WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, on Wednesday released the following statement after Senate Republicans blocked consideration of the Right to IVF Act, legislation that would guarantee the right to IVF services. If passed, the bill, which Murphy co-sponsored, would have established a nationwide right to in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and eliminated barriers for the millions of families looking to use IVF to start and grow a family.

“In the two years since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, Republicans across the country have taken every opportunity to further restrict reproductive health care. When Alabama’s Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos created during IVF are ‘children,’ this incredibly common and effective technology that helps people struggling with fertility was jeopardized. Republicans won’t stop until they pass a nationwide abortion ban complete with an ‘embryonic personhood’ provision that would prevent millions of Americans from building their family without fear of being prosecuted for murder. Republicans can claim they support IVF, but today’s vote on a bill to guarantee that right proves otherwise.”

Last week, Murphy released a statement after Senate Republicans blocked consideration of the Right to Contraception Act. In March, Murphy co-sponsored legislation to protect IVF access and other assisted reproductive technology, but passage was blocked by Senate Republicans. That month, Murphy also submitted an amicus brief calling on the Supreme Court to affirm the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA) requires hospitals to provide emergency stabilizing care, including abortion care. In January, Murphy joined 263 Members of Congress in submitting an amicus brief urging the Supreme Court to reverse a dangerous ruling that would restrict access to an FDA-approved abortion drug.

Last year, Murphy co-sponsored a slate of legislation to protect reproductive rights, including the Expanding Access to Family Planning Act, the Freedom to Travel for Health Care Act, the Let Doctors Provide Reproductive Health Care Act, the Women’s Health Protection Act, and a Senate resolution expressing opposition to the use of state resources and power against Americans seeking reproductive healthcare, such as abortion services, contraception, and gender-affirming care.

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