Republicans Once more Block Invoice Defending Entry To IVF

WASHINGTON ― Final month, GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump shocked nearly everyone within the nation’s capital by floating a plan to require insurance coverage firms to pay for the prices of in vitro fertilization for girls who want it.

On Tuesday, Senate Republicans blocked a invoice that might just do that.

It’s the second time in latest months that the GOP has filibustered the Proper to IVF Act, Democratic laws that, along with guaranteeing insurance coverage protection for such therapies, would additionally enshrine into federal regulation a proper for people to obtain IVF therapy in addition to for medical doctors to supply it.

The vote fell largely alongside occasion strains, 51 to 44, wanting the 60 votes the invoice would’ve wanted to advance.

“Republicans want people to think they support IVF because they know how unpopular that position is. They want to keep their true agenda hidden from the public,” Senate Majority Chief Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) warned throughout a press convention on the steps of the Capitol. He was flanked by his Democratic colleagues, who held up giant photographs of households who’ve used IVF.

Democrats initially pressured a vote on the invoice in June after a ruling earlier this 12 months by the Alabama Supreme Court docket that declared that frozen embryos may be thought of kids. IVF suppliers within the state responded by ceasing to supply providers for worry of being held legally liable if embryos have been destroyed. The GOP state legislature later handed a invoice extending legal responsibility protections for IVF suppliers.

Republicans have insisted since then that they help IVF ― even when some of their evangelical base are against the therapy ― as they search to attraction to girls voters forward of November’s elections.

“We are going to be, under the Trump administration, we are going to be paying for that treatment,” Trump mentioned in August when requested about IVF. “We’re going to be mandating that the insurance company pay.”

Republicans have lengthy opposed insurance coverage mandates (spending years railing in opposition to the Inexpensive Care Act’s particular person mandate, for instance), and few in Congress expressed an curiosity within the former president’s suggestion. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a Trump ally, mentioned flat out he wouldn’t help it, whereas others voiced considerations about the price of such a proposal.

Democrats, in the meantime, by no means took it severely.

“American women are not stupid,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) mentioned final month. “Making vague promises about insurance coverage does not stop a single extremist judge or state legislature from banning IVF.”

Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ailing.), who had each of her kids with the assistance of IVF, mentioned Republicans “have spent weeks lying about their records on IVF and pretending to champion this cause.”

“They’re running on a campaign platform that would ban IVF and abortion nationwide,” the senator added on a press name Tuesday organized by Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential marketing campaign.

Senate Democratic management introduced up the Proper to IVF Act for one more vote to place stress on Republicans, notably these up for reelection this 12 months like Sens. Ted Cruz (Texas) and Rick Scott (Fla.). Each GOP senators dismissed the Democrats’ invoice as pointless, whilst they pledged help for IVF.

“This is a vote we already had,” Scott instructed HuffPost. “They didn’t try to improve it. It’s just a political statement by Schumer, not to solve a problem.”

The Florida Republican tried as a substitute to move his invoice that might make it simpler to save lots of for IVF prices by doubling the contribution limits of Health Financial savings Accounts. However Democrats blocked that measure, saying it wouldn’t defend entry to the therapy.

“Women who struggle to have kids don’t deserve to be someone’s political punching bag,” Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) mentioned throughout Tuesday’s press convention. “They do not deserve to be yanked around by politicians who — when push comes to shove — won’t actually vote to help them.”

Jennifer Bendery contributed reporting.