WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate will vote for a second time next week on a Democratic bill that would boost support for in vitro fertilization, but it is unlikely that GOP lawmakers will change their minds and oppose earlier rules.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced the re-vote Thursday afternoon, saying he hopes Republicans will join forces with Democrats to move forward standard toward final passage. The bill would give patients access to in vitro fertilization.
“Republicans can’t claim to be pro-family on one side and then block pro-family policies like federal protections for in vitro fertilization and the child tax credit,” Schumer said. “But that’s what they did this summer, and I hope we get a different result when we vote again.”
The Senate last held a procedural vote on the bill in June, though it fell tiny of the 60 senators needed to advance.
48-47 procedural vote The vote mostly followed party lines, with Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska breaking away from the Republicans to favor a debate and final vote on the bill.
Louisiana Republican Senator Bill Cassidy argued against the bill during the debate, saying the legislation was unnecessary because no state currently bans in vitro fertilization.
“Today’s vote is disingenuous — pushing forward a haphazardly crafted bill that is doomed to failure does a disservice to all who may choose in vitro fertilization treatment,” Cassidy said at the time.
Democratic Washington Sen. Patty Murray spoke in favor of approving the legislation, saying in June that it should not be “controversial, especially if Republicans are serious about” supporting access to in vitro fertilization.
“As we saw in Alabama, the threat to in vitro fertilization is not hypothetical, it is not exaggerated and it is not a form of scare tactics,” Murray said.
Earlier this year, Alabama lawmakers were forced to provide criminal and civil protections to in vitro fertilization clinics after the state Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos are children under state law.
An Alabama judge’s opinion has temporarily closed all in vitro fertilization clinics in the state, creating confusion for couples seeking to start or expand their families through a complicated, emotionally draining and often pricey process.
This issue also came up in the presidential race and was the dispute took place during the debate on September 10 by Democratic candidate, Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican candidate, former President Donald Trump.
