Rep. Susan Wild (D-Pa.), the lead sponsor of the Access to Family Building Act, reported that a discharge petition for the bill gathered 155 signatures within its first 24 hours and now has nearly 190 signatures in total.

House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (Mass.) emphasized that the petition represents a test for House members to demonstrate their positions on reproductive rights and freedom.

The Access to Family Building Act aims to establish a statutory right to IVF and other assisted reproductive technologies, and mandate insurance coverage for these services.

It also allows the Justice Department and private individuals to sue state or local officials who impose restrictions on IVF access.

The bill was introduced in response to an Alabama Supreme Court ruling that classified frozen embryos as children, leading to a halt in IVF procedures in the state due to legal concerns.

This ruling has placed Republicans in a difficult position, as they navigate their support for IVF while addressing the implications of fetal personhood, The Hill has reported.

To advance the bill, the discharge petition requires 218 signatures, necessitating support from both Republicans and Democrats.

Currently, the bill has only four Republican co-sponsors, none of whom have signed the petition yet.

Written by B.C. Begley