U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth of Illinois emphasized the need for protections for in-vitro fertilization during her speech at the Democratic National Convention on Tuesday night.
“Trump’s anti-woman campaign has jeopardized the rights of many Americans wishing to start families,” Duckworth stated, warning that if Republicans prevail, they might extend their efforts beyond banning abortion to include restrictions on IVF, threatening healthcare providers and targeting women.
The audience responded with enthusiasm as Duckworth urged Trump to “stay out of our doctor’s offices … and out of the Oval Office, too.”
In addition to her criticism of Trump, Duckworth took aim at Senator JD Vance for his remarks about women without children. “How dare JD Vance criticize childless women on TV news, then vote against legislation that would actually help Americans to start families,” she said.
With abortion issues at the forefront of the convention, IVF has emerged as a crucial topic in the ongoing political discourse surrounding reproductive rights, particularly following a ruling by the Alabama Supreme Court that recognized embryos as children, which could hinder access to IVF in the state.
The matter is personal for Duckworth, who utilized IVF to conceive her two children. She has previously proposed legislation to safeguard IVF and other assisted reproductive technologies, which has been obstructed by Senate Republicans. “Every American deserves the right to be called ‘Mommy’ or ‘Daddy’ without being treated like a criminal,” she asserted.
A combat veteran who lost both legs during the Iraq War, Duckworth made history as the first disabled woman elected to Congress and became the first sitting senator to give birth. She entered Congress in 2012 by defeating a Republican incumbent, and four years later secured her Senate seat by defeating Republican Senator Mark Kirk.
Acknowledged as a prominent figure in the Democratic Party, Duckworth was once considered by President Joe Biden for the vice presidency.
Drawing on her military experience, she labeled Trump as a “five-time draft-dodging coward,” accusing him of attempting to strip away individual rights and freedoms. “Let me say to every would-be parent: I see you,” she concluded. “I’m with you.”