Rep. Marc Molinaro (R-N.Y.) made history on Wednesday by becoming the first GOP member to support a bill aimed at safeguarding access to in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments.
In a statement, Molinaro announced his co-sponsorship of the Access to Family Building Act alongside Rep. Susan Wild (D-Pa.), with similar legislation introduced in the Senate by Sens. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.).
The move comes in response to a recent controversial ruling by the Alabama Supreme Court, which deemed frozen embryos as children under state law, leading to a halt in IVF treatments. Fertility clinics in Alabama resumed treatments after the state passed a law protecting patients and clinics from legal liability under the ruling.
Expressing concern over the Alabama ruling, Molinaro emphasized his personal experience with IVF and voiced support for all families choosing IVF to conceive. He described protecting IVF access as a matter of common sense.
The proposed bill aims to establish a statutory right to access IVF, overriding any state attempts to limit the service. It also ensures that neither hopeful parents nor doctors face punishment for seeking or providing IVF treatment.
The Alabama Supreme Court’s ruling raised alarm among medical professionals and reproductive health advocates. While Republicans have championed Americans’ right to seek IVF treatment, they have been cautious in addressing how clinics should handle unplanted, viable embryos.
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Molinaro’s support for the legislation marks a significant step forward in protecting the right to fertility treatment, particularly within the GOP. He has previously prevented restrictions on mifepristone and birth control from passing.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) was initially reported to have supported Wild’s bill but later clarified that amendments would be necessary for her full support.
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