Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is expected to bring a Democrat-backed bill designed to federally protect in vitro fertilization (IVF) to the floor for a test vote this week after an unsuccessful attempt to advance a Democrat-backed birth control bill last week.
As the days wind down to the 2024 general election, Senate Democrats are emphasizing reproductive rights such as birth control and IVF and saying that Republicans will look to ban those services in addition to abortion if they gain power.
The IVF bill, spearheaded by Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., will likely face a procedural vote on Thursday, which is expected to fall short of the 60-vote threshold.
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The measure previously has been blocked by Republicans, who criticized it for being too expansive and not allowing for certain regulations. Earlier this year, Duckworth sought to bring up her bill for a vote by unanimous consent. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., the chair of the Senate Pro-Life Caucus, objected to the request, saying, “The bill before us today is a vast overreach that is full of poison pills that go way too far.”
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However, Duckworth rejected her Republican colleagues’ criticisms as false at the time.
While Schumer is expected to schedule a vote for the Democrat-backed bill, Republicans could seek a vote on their own IVF alternative, which grants room for states to regulate the procedure while prohibiting any outright bans.
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The conservative bill was led by Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Katie Britt, R-Ala. The lawmakers have the option of requesting unanimous consent to bring the measure to the floor for a vote, which would likely be objected to by a Democrat.
According to a source familiar, all options are being considered by the Republican senators.
Last week, the Senate voted, 51-39, against moving forward with a Democrat-supported bill to protect access to contraception federally, with Republicans similarly accusing it of being too broad. Moderate Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Susan Collins, R-Maine, joined their Democrat colleagues on the vote.
In the wake of overturning Roe v. Wade in 2022, which ended the constitutional right to abortion and gave the states the authority to decide whether to ban or restrict the procedure, Democrats are looking to zero in on abortion and other reproduction-related concerns. The issue is being prioritized by Democrats, particularly those who are at risk in swing states and at a disadvantage when it comes to topics such as the southern border.
