Friday, June 13, 2025
U.S. Rep. Laura Gillen, a Democrat representing New York’s 4th Congressional District, and Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Lawler of the 17th District have reintroduced a bipartisan bill aimed at protecting access to in vitro fertilization across the country.
The Access to Family Building Act, which Gillen is leading with support from Lawler and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, seeks to federally codify the right to access IVF services. The legislation is in response to growing concerns that reproductive technologies like IVF are being threatened by recent state-level legal developments and court rulings.
During a virtual press conference on May 7, Gillen emphasized the importance of ensuring legal certainty for families relying on reproductive technology. She said infertility is a widespread issue affecting Americans of all backgrounds, and called for Congress to act swiftly to protect the procedure.
“We believe, like most Americans do, that the right to start and grow family through IVF should be protected,” Gillen said. “The Access to Family Building Act will simply ensure that IVF remains accessible to families in every state.”
Lawler echoed Gillen’s sentiments, sharing his own family’s experience with fertility challenges. He reaffirmed his support for protecting IVF access, calling it a nonpartisan issue with widespread public backing. Lawler also referenced other related legislative efforts he supports, including tax credits and insurance mandates to reduce the financial burden of IVF treatments.
“Access to IVF should not be a partisan issue,” he said. “We want to help people through this journey and certainly make sure that their right to IVF is protected.”
The press event also featured Barbara Collura, president and CEO of RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association, who stressed the emotional and financial toll of infertility and the need for guaranteed nationwide access to IVF.
“There are so many challenges that our communities face in building their families,” Collura said. “Our goal is to reduce and eliminate those barriers. We know firsthand that our communities want to know that IVF is protected in all 50 states."
Democrats in 2022 introduced the Right to Build Families Act to protect access to IVF and other fertility treatments amid concerns after Roe V. Wade was overturned. The bill was blocked by Senate Republicans.
The lawmakers emphasized the bipartisan nature of the bill, with Gillen noting that Republican support like Lawler’s is vital to passing the legislation in the current Congress.
When asked about the path forward, both Gillen and Lawler said they plan to advocate within their parties and with congressional leadership to advance the bill through committee and onto the House floor.
The legislation comes amid renewed national attention to IVF following recent court rulings in states like Alabama, where embryos created through IVF were legally recognized as children, prompting clinics to suspend services due to legal risks.
“I think it’s really important to demonstrate that this is not a partisan issue,” Gillen said. “This is an easy one for us to agree on. We want to support couple and individuals who want to bring a child into the world. IVF may be the only way that they can do that.”
