Republican Mental Gymnastics on IVF
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I can’t wait to see how Republicans decide that a bill protecting IVF is just impossible, and probably also a Democratic plot to back Republicans into a corner on an issue in which they completely support the Alabama Supreme Court. Tammy Duckworth is having none of their shit this time:
Reacting to a controversial new Alabama Supreme Court ruling that embryos should be considered people under the law, Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth said on Sunday that she was “devastated” for how this could affect treatments like in vitro fertilization.
She also called out conservatives whom she suggested were being disingenuous in distancing themselves from the case.
“Let’s make it clear: Republicans will say whatever they need to say to try to cover themselves on this, but they’ve been clear and Donald Trump has been the guy leading this effort to eliminate women’s reproductive rights and reproductive choice,” Duckworth, an Illinois lawmaker, told ABC News “This Week” co-anchor Martha Raddatz. “And so this is the next step.”
Referring to her Access to Family Building Act, which would guarantee access to IVF and other reproductive services, Duckworth added, “It’s been crickets since the Alabama ruling … not a single Republican has reached out to me on the bill. I’ve introduced a bill, multiple times, now multiple Congresses — but frankly, let’s see if they vote for it when we when we bring it to the floor.”
Duckworth understands firsthand the fertility challenges many women face. After years of trying to have children, she turned to IVF, eventually having two daughters because of the procedure. She even made history in 2018 by becoming the first senator to have a child, her second daughter, while serving in the chamber.
The only thing you can say about these horrible events is that reproductive rights has turned out to be the one issue enough people care about to turn some votes, whether to actually change their mind and vote for Democrats or to just show up based on this issue. I would rather just have all reproductive care legal, but since it’s their war, I guess we’ll have to take whatever silver linings show up.