House Republicans Seek Political Cover Behind Useless IVF Resolutions

House Republicans are all discuss and no motion on defending Americans’ entry to in vitro fertilization, after the Alabama Supreme Court granted embryos the identical authorized standing as youngsters final month.

Several House Republicans launched two measures this week following the sweeping court docket ruling as a approach to specific robust assist for IVF protections. Both resolutions record essential details about IVF, word the significance of affected person entry and applaud fertility specialists for the work they do. One of the 2 even goes on to sentence the judicial ruling out of Alabama.

But neither have any legislative energy. Resolutions are non-binding statements that primarily function instruments for political posturing.

Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) introduced her decision on Thursday, which expresses “support for continued access to fertility care and assisted reproductive technology, such as in vitro fertilization.” The decision was co-sponsored by 5 different House Republicans: Reps. David Schweikert (Ariz.), Anthony D’Esposito (N.Y.), Jeff Van Drew (N.J.), Jen Kiggans (Va.) and Don Bacon (Neb.). Four out of the 5 co-sponsors symbolize districts that voted for President Joe Biden in 2020, and are doubtless weak to shedding their seat in November.

Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-Ore.) revealed her decision, with Republican co-sponsors Reps. Michelle Steel (Calif.) and Juan Ciscomani (Ariz.), on Friday morning. The decision states that the House “remains committed to commonsense policies that enable families to grow” in addition to “recognizes the fundamental truth that life is precious.”

“As someone who struggled with infertility and personally witnessed the miracle of IVF, I strongly believe that IVF should remain protected and accessible,” Steel tweeted together with Chavez-DeRemer’s announcement of the non-binding decision.

None of the 9 representatives instantly responded to HuffPost’s request for remark.

Republicans have discovered themselves scrambling to distance themselves from the Alabama ruling within the wake of nationwide public outrage over its sweeping impact. Access to IVF is a matter over 80% of Americans assist, together with a majority of Republican voters.

Campaigning on far-right insurance policies that provoke a robust however excessive subsection of the GOP base could show dangerous for Republicans. Without the guardrails of Roe v. Wade, reproductive well being care restrictions which can be broadly unpopular will be enacted by GOP-led states.

Mace, Steel, Schweikert and Bacon had been co-sponsors of the 2021 Life at Conception Act, an anti-abortion invoice that aimed to grant full authorized rights to embryos from “the moment of fertilization.” The Senate model of the invoice had a carve-out to guard IVF, however the House model didn’t. The House invoice had 166 Republican co-sponsors when it was first launched in 2021, and 124 co-sponsors when it was re-introduced in 2023.

“House Republicans are flagrant hypocrites who have spent their entire tenure in the majority attacking reproductive rights at every turn,” Courtney Rice, a spokesperson for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, informed HuffPost. “Now, they are hiding behind toothless resolutions and empty public statements because they know their relentless attacks on reproductive freedoms will cost them at the ballot box.”

Similar to House Republicans’ method, Senate Republicans have been reluctant to debate their assist of IVF, notably after Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) blocked a invoice this week that might have protected entry to IVF on the federal degree. Democrats have a companion measure they’re nonetheless pushing within the House.