Rep. Marc Molinaro (R-N.Y.) made an announcement on Wednesday that he is co-sponsoring a bill aimed at safeguarding access to in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments. Notably, he is the first Republican to lend support to this important healthcare initiative.
Molinaro announced his co-sponsorship of the Access to Family Building Act alongside Rep. Susan Wild (D-Pa.), stating, “I am proud to support this important legislation.” The bill, which also has companion legislation in the Senate introduced by Sens. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), aims to provide increased access to family building services.
The Alabama Supreme Court’s recent ruling, which deemed frozen embryos as children under state law, caused a disruption in the IVF treatments. As a result, fertility clinics in the state had to temporarily halt their operations. However, last week, the state passed a protective law that enabled the resumption of treatments, ensuring both patients and clinics are shielded from any legal liability arising from the ruling.
In a statement, Molinaro expressed his opposition to Alabama’s decision to restrict IVF, stating that he was troubled by it. As a parent who has personally undergone IVF, he stands in support of all women and families who choose this method to bring life into the world. Molinaro believes that protecting IVF is a matter of common sense.
The bill aims to create a legal entitlement to access in vitro fertilization (IVF) and would override any state attempts to restrict the service. It would also guarantee that neither hopeful parents nor doctors would face punitive measures for seeking or providing the treatment.
Medical professionals and reproductive health advocates were deeply concerned by the groundbreaking decision made by Alabama’s highest court.
Republicans have been vocal in advocating for the preservation of Americans’ access to IVF treatment. However, they have largely refrained from providing clear guidelines on how Alabama clinics should handle viable embryos that are not implanted. This is because many Republicans align with the belief that embryos are akin to children and should be afforded equal rights.
Molinaro breaks ground as the initial GOP member to lend support to a bill aimed at safeguarding the right to fertility treatment. According to his statement, the New York Republican has previously halted the passage of restrictions on mifepristone and birth control.
According to NBC News, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) was previously reported to have shown support for Wild’s bill. However, Luna has clarified that she was added to the bill without confirmation and that amendments would need to be made for her to fully support it.
