Sens. Cruz, Britt Introduce Legislation Protecting IVF

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Katie Britt (R-Ala.) introduced the IVF Protection Act to ensure that states do not prohibit access to in vitro fertilization (IVF) services. The bill does not compel any person or organization to provide such services, and permits states to ensure appropriate health and safety standards regarding the practice of IVF. Under the language of the bill, states would be ineligible to receive Medicaid funding if they have enacted an outright ban on access to IVF.

Upon introduction, Sen. Cruz said, “IVF has given miraculous hope to millions of Americans, and it has given families across the country the gift of children. I’m proud to partner with Sen. Katie Britt to ensure that couples in Texas and across the country have the opportunity to be loving parents, by ensuring that IVF is fully protected at the federal level.”

Sen. Britt said, “I’m honored to join Senator Ted Cruz in introducing the IVF Protection Act. IVF is pro-family, and I’m proud to strongly support continued nationwide access to this pathway to parenthood. As a mom, I know firsthand that there is no greater blessing than our children, and IVF helps families across America experience the joyous miracle of life, grow, and thrive. This commonsense piece of legislation affirms both life and liberty — family and freedom, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to enact it into law.”

Read the full text of the bill here.

BACKGROUND

1. Since its development in the 1970s, in vitro fertilization (IVF) has proven itself to be a safe, effective, and reliable means to achieving pregnancy.
2. IVF has allowed millions of aspiring parents to experience the miracle of childbirth.
3. IVF is a pro-woman and pro-family solution for those struggling to have children.
4. IVF has become a symbol of hope for those aspiring to conceive.
5. It is now estimated that nearly 2 percent of all live births in the United States are the result of IVF, resulting in tens of thousands of happy, healthy babies being born annually.
6. The use of IVF has strengthened our communities and our nation by promoting generations of children and families that otherwise may not have come to be.