U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-AL) signed a statement with 48 other Republican Senators to signal their support for nationwide access to in vitro fertilization (IVF) reproductive treatment. Other GOP lawmakers who signed the statement include Ted Cruz, Mitch McConnell, Tom Cotton, Chuck Grassley, Rand Paul, and Mitt Romney.
The statement accuses Senate Democrats of using a “campaign of false fearmongering” to confuse the American people about IVF being legal and accessible to every American in all states.
Proud to join @SenTedCruz and all members of @SenateGOP in supporting continued nationwide access to IVF.
— Senator Katie Boyd Britt (@SenKatieBritt) June 13, 2024
See our statement below: pic.twitter.com/J6tv52NU9f
The signed statement reads “We strongly support continued nationwide access to IVF” — however, not one of those 49 Republicans voted in favor of the Right to IVF Act this week, which in the wake of the overturning of Roe v. Wade and the presumptive GOP presidential nominee’s proposal to let states decide on abortion and reproductive rights, proposes a federal statutory right to IVF and to lower fertility care costs nationwide.
One of the co-sponsors of the Right to IVF Act, Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), said: “Despite literally campaigning on the fact that they support IVF, this marks the third time Republicans have blocked legislation I’ve led to protect IVF—making it clear that the only thing Republicans do care about is misleading voters and bowing down to the most extreme wing of their party.”
Note: When Britt responded to the Alabama Supreme Court ruling that frozen embryos should be considered living beings by saying that “defending life and ensuring continued access to IVF services for loving parents are not mutually exclusive,” Duckworth responded, “You can’t have it both ways.”
