The legislation states that individuals âretain all rights regarding the use or disposition of reproductive genetic materials.â
Senate Democrats sought unanimous consent from Republicans on legislation that would protect access to in vitro fertilization (IVF).
The measure, which came before the Senate on Feb. 28, follows widespread outrage over a Feb. 16 Alabama Supreme Court ruling that found embryos are legally considered children under state law and protected by unlawful death statutes.
Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) objected to the legislation, blocking the resolution, from the floor of the Senate when it was brought forward by Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) just after 5 p.m. on Feb. 28.
The bill would âestablish a federal right to access IVF and other [assisted reproductive technology] services for all Americans who need it, pre-empting state efforts to limit access and helping ensure no hopeful parentâor their doctorsâare punished for trying to start or grow a family,â according to a Feb. 27 statement from the senatorâs office.
Ms. Duckworth delivered remarks from Capitol Hill about the legislation, saying that the Alabama ruling is âbased on extreme ideology rather than medical science.â
âThe very people who claim to be âdefending family valuesâ are actively trying to enact policies that would actually prevent Americans from creating families,â the Illinois Democrat said.
âAfter Roe v. Wade was overturnedâactually, even before then, when Donald Trump promised to only appoint justices who would overturn itâI warned that red states would come for IVF.
âNow they have. But they arenât going to stop in Alabama. Mark my words: If we donât act now, it will only get worse.â
The lawmaker also pointed to former President Donald Trump, saying that âin this nightmarish moment, itâs nowhere near enough to send out a vaguely worded tweet suggesting that you care about womenâs rights, despite a voting record to the contrary.â
Republican congressional leadership didnât respond by press time to a request by The Epoch Times for comment.
The legislation would preserve the âstatutory rightâ of individuals to act âwithout prohibition or unreasonable limitation, or interferenceâ regarding access to reproductive technology and treatment.
Additional Reactions
âItâs almost unbelievable watching Republicans scramble over the weekend to suddenly say they support IVF while many of these same Republicans are literally, right now, cosponsors of legislation that would enshrine fetal personhood,â Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), a co-sponsor of the measure, said in the statement.
On Feb. 23, in a Truth Social Post, President Trump voiced opposition to the decision and urged the Alabama state legislature to protect IVF treatments in the wake of the Alabama judgment.
The 45th president stated in a post on Truth Social that he âstronglyâ supports the availability of IVF for couples âwho are trying to have a precious baby.â
âWe want to make it easier for mothers and fathers to have babies, not harder! That includes supporting the availability of fertility treatments like IVF in every State in America. Like the OVERWHELMING MAJORITY of Americans, including the VAST MAJORITY of Republicans, Conservatives, Christians, and Pro-Life Americans, I strongly support the availability of IVF for couples who are trying to have a precious baby.â
The former president and current Republican front-runner then called on the Alabama legislature to âact quicklyâ to find a solution to âpreserve the availability of IVF in Alabama.â
The Alabama Ruling
The Alabama Supreme Court ruled that human embryos preserved in an extrauterine environment are considered children under state regulations and are therefore protected by unlawful death statutes.
The court ruled as part of a litigation in which the plaintiffs pursued compensation for embryos stored at a defunct cryogenic facility.
The Alabama Supreme Court stipulated that the primary issue in the case was whether the Wrongful Death of a Minor Act does not apply to unborn children who are outside of a biological uterus at the time of their death.
âThe answer to that question is no: the Wrongful Death of a Minor Act applies to all unborn children, regardless of their location,â the court decided in a 7â2 ruling.
âNeither the text of the Wrongful Death of a Minor Act nor this Courtâs precedents exclude extrauterine children from the Actâs coverage. Unborn children are âchildrenâ under the Act, without exception based on developmental stage, physical location, or any other ancillary characteristics.â
A Feb. 28 vote is expected on Ms. Duckworthâs legislation. The measure has support from other noteworthy Democrats, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.).
âThe American people know who is responsible, and Republicans arenât fooling anyone by trying to run away from their record,â Mr. Schumer said in support of the bill.
âRepublicans own the disasters of Roe v. Wade, and Democrats are absolutely committed to doing everything we can to protect women, families, and reproductive freedom.â
Original News Source Link – Epoch Times
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