Should there be a national right to in vitro fertilization?
A bill that would have established it failed Thursday in the U.S. Senate after nearly every Republican voted “no,” including Missouri’s Josh Hawley. Despite his “no” vote, Hawley said he support access to IVF.
“Listen, my view is I’m pro child. I am pro family, which is why I’m against abortion. I mean, I’m pro life,” he told Missourinet. “And to my mind, IVF is about more children. It’s about families who want to have children.”
Hawley echoed some other Republican senators in saying IVF access is already legal and suggests the bill pushed by Democrats would also push their abortion agenda.
“I know a lot of people personally – couples – who have used IVF and have gone through it because they couldn’t have a child otherwise, and it’s just been a miracle for them,” he said. “I get that there are ethical concerns about how you do it and when you do it, and I know the families who work through this, and my view is, is that, listen, it is a miracle for so many families.”
Fellow U.S. Senator Eric Schmitt, R-MO, did not vote on the IVF bill. It needed 60 votes to pass, but the final tally was 48-47. Two Republican senators joined the Democratic majority in voting “yes:” Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine.
Democrats, meanwhile, have voiced concerns that Republican-led state governments might try to ban IVF or strictly limit access. They cite the Alabama Supreme Court’s ruling in February that fertilized embryos are human beings and that disposing of them could result in civil lawsuits or even criminal charges being filed.
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