WASHINGTON ― Democratic legislation seeking to protect access to in vitro fertilization across the country was blocked in the Senate on Wednesday by Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith .
The Democrat’s bill would allow IVF treatment to continue in states like Alabama, where a court granted embryos the same legal rights as children under the state’s wrongful death statute. Currently, the three largest IVF providers in Alabama have paused services to avoid legal risk.The outrage from the Alabama ruling has left many Republicans faltering when asked about their thoughts on IVF.
Senate Republicans’ decision to block Duckworth’s bill contradicts much of what the national party said in the wake of the Alabama ruling earlier this month. Presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump called on the Alabama legislature to “act quickly to find an immediate solution to preserve the ability of IVF” in the state, and the campaign arm for Senate Republicans sent a memo to candidates urging them to publicly reject efforts to restrict the fertility treatment.
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