Senator Warren Delivers Floor Speech on Senate Republicans’ Opposition to IVF

Floor Speech

Just now, my friend and colleague, Senator Tammy Duckworth – a longtime champion for IVF and for families – put forward an important bill that would ensure families have access to the services they need to have a baby, including IVF.

Senate Republicans blocked this bill to protect IVF. Remember that: for all their talk about supporting IVF, when it came down to it, Republicans blocked IVF protections. Republican opposition to IVF is terrifying. It makes me furious. But it should not surprise anyone.

Donald Trump set the stage for the attacks on reproductive rights when he stacked the Supreme Court with ultraconservative justices and overturned Roe v. Wade.

Since then, Republicans banned or severely restricted abortion in 24 states. They’re trying to ban medication abortion nationwide. And now in Alabama, these extremists virtually outlawed IVF – fertility care that gives people a chance to start a family.

This has always been about conservative politicians controlling women’s bodies. This has been Donald Trump and the Republicans’ plan all along. And the opposition to Senator Duckworth’s proposal today shows that Republicans are only doubling down against reproductive freedom.

They’re coming for medication abortion, birth control, and even prenatal care. And make no mistake: we will fight them every step of the way.

I want to talk about the people who are affected by these extreme policies.

Families in Alabama, who have been wanting and praying that IVF can help them have a baby. Women who have injected themselves with medication for weeks or months or years and spent their life savings trying to start a family – only now to see their hopes go down the drain. LGBTQ families who have spent years taking on every obstacle for the chance to have a baby of their own. For some, this was their last chance.

Now, Republicans like Donald Trump and those in this chamber might try to backtrack, or say they’re working to protect IVF. But Senate Republicans' actions today speak louder than empty promises.

Americans can tell when Republican politicians try to talk out of both sides of their mouths. The American people want reproductive freedom. The American people support parents and those trying desperately to become parents.

So here’s what comes next. Democrats have made clear that we stand with President Biden, Vice President Harris, and the millions of families affected by these heartless policies, to protect reproductive rights for people across this country. Together, we will fight for every person to have access to a safe abortion. We will fight for every family to have access to the services they need to have a baby. And we won’t stop fighting until we secure the Congress we need to protect all of our reproductive freedoms.

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