Senate Democrats are set to reveal a policy package designed to protect access to IVF (in vitro fertilization) nearly two years after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. The proposed package is a part of the Democratic Party’s strategy of pushing reproductive rights as a central part of their platform.
IVF has become the next target in the legislative war against reproductive healthcare access, as an Alabama court ruled embryos are children under state law, forcing healthcare providers to pause providing fertility treatments such as IVF. The Alabama State House, which is a Republican majority, did pass laws to protect IVF, but Democrats were quick to blame the opposing party as it opened the floodgates as to what other states could do regarding restricting IVF access.
“In the nearly two years since the Supreme Court threw out Roe v. Wade, our nation has seen the horrific consequences of Republicans’ anti-science, anti-woman crusade that has put IVF at risk for millions of Americans who rely on it to start or grow their family,” Sen. Tammy Duckworth said in a statement to CBS News. An Illinois Democrat, she is a part of the group creating the package.
IVF is a frequently used method for same-sex couples to have biological children, whether it be via surrogacy or one of the partners who decide to undergo the treatment. According to the Pew Research Center, one in three American adults say they’ve used fertility treatments like IVF. With more than 100,000 same-sex couples raising children in the U.S., and even more looking to expand their families, access to IVF and other fertility treatments is essential.
The Right to IVF Act is made up of four bills sponsored by Duckworth, Sen. Patty Murray of Washington and Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey. The combined policies would protect IVF access via the Access to Family Building Act, which Duckworth originally tried to pass in February. The package would also include expanding access to fertility treatments to Veterans and require insurance plans to cover IVF to lower the cost and make it a more affordable option.
“Democrats will never relent until we reverse the immense damage that the Supreme Court has inflicted on this country, and the American people have a right to know where their elected officials stand on protecting the rights and reproductive care,” Senate Majority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer said.
