The New York senator is planning a secondary vote on a bill that Senate Democrats offered up earlier this summer in an attempt to capitalize on recent comments from Trump, who has called for mandating free access to in vitro fertilization.
The effort is expected to take place on the Senate floor over the next two weeks, according to reporting from Axios. Schumer’s office did not respond to a request for comment from the Washington Examiner.
Schumer plans for the Senate this month to revote on IVF access legislation that was blocked in June per @stephen_neukam. https://t.co/PZ1DcYeHcS https://t.co/njFiJRUmo6
— Craig Caplan (@CraigCaplan) September 12, 2024
During Tuesday’s presidential debate, Trump pitched himself as a “leader” on IVF. He has attempted to counter attacks from Democrats who claim a second Trump presidency would hurt fertility care, going as far as to pledge free IVF treatments that would be paid for by insurance companies or the federal government.
Many Republicans are pushing back against his proposal and have expressed skepticism and concern about the high cost of such a policy. Senate and House GOP leaders have been noncommittal about implementing Trump’s plan if he is elected.
The move is part of a broader push by Senate Democrats to bring attention to reproductive healthcare in the months ahead of the November elections. In June, the legislation failed to advance in a 48-47 procedural vote. The measure needed 60 votes to advance. Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Susan Collins (R-ME) were the only Republicans who voted for the bill.
The Right to IVF Act was introduced by Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), who used IVF to have her two children. The legislation would make the treatment more accessible through insurance and for military and veterans. Senate Republicans attempted to advance a proposal of their own that would discourage states from banning IVF in June, but Senate Democrats blocked it.
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The GOP bill, dubbed the IVF Protection Act, was far more narrow than Democrats’ proposal due to religious liberty concerns. It would strip states of Medicaid funding if they prohibit IVF, a move that gives states broad discretion and does not bar them from passing restrictions on the fertility procedure.
Schumer has held similar “show votes” over the last few months to bring issues including abortion rights, the border, and gun control to the spotlight ahead of the election. Republicans have slammed these votes as partisan moves by Democrats in a highly competitive election year.
