On World IVF Day, Congresswoman Lee Signs Discharge Petition to Force Vote on Federal IVF Protections
Watch Congresswoman Lee’s Video Here
WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Susie Lee (NV-03) signed a discharge petition on the House floor that would force a Congressional vote on the Access to Family Building Act. The legislation would protect every American’s right to access in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and other assisted reproductive technology (ART) that millions of women rely on to have children.
Since 1981, over one million infants have been born with the help of assisted reproductive technology, including IVF. One in six women have difficulty getting pregnant or carrying a pregnancy to term – including Congresswoman Lee, who used IVF to conceive her two children after struggling with infertility.
The Access to Family Building Act would establish a legal right to IVF and other assisted reproductive services, overriding any state effort to unnecessarily limit or ban access.
Specifically, it would:
- Establish a statutory right for an individual to access, without prohibition or unreasonable limitation or interference, ART services, such as IVF, and for a healthcare provider to provide ART services.
- Establish an individual’s statutory right regarding the use or disposition of their reproductive genetic materials.
- Allow the Department of Justice to pursue civil action against any state, government official, individual or entity that violates protections in the legislation.
- Create a private right of action for individuals and healthcare providers in states that have limited access to ART.
Congresswoman Lee filmed a video on the steps of the U.S. House of Representatives calling out anti-choice extremists who refuse to bring the bill up for a vote.
The full transcript is below:
Hi everyone, it's Congresswoman Susie Lee on World IVF Day. This is such an important day to me personally because both of my children were conceived with IVF like thousands, millions, of families across this country. And listen, Congress could do something to protect access to IVF by passing the Access to Family Building Act right here today.
But unfortunately, there are anti-choice extremists in the House and across this country who want to prevent parents from using this important tool for infertility to grow their families. I have just signed a discharge petition that would force the leadership of the House to bring this bill to a vote to protect the right to IVF across this country.
And again, this to me is about giving people a tool. Infertility is the disease, and IVF is the treatment. So, I'm going to continue to fight like hell to make sure that, number one, government does not control women's bodies, but two, that families who are facing infertility have an important tool to be able to grow their own families.
And we can start today, by passing the Access to Family Building Act.
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