Backlash from the Alabama Supreme Court’s ruling last week, which defines frozen embryos as “people” and threatens to criminalize IVF treatment, provoked several Republicans including GOP frontrunner Donald Trump to claim that they disagree with the ruling.
Several of the 166 Republicans who co-sponsored the 2022 Life at Conception bill (H.R.1011), which “declares that the right to life guaranteed by the Constitution is vested in each human being at all stages of life, including the moment of fertilization, cloning, or other moment at which an individual comes into being,” also spoke out against the Alabama ruling.
Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL), one of the co-sponsors of the bill, said on NBC yesterday: “Like any type of bill that gets drafted on Capitol Hill, I want to see the devil in the details. But yes, I feel I could broadly support that. Because, like I said, IVF is something that is so critical to a lot of couples. It helps them breed great families. Our country needs that.”
The word “breed” caught the attention of political pundits including Josh Marshall of Talking Points Memo and Democrat Minnesota Governor Tim Walz who replied: “I’m telling you: These guys are just weird.”
I’m telling you: These guys are just weird. https://t.co/mLGrh7l6lY
— Governor Tim Walz (@GovTimWalz) February 25, 2024
Walz also revealed that he and his wife Gwen “have two beautiful children because of reproductive health care like IVF. This issue is deeply personal to our family and so many others.” The Governor warned voters: “Don’t let these guys get away with this by telling you they support IVF when their handpicked judges oppose it.”
Gwen and I have two beautiful children because of reproductive health care like IVF. This issue is deeply personal to our family and so many others.
— Governor Tim Walz (@GovTimWalz) February 26, 2024
Don’t let these guys get away with this by telling you they support IVF when their handpicked judges oppose it.
Note: In 2023, Walz passed several major reforms to Minnesota law including codifying abortion rights.
