Durbin Joins Senate Democrats On The Floor To Call For Passage Of Veterans Families Health Services Act, Protection For IVF

Press Release

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“We all know it is Women’s History Month. And though this work should be done year-round, during March especially, we should focus on policies that improve the lives of women in America, including the lives of women veterans. As our Armed Forces better reflect the diversity of America, that means that our support systems and resources for veterans must also meet the needs of that population. And one of those resources must be supporting our veterans and service members when they want to start a family.

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Those who serve our nation are at an elevated risk for injury. That is part of the reason we owe them such a debt of gratitude. They do risk life and limb to protect America. But when service members are injured in the line of duty, one consequence can be obstacles to conceiving children,” said Durbin. “That’s why we should pass the Veteran Families Health Services Act immediately… This includes services across the board to safeguard future fertility, adoption assistance, and in vitro fertilization.

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Access to IVF recently came into the national spotlight when the Alabama Supreme Court ruled last month that frozen embryos are ‘children’ and that their destruction can be treated like the wrongful death of a child. That decision by the Alabama Supreme Court had major consequences on reproductive rights in Alabama, as major health care providers stopped IVF procedures out of fear of civil and criminal liability.

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Not surprisingly, Republicans across the country are scrambling, fearing that such an unpopular restriction on reproductive rights could hurt their electoral chances in the next election. In the weeks since the ruling, Republicans have claimed to support access to IVF, and yet, many also support so called ‘fetal personhood’ bills that would codify that life begins at conception and lack carveouts to protect access to IVF. You can’t have it both ways.

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When Senator Duckworth, my Illinois colleague – a veteran herself who relied on IVF to start her family – came to this floor of this United States Senate and asked for unanimous consent to pass a bill that would have established federal protections for access to IVF and other fertility treatments, a Republican Senator blocked it.

If the Republicans are truly pro-family, truly pro-military as they claim to be, then there should be no hesitation in supporting this bill that supports our service members and veterans who want to start a family.

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Let me make one thing clear – no one should have to choose between serving our nation and having a child. We should be expanding these serves, not restricting them. Our service members sacrifice much to keep our families safe. The least we can do is make sure they have the full range of care options they need to start families of their own,”

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