Four members of the House Freedom Caucus have strongly objected to the recent announcement by the Department of Veterans Affairs that it will offer IVF treatment to U.S. military veterans who are unmarried or in same-sex marriages.
In a A letter dated March 20 was sent to VA Secretary Denis McDonough, in which Reps. Matt Rosendale (R-MT), Bob Good (R-VA), Mary Miller (R-IL), and Josh Brecheen (R-OK) raised multiple ethical concerns about the VA’s recent announcement. They referred to IVF as the most commonly used assisted reproduction method and labeled it as morally questionable, stating that it should not be funded by taxpayers. They also expressed concerns about the surplus of embryos created during IVF, echoing arguments made by anti-abortion groups.
In addition, they pointed out the potential abandonment or disposal of frozen embryos, asserting that these embryos should be considered as having inherent humanity.
The letter also suggested that the VA may not have the authority to expand access to IVF under current law. AxiosAccording to a VA spokesperson, the department is mandated to comply with Defense Department policy. The DoD's recent announcement allows active-duty service members with fertility issues to access IVF treatment regardless of their marital status.
The VA spokesperson clarified that the department does not discard embryos, and veterans are responsible for decisions regarding whether to discard embryos or not.
The objections from the four Republicans come at a time when most Republicans are trying to reconcile their opposition to abortion with their support for IVF.
This issue gained national attention following a significant ruling by the Alabama Supreme Court, which sparked concerns about potential criminal or civil penalties for mishandling or destroying embryos. In response to public concern, the Alabama legislature passed a bill to protect IVF providers from legal repercussions. However, the bill did not address the fundamental question of whether embryos outside a human uterus should have the same legal status as children.
As Axios notedSome legal experts have warned that state laws banning abortion could also be interpreted as banning IVF. Roe v. Wade This is due to the language in the laws that have been enacted since the Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe v. Wade.
