A group of Democratic senators tried. Led by Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), from a state where abortion is legal and also at risk of losing re-election, they tried to pass a freedom-to-travel bill by unanimous consent, a dramatic tactic to send a message about legislation that has no votes. It was blocked by Republicans. Also this week, 18 Senate Democrats and 81 House members sent a letter to the Biden administration asking it to declare a national public health emergency to provide more flexibility for patients to receive and medical professionals to provide medical care. But Biden administration officials have so far been reluctant to act because there is little money to devote to the effort and they fear legal challenges from conservatives who would prevail in conservative courts.
