Democrat Tim Walz has slammed Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) over his record on reproductive rights issues, with the Minnesota governor sharing a personal message about his family’s use of in vitro fertilization.
During a Thursday appearance on MSNBC’s “Inside With Jen Psaki,” Walz recognized that it was World IVF Day before saying that he and his wife, Minnesota first lady Gwen Walz, had turned to IVF to expand their family.
Tim and Gwen Walz share two children: Hope, 23, and Gus, 17.
“Today’s IVF Day. Thank God for IVF — my wife and I have two beautiful children,” he said as he criticized Vance, Donald Trump’s vice presidential running mate, for his policy positions on reproductive rights issues.
“He thinks he needs to dictate that?” Tim Walz continued.
Star Tribune via Getty Images via Getty Images
Last month, Vance and his fellow Senate Republicans blocked the Right to IVF Act, Democratic legislation that would have enshrined into federal law a right for individuals to receive IVF treatment. The bill would have also shielded doctors who provide it.
Republicans tried passing their own bill that would have revoked Medicaid funding for any state that enacts a ban on IVF access. But Democrats blocked that measure, saying it contained loopholes that did not protect the IVF process.
“Calling your bill the IVF Protection Act without doing anything to protect IVF is despicable,” Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) said of the GOP legislation at the time. “It is akin to an arsonist selling you fire insurance that doesn’t cover arson.”
Walz previously discussed his family’s journey with IVF back in March, saying that he and his wife had gone through fertility treatments for seven years before welcoming Hope.
“It’s not by chance that we named our daughter Hope,” he said, according to the Star Tribune.
On Thursday, the presidential campaign of Vice President Kamala Harris issued a press release celebrating World IVF Day with everyone — other than one person.
“Happy World IVF Day To Everyone Except JD Vance,” it read.