Title: The Controversial Stance of Republicans on In Vitro Fertilization and the Human Life Bill
The ongoing debate surrounding reproductive rights in the United States has once again put Republicans in a challenging position, as they grapple with expressing support for In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) while also championing legislation that declares human life begins at conception, without an exception for IVF.
The Life at Conception Act, a bill introduced in January 2023 by GOP Representative Alex Mooney of West Virginia, with 125 Republican sponsors in the House, including Speaker Mike Johnson, aims to define human life as beginning at conception. The bill states that the term “human being” includes all stages of life, including the moment of fertilization, cloning, or other moment at which an individual member of the human species comes into being. However, it does not include a carveout for IVF.
This legislative stance puts Republicans in an awkward position, as they try to reconcile their support for IVF, a medical procedure used to help people conceive, and the human life bill. In contrast, the Senate version of the same bill, introduced in 2021 by GOP Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, includes an explicit exception for IVF. The senate version states that nothing in the bill shall be construed to require the prosecution of any woman for the death of her unborn child, a prohibition on in vitro fertilization, or a prohibition on use of birth control or another means of preventing fertilization.
Following the controversial Alabama Supreme Court ruling that deemed frozen embryos used in IVF as children, and those who destroy them could be held liable for wrongful death, a number of Republicans have expressed their support for IVF and shared their personal struggles with infertility. One such Republican is Michelle Steel, who represents a Biden-won swing district in California. Despite her public support for IVF and opposition to federal restrictions on the procedure, she is also a co-sponsor of the Life at Conception Act.
The inconsistency in their positions has not gone unnoticed by Democrats, who are looking to capitalize on this issue to further their campaign against Republican anti-abortion stances. The House Majority PAC, a super PAC aligned with House Democrats, and the Biden-Harris campaign account have already begun attacking vulnerable Republicans who support the Life at Conception Act. Moreover, on Monday, the House Democrats’ campaign arm held a press call with Reproductive Freedom for All to hammer home this issue against House Republicans.
Republicans argue that their intent is not to restrict abortions or IVF but rather to make a statement of principle. However, the lack of clarity and potential consequences, such as a chilling effect on IVF clinics, has raised concerns among Democrats and reproductive rights activists.
As the debate continues, it remains to be seen how Republicans will navigate these conflicting positions on reproductive rights and IVF in the future.
