Republican politicians oppose IVF funding for the military

Two House Republicans voice opposition to the expansion of IVF funding for people in the military and their dependants.

In a letter to the House and Senate Armed Services committees, Republican Representatives Matt Rosendale and Josh Brecheen expressed concerns over Section 701 of the recently passed annual defence funding bill. Section 701 permits the use of assisted reproductive technology, such as IVF, under TRICARE for certain armed forces members and dependents. TRICARE is a government-funded US healthcare programme for active-duty service members, retirees, and their families.

In their letter, shared with The Hill, Rosendale and Brecheen said, 'We respectfully urge you not to include any House or Senate provisions that expand IVF… Section 701 is a dramatic expansion of IVF that will cost taxpayers approximately $1 billion per year.'

Reproductive technologies pose a key issue for the Republican party. On the campaign trail, Trump promised to fund IVF for 'all Americans that need it' (see BioNews 1254 and 1258). However, Rosendale, a vocal IVF critic, has previously filed multiple amendments to bills to prevent the government from funding IVF procedures, and has been clear about his moral opposition to IVF based on his pro-life views, according to The Hill. Although Rosendale is not standing for re-election, Brecheen's co-signature on the letter indicates that IVF concerns will likely persist within the party.

As part of their reasoning against Section 701, Rosendale and Brecheen wrote, 'IVF continues to be heavily underregulated and is done without the needed ethical guidelines in place…' The pair also commented on the low rate of 'fertilised embryos' which 'resulted in a live birth' with IVF. However, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine said that fertility treatments, such as IVF, are 'one of the most highly regulated of all medical practices in the United States.'

While many Republicans are united in their 'pro-life' stance on abortion, IVF has been a complex issue for the party, particularly following the Alabama Supreme Court's decision to recognise frozen embryos as children (see BioNews 1228 and 1229). In June 2024, both Republicans and Democrats introduced bills aimed at protecting nationwide access to IVF following this ruling, but both failed to pass to the Senate (see BioNews 1243). Republican senators later signed a pledge expressing that they 'strongly support' nationwide access to IVF (see BioNews 1243) but blocked the Democrat bill for a second time in September (see BioNews 1257).

While most Republicans have expressed some level of support for IVF, Rosendale has remained consistent in his opposition, arguing that the disposal of unused embryos often involved in treatment is morally wrong. In their letter, Rosendale and Brecheen said 'While we have great sympathy for couples who are having difficulty starting a family, IVF is ineffective, leads to the destruction of innocent human life, and does nothing to treat the root cause of a couple's infertility.'