Senate Democrats Block Cruz's IVF Bill With 'Empty Show Vote'

Senate Democrats blocked Texas Senator Ted Cruz's (R) bill protecting in vitro fertilization (IVF) this week. The move comes after Florida Senator Rick Scott's (R) own IVF bill was also blocked. On the senate floor, Senator Cruz called out Senate Democrats for "staging an empty show vote."

Earlier this week, Senator Scott urged his Democratic colleagues in the senate to support his Increasing Values for Families (IVF) with HSAs Act, which would help individuals and families better plan and pay for medical expenses like IVF. However, Senate Democrats did not support the bill.

Once again, Senate Democrats have blocked another IVF bill, one sponsored by Senator Cruz.

60 votes were needed to pass the bill, but the vote failed in a 51 - 44 effort.

In speaking to his colleagues, Senator Cruz called IVF "a medical miracle." "I'm grateful that IVF has given so many parents struggling with infertility the gift of finally holding a child, a baby in their arms," he added.

The Texas Republican went on to infer that Democrats were not supporting the bill because they wanted "to stoke baseless fears about IVF and push their broader political agenda." "Let's be clear, there is not a single senator in this chamber, on either side of the aisle, who wants to ban IVF," Senator Cruz affirmed. However, he attributes the lack of support from Democrats to them caring "more about the November elections than about protecting IVF."

He noted that he had voted against an "IVF" bill brought forth by Democrats because it would "federalize broad abortion legislation," noting that it "was contrary to the view of a great many Americans."

President Donald Trump (R) shared his support for IVF earlier this year, and the topic has been hotly debated when it comes to reproductive rights, another topic that has been heavily contested in the 2024 presidential election.