{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.peters.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/video-senator-peters-releases-statement-after-republicans-again-block-legislation-to-protect-the-right-to-access-ivf", "VIDEO: Senator Peters Releases Statement After Republicans Again Block Legislation to Protect the Right to Access IVF", "2024-09-17", "2024", "2024-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "MI", "Gary C. Peters", "P000595", "www.peters.senate.gov", "garypeters", "https://www.peters.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) released the following statement after Senate Republicans again blocked passage of legislation that would guarantee the right to access in vitro fertilization (IVF) and other assisted reproductive technology (ART) services that American families depend on to start a family. The Right to IVF Act, which Peters cosponsored, was introduced earlier this year in response to continued efforts across the country to limit access to reproductive health care, including access to IVF and ART services.\n\n\u201cIVF is a vital resource that helps hundreds of thousands of Americans start or grow their families. But extremist Republicans are trying to eliminate this reproductive freedom,\u201d said Senator Peters. \u201cThat\u2019s why I\u2019m proud to support the Right to IVF Act, which would establish IVF as a statutory right, require employer-sponsored and other public insurance plans to cover fertility treatments, expand options for veterans and servicemembers, and protect Americans against excessive out-of-pocket costs.\u201d\n\nPeters continued, \u201cI\u2019m incredibly disappointed that my Republican colleagues have once again blocked this critical legislation. But I\u2019ll never stop standing with Americans who simply want a chance to start their family.\u201d\n\nClick HERE to watch the video.\n\nThe Right to IVF Act is a package of bills that together would protect the ability to receive \u2013 and for health care professionals to provide \u2013 IVF services. Additionally, the package would expand IVF insurance coverage, making it more accessible and affordable for millions of Americans.\n\nSpecifically, the Right to IVF Act includes:\n\nThe Access to Family Building Act, which Peters also cosponsored, that would ensure individuals have the right to access IVF and ART services. It would also protect the right of insurance providers and insurers to cover these services.\n\nThe Veteran Families Health Services Act, which would allow servicemembers to preserve gametes both before deployment to a combat zone or hazardous duty assignment and after an injury or illness. Additionally, it would enhance fertility treatment and counseling options for veterans and servicemembers.\n\nThe Access to Infertility Treatment and Care Act, which would make fertility care, including IVF, more affordable by requiring employer-sponsored and other public insurance plans to cover fertility treatments to protect Americans against expensive out-of-pocket costs.\n\nThe Family Building Federal Employees Health Benefit (FEHB) Fairness Act, which would require employer-sponsored health insurance plans, including the Federal Employees Health Benefit (FEHB) Program, to cover assisted reproductive technology, including IVF.\n\nThe Right to IVF Act is supported by numerous key stakeholders, including the National Women\u2019s Law Center, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Reproductive Freedom For All, National Council of Jewish Women, and Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA).\n\nPeters has been a staunch advocate for protecting Americans\u2019 access to essential care and the right to make health care decisions privately with their doctors and family. Peters spoke on the Senate floor in February to urge his colleagues to support the Access to Family Building Act. Peters also cosponsored and spoke on the Senate floor in support of the Right to Contraception Act, which would guarantee the right to access contraceptives. Last year, Peters joined his colleagues in introducing the Women\u2019s Health Protection Act of 2023, legislation seeking to restore the right to comprehensive health care for millions of Americans following the U.S. Supreme Court\u2019s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women\u2019s Health Organization which repealed Roe v. Wade. In 2020, Peters was the first U.S. Senator to publicly share his family\u2019s personal abortion story.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:43:57Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.peters.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/video-senator-peters-releases-statement-after-republicans-again-block-legislation-to-protect-the-right-to-access-ivf"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.4751879498362541, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}