Republicans Halt Democratic Legislation on IVF Protections
As Trump presents himself as a "leader on IVF," GOP senators are labeling the legislation as a Democratic ploy.
TroibNews 
On Tuesday, Senate Republicans successfully blocked a Democratic bill aimed at federally safeguarding access to in vitro fertilization (IVF) and mandating public and private insurance coverage for IVF and other fertility treatments.
Echoing their earlier rejection of the same proposal, Republicans characterized the legislation as both unnecessary and excessively broad, dismissing it as a political tactic lacking urgency for their support.
“It’s a messaging opportunity,” remarked Sen. Mitt Romney, who added that there were unspecified “poison pills that Republicans find unacceptable” within the bill.
Sen. John Cornyn, a GOP leadership member, labeled the vote a “cynical show vote,” criticizing Democrats for not permitting Republicans to propose amendments.
“Same song, second verse,” stated Sen. James Lankford, accusing Democrats of feigning progress.
The vote concluded with 51 in favor and 44 against, failing to meet the 60-vote requirement to overcome a filibuster. Only Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins deviated from the party line to support the legislation.
This vote followed former President Donald Trump presenting himself as “a leader on fertilization, IVF” during a debate with Vice President Kamala Harris, where he promised to advocate for making IVF free for all Americans, either through direct taxpayer funding or a mandate for insurance companies to cover the procedures.
In the lead-up to the November elections, Democrats have emphasized IVF, arguing that the implications of the fall of Roe v. Wade present ongoing risks, a development they attribute to Republican efforts.
Trump’s pledge has faced backlash from multiple segments of the Republican Party: small-government advocates who object to a new federal mandate and religious conservatives who oppose common IVF practices. The latter group equates creating excess embryos, selecting the most viable ones for implantation, and discarding the rest with abortion.
The GOP has encountered challenges regarding IVF at both state and federal levels, particularly following a ruling by the Alabama Supreme Court that recognized frozen embryos as people. This decision prompted some fertility clinics in the state to halt treatments until lawmakers passed a bill that shielded them from liability, two weeks later. Trump and other Republican leaders condemned the Alabama ruling while praising the legislative action that restored access — responses that many prominent religious and anti-abortion activists deemed a betrayal.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer suggested that the vote aimed to expose the divisions within the party and highlight their hypocrisy on the issue during a press conference outside the Capitol.
“We've seen Republicans tie themselves in knots over their support for IVF,” he said. “They claim to support access to IVF, support insurance paying for IVF treatments, and support helping families pay for IVF. And then when the rubber hits the road, they vote no.”
In the lead-up to the vote, Republicans argued that the legislative remedy in Alabama rendered IVF a non-issue that Democrats were manipulating for political gain.
“This is an election-year bill,” stated Sen. Bill Cassidy. “There’s no state that is endangering IVF. This is the way they create the illusion there is.”
However, Democrats cautioned that without federal protections, nearly a dozen other states with fetal personhood laws could attempt to restrict the destruction of frozen embryos.
Ahead of the vote, Schumer highlighted various influential conservative groups advocating for stricter IVF regulations, including the Southern Baptist Convention, the Heritage Foundation, and former Vice President Mike Pence's group, Advancing American Freedom.
“These are the groups Republicans listen to. These are the groups who set their agenda,” he said, standing with Democratic colleagues who held photos of children conceived through IVF. “If Republicans get their way, the IVF services that so many families depend on are very much at risk.”
Nearly all Senate Republicans had previously voted against a similar bill in June, arguing it was unnecessary or infringed upon religious freedoms, with Collins and Murkowski again being the only exceptions. The day before that vote, the entire GOP conference released a statement affirming their “strong support for continued nationwide access to IVF.”
Additionally, Senate Republicans previously rejected a proposal from Sen. Patty Murray in March that sought to expand IVF access for veterans.
Mark B Thomas contributed to this report for TROIB News
Echoing their earlier rejection of the same proposal, Republicans characterized the legislation as both unnecessary and excessively broad, dismissing it as a political tactic lacking urgency for their support.
“It’s a messaging opportunity,” remarked Sen. Mitt Romney, who added that there were unspecified “poison pills that Republicans find unacceptable” within the bill.
Sen. John Cornyn, a GOP leadership member, labeled the vote a “cynical show vote,” criticizing Democrats for not permitting Republicans to propose amendments.
“Same song, second verse,” stated Sen. James Lankford, accusing Democrats of feigning progress.
The vote concluded with 51 in favor and 44 against, failing to meet the 60-vote requirement to overcome a filibuster. Only Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins deviated from the party line to support the legislation.
This vote followed former President Donald Trump presenting himself as “a leader on fertilization, IVF” during a debate with Vice President Kamala Harris, where he promised to advocate for making IVF free for all Americans, either through direct taxpayer funding or a mandate for insurance companies to cover the procedures.
In the lead-up to the November elections, Democrats have emphasized IVF, arguing that the implications of the fall of Roe v. Wade present ongoing risks, a development they attribute to Republican efforts.
Trump’s pledge has faced backlash from multiple segments of the Republican Party: small-government advocates who object to a new federal mandate and religious conservatives who oppose common IVF practices. The latter group equates creating excess embryos, selecting the most viable ones for implantation, and discarding the rest with abortion.
The GOP has encountered challenges regarding IVF at both state and federal levels, particularly following a ruling by the Alabama Supreme Court that recognized frozen embryos as people. This decision prompted some fertility clinics in the state to halt treatments until lawmakers passed a bill that shielded them from liability, two weeks later. Trump and other Republican leaders condemned the Alabama ruling while praising the legislative action that restored access — responses that many prominent religious and anti-abortion activists deemed a betrayal.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer suggested that the vote aimed to expose the divisions within the party and highlight their hypocrisy on the issue during a press conference outside the Capitol.
“We've seen Republicans tie themselves in knots over their support for IVF,” he said. “They claim to support access to IVF, support insurance paying for IVF treatments, and support helping families pay for IVF. And then when the rubber hits the road, they vote no.”
In the lead-up to the vote, Republicans argued that the legislative remedy in Alabama rendered IVF a non-issue that Democrats were manipulating for political gain.
“This is an election-year bill,” stated Sen. Bill Cassidy. “There’s no state that is endangering IVF. This is the way they create the illusion there is.”
However, Democrats cautioned that without federal protections, nearly a dozen other states with fetal personhood laws could attempt to restrict the destruction of frozen embryos.
Ahead of the vote, Schumer highlighted various influential conservative groups advocating for stricter IVF regulations, including the Southern Baptist Convention, the Heritage Foundation, and former Vice President Mike Pence's group, Advancing American Freedom.
“These are the groups Republicans listen to. These are the groups who set their agenda,” he said, standing with Democratic colleagues who held photos of children conceived through IVF. “If Republicans get their way, the IVF services that so many families depend on are very much at risk.”
Nearly all Senate Republicans had previously voted against a similar bill in June, arguing it was unnecessary or infringed upon religious freedoms, with Collins and Murkowski again being the only exceptions. The day before that vote, the entire GOP conference released a statement affirming their “strong support for continued nationwide access to IVF.”
Additionally, Senate Republicans previously rejected a proposal from Sen. Patty Murray in March that sought to expand IVF access for veterans.
Mark B Thomas contributed to this report for TROIB News
