Democrats Are Daring Trump to Back Their IVF Bill as He Weighs Recommendations on Access
Source: Notus
Senate Democrats are daring President Donald Trump, the self-proclaimed “father” of in vitro fertilization, to support their bill protecting access to fertility treatments.
“This is his chance to get on board, right?” Sen. Tammy Duckworth said. “Let’s make sure that we continue to enshrine Americans’ rights to access assisted reproductive technology. It’s that simple.”
“I’m giving him an opportunity; he should back it,” Duckworth continued.
The Illinois senator will introduce on Wednesday the Protect IVF Act, a bill that would create a federal right to access fertility treatments and protect health providers who offer those services. The legislation would also authorize the Justice Department to sue any state that disrupts access to fertility treatments.
Trump signed an executive order in February directing the Domestic Policy Council to come up with policy recommendations to expand access to IVF. The council in May delivered those recommendations to Trump, who is currently reviewing them. None of those recommendations have been made public.
“The Domestic Policy Council has worked closely with external stakeholder groups for nearly three months to deliver on President Trump’s executive order to formulate a plan on expanding IVF access for American families. This is a key priority for President Trump,” White House spokesperson Kush Desai said in a statement.
The White House did not respond to NOTUS’ follow-up question on whether the president would consider backing a Democratic bill.
Duckworth, who has introduced versions of the bill previously and has been open about her own IVF experience, is the lead sponsor of the bill. She is joined by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Sens. Patty Murray and Cory Booker.
The bill likely has no chance in the Republican-controlled Senate. Senate Republicans previously said that Duckworth’s bill goes too far. They instead backed a bill brought by GOP Sen. Katie Britt that would ban states from completely prohibiting IVF but allow them to regulate the practice, which health experts say could negatively impact access to the procedure.
Schumer told NOTUS in a statement that Republicans’ support for IVF is nothing but “smoke and mirrors and hollow Executive Orders.”
“Donald Trump and Republicans have led an unrelenting crusade against reproductive rights for years, refusing to support legislation that would truly protect access to IVF,” Schumer continued.
Duckworth’s bill again pushes IVF into the political conversation.
During the 2024 election, Republicans scrambled to back access to IVF after an Alabama Supreme Court ruling declared frozen embryos created from in vitro fertilization “are children” and should be protected as such under the law. But Republicans in the Senate have also multiple times blocked bills brought by Democrats that aim to protect access to the procedure.
Shortly after Trump won the 2024 election, Duckworth sent a letter to the president urging him to back efforts to protect access to IVF. The senator told NOTUS she never heard back from the president, but is undeterred.
“I will keep reaching out until he answers,” Duckworth said.
By: Oriana González
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