Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) introduced legislation on Thursday aimed at discouraging states from prohibiting in vitro fertilization a few weeks after she left a similar Democratic-led bill as a co-sponsor.
A spokesperson for Luna told the Washington Examiner that her bill would prohibit states from blocking women from receiving IVF treatment if a doctor has certified that the woman is experiencing medical hardship in conceiving a child.
“I have always supported the responsible use of IVF,” Luna said in a statement. “IVF is an amazing innovation of modern medicine that helps families have children who would otherwise be unable to do so.
“Children are the greatest blessing, and we should support families in their journey to having them, especially as we are seeing increasing rates of infertility and declining birth rates,” she continued. “IVF is Pro-Life, and has helped so many families, several of whom I know personally.”
The Florida congresswoman’s bill comes a few weeks after she withdrew her name as a co-sponsor for Rep. Susan Wild’s (D-PA) bill, which was introduced in January. Luna said in late February that she was incorrectly added to the bill and that her team was working on rewriting the bill on a bipartisan basis.
“There are amendments that need to take place before I decide to sponsor,” Luna wrote on X at the time.
Since the Alabama Supreme Court decision that ruled frozen embryos were children, it has created headaches for the GOP as Democrats attempt to paint Republicans as being opponents of IVF — particularly ahead of a critical general election where women’s healthcare and abortion are top concerns on the minds of voters.
The GOP has made efforts to distance itself from the court decision, with members such as Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) circulating a resolution for expressing support for IVF. Luna’s bill is the first GOP-led piece of legislation that seeks to offer protections for those who use or implement the procedure.
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Luna’s legislation also comes one day after Rep. Marc Molinaro (R-NY) became the sole Republican co-sponsor of Wild’s bill. The Access to Family Planning Act would “prohibit the limitation of access to assisted reproductive technology, and all medical care surrounding such technology.”
“I was troubled by and said at the time that I opposed Alabama’s ruling to limit IVF,” Molinaro said in a statement Wednesday. “I’m a parent who has personal experience with IVF and support all women and families who choose IVF to bring life into this world. Protecting it is just commonsense.”