Senate Republicans block legislation to protect IVF

Senate Republicans have yet again blocked a bill to protect in vitro fertilization (IVF).

The Right to IVF Act, championed by a group of Democrats, will not be voted on by the US Senate as nearly every GOP member voted to block cloture — that is, voted for an end to debate — on the legislation.

“It’s a very sad day for millions of Americans who want to become parents but struggle with infertility,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said after the vote. “Today, nearly every Republican just blocked a bill that would’ve protected people’s access to IVF.”

“Now that the hard right has finished eliminating Roe, they’re setting their sights on IVF,” he continued, referring to the overturn of Roe v Wade.

President Joe Biden said the vote demonstrated Republicans’ “disregard for a woman’s right to make these decisions for herself and her family.”

“Republican officials have had every opportunity to protect reproductive freedom since the Supreme Court’s extreme decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, but they refuse to do so,” the president said. “Instead, Republicans’ dangerous, out-of-touch agenda is devastating women’s health and lives.”

Only two Republican Senators — Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska — voted for the legislation. Collins told The Independent earlier this week that she would vote for it despite her reservations.

“I wish we would bring some serious legislation to the floor rather than just messaging bills that are voted on just as we’re departing town,” Collins said.

Senate Republicans introduced a similar bill last week — the IVF Protection Act — that would have withheld federal Medicaid funding to states that ban IVF. Senator Ted Cruz dismissed these concerns, telling The Independent Democrats