Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) blasted her Republican colleagues who voted Thursday to block legislation that would have codified into law the nation's right to access in vitro fertilization (IVF).
In an interview on CNN's “The Source,” Kaitlan Collins asked Klobuchar what her message is to Senate Republicans who say they support IVF but voted against the legislation because of Democrats' “political grandstanding.”
“I would like them to say that to the two women I met this morning from Minnesota who both have beautiful children through IVF,” Klobuchar responded. “Eight million […] children born in the United States with IVF. Last year, more than 1,100 in my state alone. These are real families. These are families who are watching this in horror.”
“And of course we want to sign it into law,” Klobuchar continued, directing her message to Republicans. “And so if they want to do it, don't just talk about it. Do it.”
The bill needed 60 votes to advance Thursday, which would have required nine Republicans to break ranks and vote with Democrats. The final vote was 48-47, with only two Republicans defecting: Sens. Susan Collins (Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (Alaska).
The Right to IVF Act, sponsored by Democratic Sens. Tammy Duckworth (D), Patty Murray (D) and Cory Booker (D), is a package of four bills that would both establish a nationwide right to IVF and other assisted reproductive technology, and lower the cost of IVF treatment to make it more accessible to make.
Thursday's vote is the latest in a series initiated by Senate Democratic leaders on codifying reproductive rights. It comes a week after Republicans blocked a similar bill from Democrats that would have guaranteed the right to contraception.
Republicans criticized the vote as an election stunt and raised concerns about unfunded mandates and the impact on religious freedom.
GOP senators tried to advance their own alternative IVF bill from Sens. on Wednesday. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Katie Britt (R-Ala.) That would prevent states from receiving Medicaid funding if they implemented a ban on IVF, but would not stop a court from restricting the procedure.
Cruz and Britt also said the legislation would ensure IVF is fully protected under federal law, although it does not create a right to IVF.
Murray blocked the bill, saying Wednesday that it “explicitly allows states to impose restrictions and burdensome requirements that would force IVF clinics to close their doors,” adding: “That bill is nothing but a PR stunt, which gives Republicans cover to somehow continue to pretend they're not going to police women's bodies.”
On Wednesday, Britt said on the Senate floor that Democrats were only interested in fear-mongering.
“Unfortunately, they are not interested in passing a bill to actually protect access to IVF and figuring out how to get that into law. That would not advance their true goal, which is partisan electoral politics,” Britt said.
