Republicans, pro-life advocates split on Trump's proposal to federally subsidize IVF

In vitro fertilization (IVF) accounts for only 2% of all U.S. births, but that hasn't stopped it from becoming a major campaign issue dividing some Republicans from their party standard-bearer, former President Trump, who recently indicated he would push for federally funding the procedures if elected.

But some Republicans and pro-life religious conservatives aren't fully on board with federally funded IVF procedures.

Sen. Lindsay Graham, R-S.C., — a Trump ally — said on ABC's "This Week" on Sunday that he would rather support a tax-credit for IVF users "to encourage people to have children."

"We’ve been accused — the party has — of being against birth control," Graham, who voted with most Republicans against the Democrat-led Right to IVF Act this year that would have protected access to IVF this year, said. "We’re not. We’ve been accused of being against IVF treatments. We’re not."

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"I'll talk to my Democratic colleagues," he added. "We might be able to find common ground here."

Meanwhile, Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., said on NBC's "Meet the Press" Sunday that "all Republicans, to my knowledge, support IVF in Congress."

"And there's no state that prohibits or regulates IVF in a way that makes it unacceptable," he said. "It is expensive for many couples. I understand that. So, it's something I'm open to, [and] that most Republicans would be open to."

Nearly all of California Republicans likewise voted against a Democrat-led bill last week aimed at expanding IVF access, too.

While former President Trump skirted attacks from his pro-life base last week for suggesting he may oppose Florida's six-week abortion ban — calling it "too short" — he later came out in