Senate Republicans successfully blocked a federal bill that would have protected the rights of couples seeking in vitro fertilization, The Hill reported. Democrats are turning it into a campaign issue against former President Donald Trump, but it's unlikely to be unsuccessful.
Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) attempted to have the bill pass through a procedure requiring unanimous consent. This meant that even one dissenting senator could derail the legislation, which is precisely what happened.
Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) opposed the bill on the grounds that it contained "poison pills" far outside of the scope of the original issue. "It would legalize human cloning," Hyde-Smith pointed out.
"It would legalize commercial surrogacy, including for young girls without parental involvement. It would legalize gene-edited designer babies and lift the federal ban on the creation of three-parent embryos," the Mississippi senator added.
Duckworth did not offer substantive proof that Hyde-Smith was wrong about those objections. Instead, she used language meant to infuriate the pro-abortion base and get them to the ballot box, which was likely the aim of this bill all along.
"It does not force anyone to see reproductive technology. It does not force anyone to offer it," Duckworth insisted.
"It does not force anyone to cover it. It simply says you have a statutory right should you choose to pursue assisted reproductive technology," she added.
What it certainly does is resurrect the so-called reproductive rights issue, which Democrats believe is a big win for their side. After the recent ruling from the Alabama Supreme Court that embryos are babies in the context of whether to destroy them, many in the GOP were eager to say they still support IVF.
"In this nightmarish moment, it’s nowhere near enough to send out a vaguely worded tweet claiming you care about women’s rights despite your voting record to the contrary," Duckworth said of the GOP. This was the political posturing they were hoping for all along.
Democrats are attempting to tie Trump negatively to the issue to hurt his chances in the 2024 presidential election. However, Trump may benefit on the issue either way.
He already has the pro-life vote as his Supreme Court justice appointments helped end Roe v. Wade NBC News reported. Trump has also come out and said he supports IVF, which effectively lands him on both sides of the issue.
"I strongly support the availability of IVF for couples who are trying to have a precious baby. Today, I am calling on the Alabama Legislature to act quickly to find an immediate solution to preserve the availability of IVF in Alabama," Trump wrote on his Truth Social.
It's unlikely Trump will be affected by the debate over IVF at all, considering his track record and his current statements that cut both ways. The pro-life movement is the most likely to object to reproductive technology, but those in it will never forget that Trump is the reason abortion is no longer a federal right.
