PhillipsOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-MIDebbie DingellOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-FLDebbie Wasserman SchultzOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-NCDeborah K. RossOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-ILDelia C. RamirezOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-WADerek KilmerOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-CODiana DeGetteOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-NVDina TitusOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-NJDonald M. Payne, Jr.OriginalMar 30, 2023
D-NJDonald NorcrossOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-VADonald S. Beyer, Jr.OriginalMar 30, 2023
D-CADoris O. MatsuiOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-PADwight EvansOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-OREarl BlumenauerOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-HIEd CaseOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-DCEleanor Holmes NortonOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-MIElissa SlotkinOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-MOEmanuel CleaverOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-OHEmilia Strong SykesOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-ILEric SorensenOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-CAEric SwalwellOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-INFrank J. MrvanOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-NJFrank Pallone, Jr.OriginalMar 30, 2023
D-FLFrederica S. WilsonOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-NMGabe VasquezOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-VAGerald E. ConnollyOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-MDGlenn IveyOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-CAGrace F. NapolitanoOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-NYGrace MengOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-TXGreg CasarOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-OHGreg LandsmanOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-AZGreg StantonOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-NYGregory W. MeeksOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-WIGwen MooreOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-NYHakeem S. JeffriesOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-MIHaley M. StevensOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-GAHenry C. "Hank" Johnson, Jr.OriginalMar 30, 2023
D-MIHillary J. ScholtenOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-MNIlhan OmarOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-CAJ. Luis CorreaOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-CTJahana HayesOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-MAJake AuchinclossOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-NYJamaal BowmanOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-CTJames A. HimesOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-SCJames E. ClyburnOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-MAJames P. McGovernOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-MDJamie RaskinOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-ILJanice D. SchakowskyOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-MEJared F. GoldenOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-CAJared HuffmanOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-FLJared MoskowitzOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-TXJasmine CrockettOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-COJason CrowOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-NCJeff JacksonOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-VAJennifer L. McClellanOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-VAJennifer WextonOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-NYJerrold NadlerOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-ILJesús G. "Chuy" GarcíaOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-HIJill N. TokudaOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-CAJim CostaOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-CAJimmy GomezOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-CAJimmy PanettaOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-TXJoaquin CastroOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-CTJoe CourtneyOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-COJoe NeguseOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-CTJohn B. LarsonOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-CAJohn GaramendiOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-MDJohn P. SarbanesOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-ILJonathan L. JacksonOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-NYJoseph D. MorelleOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-NJJosh GottheimerOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-OHJoyce BeattyOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-CAJuan VargasOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-CAJulia BrownleyOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-MAKatherine M. ClarkOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-FLKathy CastorOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-NCKathy E. ManningOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-CAKatie PorterOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-CAKevin MullinOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-WAKim SchrierOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-MDKweisi MfumeOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-ILLauren UnderwoodOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-CALinda T. SánchezOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-DELisa Blunt RochesterOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-TXLizzie FletcherOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-TXLloyd DoggettOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-FLLois FrankelOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-MALori TrahanOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-GALucy McBathOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-PAMadeleine DeanOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-TXMarc A. VeaseyOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-OHMarcy KapturOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-WAMarie Gluesenkamp PerezOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-WAMarilyn StricklandOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-CAMark DeSaulnierOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-WIMark PocanOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-CAMark TakanoOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-PAMary Gay ScanlonOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-AKMary Sattler PeltolaOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-PAMatt CartwrightOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-CAMaxine WatersOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-FLMaxwell FrostOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-NMMelanie A. StansburyOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-CAMike LevinOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-ILMike QuigleyOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-CAMike ThompsonOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-NJMikie SherrillOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-KYMorgan McGarveyOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-CANancy PelosiOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-CANanette Diaz BarragánOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-GANikema WilliamsOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-ILNikki BudzinskiOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-CANorma J. TorresOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-NYNydia M. VelázquezOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-NYPatrick RyanOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-NYPaul TonkoOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-CAPete AguilarOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-WAPramila JayapalOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-ILRaja KrishnamoorthiOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-MIRashida TlaibOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-AZRaúl M. GrijalvaOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-CARaul RuizOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-MARichard E. NealOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-WARick LarsenOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-NYRitchie TorresOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-CARo KhannaOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-VARobert C. "Bobby" ScottOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-CARobert GarciaOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-NJRobert MenendezOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-ILRobin L. KellyOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-CTRosa L. DeLauroOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-AZRuben GallegoOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-CASalud O. CarbajalOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-GASanford D. Bishop, Jr.OriginalMar 30, 2023
D-CASara JacobsOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-CAScott H. PetersOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-ILSean CastenOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-RISeth MagazinerOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-MASeth MoultonOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-KSSharice DavidsOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-TXSheila Jackson LeeOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-OHShontel M. BrownOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-MIShri ThanedarOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-VIStacey E. PlaskettOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-MDSteny H. HoyerOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-MAStephen F. LynchOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-TNSteve CohenOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-NVSteven HorsfordOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-PASummer L. LeeOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-PASusan WildOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-NVSusie LeeOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-WASuzan K. DelBeneOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-ORSuzanne BonamiciOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-CASydney Kamlager-DoveOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-TXSylvia R. GarciaOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-CATed LieuOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-NMTeresa Leger FernandezOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-ALTerri A. SewellOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-CATony CárdenasOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-LATroy A. CarterOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-ORVal T. HoyleOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-NCValerie P. FousheeOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-TXVeronica EscobarOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-NCWiley NickelOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-MAWilliam R. KeatingOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-COYadira CaraveoOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-NYYvette D. ClarkeOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-CAZoe LofgrenOriginalMar 30, 2023
D-NYBrian HigginsApr 6, 2023
D-NHChris PappasApr 6, 2023
D-FLSheila Cherfilus-McCormickApr 13, 2023
D-MPGregorio Kilili Camacho SablanMay 10, 2023
D-GADavid ScottMay 11, 2023
D-CAJosh HarderAug 15, 2023
D-RIGabe AmoJan 31, 2024
D-NYTimothy M. KennedyMay 21, 2024
D-NYThomas R. SuozziJul 10, 2024
D-TXErica Lee CarterNov 19, 2024

Committees 2

Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.

ChamberCommitteeWhat it did
HouseEnergy and Commerce Committee
Referred Mar 30, 2023
Health Subcommittee
Referred Apr 7, 2023
HouseJudiciary Committee
Referred Mar 30, 2023

Actions 3

Everything that happened, newest first.

  1. Apr 7, 2023Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
  2. Mar 30, 2023Introduced in House
  3. Mar 30, 2023Referred to the Committee 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 jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

In the Congressional Record 19

Days the Record’s own index lists this bill, newest first, with the pages and the members it names. Pages starting H are the House, S the Senate, E Extensions of Remarks.

WhereIn the RecordMembersDate
HouseDebate and remarks H6308Erica Lee Carter D-TX, James P. McGovern D-MADec 4, 2024
HouseDebate and remarks H6086James P. McGovern D-MANov 19, 2024
HouseDebate and remarks H5964Brittany Pettersen D-CO, James P. McGovern D-MANov 13, 2024
HouseDebate and remarks H4738James P. McGovern D-MA, Pramila Jayapal D-WAJul 23, 2024
HouseDebate and remarks H4491James P. McGovern D-MA, Suzanne Bonamici D-ORJul 9, 2024
Show all 19 days

Research

What has been written about this bill: committee reports, cost estimates, the sponsor’s authority statement, printed hearings and the Congressional Research Service’s work.

Constitutional authority

Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant to the following: Clause 1 of Article 1, Section 8 of the United States Constitution The single subject of this legislation is: To protect a person's ability to determine whether to continue to or end a pregnancy, and to protect a health care provider's ability to provide abortion services.

The sponsor’s statement, as printed in the Congressional Record, vol. 169, no. 58, March 30, 2023, page H1693.

Related bills 1

Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.

BillTitleRelationshipLatest action
S 701Women’s Health Protection Act of 2023Related billMar 9, 2023

Titles 2

Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.

Official Title as Introduced
To protect a person's ability to determine whether to continue or end a pregnancy, and to protect a health care provider's ability to provide abortion services.
Short Title(s) as Introduced
Women’s Health Protection Act of 2023

Subjects

Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Health.

Text 1

Each version as it was printed, newest first.

  1. Mar 30, 2023Introduced in House

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Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov; cost estimates are the Congressional Budget Office's, and the hearings are the printed hearings GovInfo publishes, which can appear months after the hearing.