February 20, 2025
Source: AXIOS
By: Stephen Neukam
Scoop: Senate Dems squeeze GOP on Trump's IVF promise
Source: AXIOS
Senate Democrats want to force Republicans to vote on mandating insurance coverage of IVF as part of a debate over the GOP's budget resolution, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: President Trump signed an executive order meant to expand access to IVF this week, but Democrats say the directive is toothless.
- Sens. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) plan to offer their Right to IVF Act as an amendment to the Republican budget resolution on Thursday evening.
- Trump's executive order earlier this week doesn't change U.S. law or policy, but instead directs his team to make recommendations to reduce the cost of IVF.
- Duckworth is lobbying Senate leadership to put the amendment on the floor for a vote, sources told Axios.
The big picture: Trump promised in his presidential campaign to mandate that the government of insurance companies cover the cost of IVF.
- "If Republicans really support IVF, then Senator Booker and I are giving them yet another chance to prove it tonight," Duckworth said in a statement to Axios.
- Senate Republicans blocked IVF legislation in 2024.
Zoom out: Democrats will use the budget debate, which is expected to stretch past midnight, to force Republicans into tough amendment votes.
By: Stephen Neukam
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