REMINDER: GOP Senate Candidates Oppose IVF Protections For Virginians 

From DPVA:

REMINDER: GOP Senate Candidates Oppose IVF Protections For Virginians 

Richmond, VA – As the U.S. Senate votes today on the Right to IVF Act, which includes a Kaine-led provision that expands in vitro fertilization (IVF) protections for military families in Virginia and across the country, it is a clear reminder that the GOP Senate candidates oppose IVF protections for Virginia families

Ever since the MAGA majority on the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, extreme Republicans have been racing to attack reproductive freedom. In February, Alabama’s Supreme Court ruled to make IVF illegal in the state, jeopardizing family planning for Alabamans and sending a shockwave throughout the country that more fundamental freedoms are at risk. MAGA extremists Cao, Parkinson, Smith, and Emord are anti-choice extremists who believe life begins at conception, which puts in vitro fertilization and birth control access on the MAGA chopping block.

Time and again, every GOP Senate candidate has shown their true anti-choice colors to Virginians, letting us know loud and clear that they will do everything they can to restrict reproductive rights:

• When the Washington Post asked Cao and Parkinson if they would protect IVF, they refused to answer whether they would support Senator Tammy Duckworth’s IVF protection bill. Parkinson has denigrated efforts to protect IVF, calling the issue a “stale talking point.”
• Last year, Cao and Parkinson supported Senator Tuberville’s blockade of military promotions – including of many Virginians – to restrict access to abortion for service members. Parkinson even went so far as to call Tuberville a “great example” of “asserting his individual power” and repost Senator Mike Lee who argued that Republicans shouldn’t be concerned if Senator Tuberville’s grandstanding harms military readiness. Cao said that he did “actually agree with Senator Tuberville.”

“Today’s vote to protect IVF is a reminder that all of the GOP Senate candidates – Hung Cao, Scott Parkinson, Jonathan Emord, Eddie Garcia, and Chuck Smith -would be a vote against protecting IVF,” said DPVA Chairwoman Susan Swecker. “If Hung Cao, Scott Parkinson, Jonathan Emord, Eddie Garcia, and Chuck Smith had it their way, they would let states make abortion and IVF illegal.

“As the last state in the South without an extreme abortion ban, Virginians know we need to protect our reproductive rights. This November, Virginians will reject Republicans up and down the ticket because they would be a threat to the freedom of Virginians to make their own health care decisions by banning contraception, IVF, and abortion.”