Staff Reports
In a surprising twist, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) found herself in the middle of a brouhaha over an in vitro fertilization (IVF) protection bill. Luna, the lone Republican co-sponsor of the legislation, caused a stir when she publicly disavowed her support for the bill, citing her unawareness of being included as a backer. The Florida Republican made it crystal clear that she was erroneously added to the bill and asserted that her team is working diligently to revamp the legislation to ensure it’s a joint effort between both parties.
“I was added to this bill without confirmation. There are amendments that need to take place before I decide to sponsor. And thus, my team will be working to come to an agreement to get bipartisan legislation on the table. Stop implying things,” Luna wrote in a tweet aimed at putting an end to the misinformation swirling around the issue.
The GOP was left scratching their heads over the matter in the wake of a stunning ruling by the Alabama Supreme Court that deemed embryos resulting from IVF as people. Though the ruling didn’t outlaw IVF, it sent shivers down the spines of clinics, who feared potential legal repercussions for the disposal of numerous embryos created through IVF.
Attempting to tackle the issue on a broader scale, Sens. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Patty Murray (D-WA) made a push to pass a bill providing federal protections for IVF through unanimous consent. While some Republicans, like Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC), have lent vocal support for IVF, others have been hesitant to fully endorse wide-ranging protections.
The attempt to move the legislation forward hit a roadblock when Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) raised concerns about the potential ramifications of the bill, including issues related to cloning, commercial surrogacy for minors, and genetically modified babies. Hyde-Smith firmly emphasized her support for parents to have access to IVF and to welcome new life into the world while also underscoring the importance of safeguarding human life.
“This bill misses the mark,” Hyde-Smith declared, illuminating the deliberate balancing act required to uphold the sanctity of life while granting families the freedom to pursue IVF treatments.
