Senate Republicans blocked a bill led by Democrats aimed at guaranteeing national access to in vitro fertilization, with only Sens. Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowska siding with the Democrats in a 48-47 procedural vote. Many Republicans criticized the specifics of the language in the Right to IVF Act and accused Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of setting up a show vote rather than seeking a viable solution to the issue. The GOP conference released a statement accusing Senate Democrats of using scare tactics to mislead the American people.
Critics have raised concerns about provisions in the Right to IVF Act, such as mandates for private health insurance to cover assisted reproduction treatments without exemptions for religious reasons. The bill was crafted by Sens. Patty Murray, Tammy Duckworth, and Cory Booker in response to a February Alabama Supreme Court decision declaring embryos in IVF procedures as unborn children. President Biden and Democrats criticized Senate Republicans for voting against the Right to IVF Act, accusing them of refusing to protect access to fertility treatments for women and blocking nationwide protections for birth control.
Despite claiming to support IVF, Senate Republicans blocked the Right to IVF Act, leading to renewed support for the alternative IVF Protection Act proposed by Sens. Katie Britt and Ted Cruz. Democrats argued that the IVF Protection Act was filled with loopholes that could be exploited by state legislatures. The Southern Baptist Convention, the largest Protestant denomination in the US, passed a resolution rejecting IVF as it allows for the destruction of embryonic human life. Since the overturn of Roe v. Wade in 2022, Democrats have been pushing against the GOP on reproductive matters, particularly focusing on IVF after the Alabama court decision.
After the Alabama court decision, multiple IVF clinics paused operations out of fear over criminal penalties for destroying frozen embryos, leading to a national debate over IVF. Republicans have expressed their support for IVF and stressed that no state has actually banned the procedure. Sen. Bill Cassidy argued that Democrats were politicizing a personal issue by pushing a bill that was destined to fail and did a disservice to women seeking IVF treatments. House Democrats were preparing a discharge petition to take up similar legislation in the lower chamber, while House Republicans engaged in messaging legislation to force Democrats into uncomfortable votes.
Additionally, Republicans have been using resolutions on Israel to exploit progressive infighting over the Israel-Hamas conflict. The Supreme Court also ruled to preserve widespread access to Mifepristone, a drug commonly used to induce abortions, earlier in the day. Overall, the battle over IVF legislation highlights the deep divide between Democrats and Republicans on reproductive matters, with each side pushing their own agenda and using legislative tactics to score political points. The issue of IVF has become a focal point of the ongoing debate over reproductive rights and access to healthcare in the United States.
