February 20, 2025

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