Abortion care by the hour

[LIVE COVERAGE] Join us tomorrow for Idaho v. United States Problems viewing this email? [View it in your browser]( [Center for American Progress]( InProgress from the Center for American Progress How long would it take you to drive to an abortion clinic? [An abortion clinic counter with a sign that says Welcome East Texans to New Mexico Land of Enchantment]( Would it take you 20 minutes to drive to an abortion clinic? Forty-five minutes? A couple of hours? Several days, which means you might need to spend extra for the costs of travel, lodging, and child care? Many women in the United States are grappling with this question right now as abortion care is criminalized. A new analysis from the Center for American Progress uses data from September 1, 2023, to convert the average one-way driving time to abortion clinics from the census tract level to the congressional district level. We find that the longest travel times across the contiguous United States are experienced most acutely by those with the least resources and who are the most marginalized. The reality for these women is that although abortion care is not illegal in every state, extreme travel times can put abortion care out of reach anyway. Just look at the [map](. For example: The data show that women traveling more than eight hours round trip for an abortion make thousands of dollars less per year than women who have shorter driving times. Our analysis indicates that those in congressional districts with high proportions of Black and Hispanic women of reproductive age also experienced longer driving times, respectively, than those in districts with lower proportions. We also found that those in districts with Republican representatives had travel times that were more than two times longer, on average, than those in districts with Democratic representatives. These travel times show only a snapshot in time; they do not account for potential delays in needed care due to the increased caseloads at the clinics, limited appointments, and ongoing attacks to further restrict reproductive health care access through [elections and ballot initiatives.]( [Learn More]( What's the longest drive to an abortion clinic in each state by congressional district? Abortion travel time depends on your congressional district. How does yours compare? [A video screenshot that reads "What's the longest time it takes to drive to an abortion clinic by congressional district in each state?" with a bar graph of many colors behind the words. ]( [Share This]( [ACTION ITEM] Protect the right to abortion care We know that protecting access to abortion is critical—but it is not enough. We can expand and strengthen reproductive health and family planning protections in states where abortion is legal by: - Making abortion more affordable. - Protecting state-level reproductive rights. - Expanding the types of authorized providers. - Protecting abortion providers and safe access to care and clinics. Add your name to help preserve the right to affordable, accessible abortion care. [Add Your Name]( Tomorrow's Supreme Court case is about more than abortion rights Tomorrow, the U.S. Supreme Court will review [Idaho v. United States]( a case that will determine whether states with near-total abortion bans can criminalize emergency abortion care—even though abortion during dire medical emergencies is protected under the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA). But this case isn't just about abortion rights. Idaho v. United States is part of [coordinated, intentional attacks]( on medical care that include gender-affirming care for transgender people and will affect other vulnerable communities across America. These attacks are being driven by far-right [strategists]( using the court system to fuel their partisan agenda. Here are [three questions we'll be listening for during oral arguments]( to understand how this case will affect the future of emergency medical care: - Will the justices defer to medical providers’ expertise in deciding whether there is an irreconcilable conflict between Idaho’s abortion ban and EMTALA? - Will the justices address the potential long-term consequence of allowing states to carve out exceptions to emergency care under EMTALA? - Will the justices admit that this case has nationwide implications and could run afoul of their promise in Dobbs to leave abortion access to the states? [An image of a woman standing in a pink coat giving on the steps of the Supreme Court. Text over the image reads "Live from the Supreme Court Live Coverage of Idaho v. United States oral arguments April 24, 2024 10:00a.m. EST Sabrina Talukder, director of the Women's Initiative at CAP Follow @SabrinaTalukde1 on X]( [Follow Sabrina on X]( Idaho v. United States in less than 2 minutes [A woman in a grey suit stands in front of the Supreme Court. There is a "play" button overlaying the image. ]( Get the breakdown of everything you need to know before tomorrow’s oral arguments: [Watch Now]( ICYMI: ‘Emergency Abortion Care Under Threat in Idaho v. United States: The Medical Providers Perspective’ On April 17, [Sabrina Talukder]( director of the Women’s Initiative at CAP, spoke with physician storytellers from Idaho and other rural states to discuss how the criminalization of emergency abortion care, the current challenge to EMTALA, and the interference of the U.S. Supreme Court in their daily medical practice has changed their personal and professional lives. 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