The Senate is set to vote on a legislative package to protect access to IVF, with Democrats making a push around reproductive rights two years after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. The issue gained national attention after the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that embryos are considered children under state law, causing providers to halt fertility treatments. Democrats blame Republicans for the issue and are warning of a new front in the fight for reproductive rights.
The legislative package, called the Right to IVF Act, is made up of four bills sponsored by Senators Tammy Duckworth, Patty Murray, and Cory Booker. It focuses on the right to receive and provide IVF services, as well as making these treatments more affordable. One measure in the package would create a statutory right for access to assisted reproductive services like IVF, while another targets expanding access to fertility treatments for veterans and lowering costs for Americans by mandating insurance coverage for IVF.
Democrats tried to advance legislation protecting access to contraception, with most Republicans opposing the measure. These efforts by Democrats are aimed at highlighting reproductive rights before the November elections. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer argues that these votes are not just messaging votes but are important for determining the stance of Republicans on reproductive rights issues, which have been important at the polls.
Senate Republicans have expressed support for protecting access to IVF following the Alabama ruling, but they are divided on how to move forward in a way that satisfies both parties. Two Senate Republicans introduced the IVF Protection Act, which would require states to not prohibit IVF as a condition for receiving federal Medicaid funding. Democrats have raised concerns about the scope and mechanisms of this GOP bill and have questioned its ability to protect IVF services.
While the Democrats’ IVF package is unlikely to advance, at least one Republican, Senator Susan Collins, has expressed support for it. She stated that she does not want the message to be that Republicans are against IVF, but she also noted that the package is not a serious attempt at legislating. Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski is still examining the components of the package. These efforts by both parties to protect access to IVF and highlight reproductive rights issues are part of a larger political push before the November elections.
