Texas ready to pick up IVF debate following Alabama embryo ruling: ‘pro-life state’
Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said his state will likely weigh in on the IVF debate following the Alabama Supreme Court's ruling that embryos are children.
Republican Texas. Gov. Greg Abbott said his state will weigh in on the in vitro fertilization (IVF) debate following the Alabama state Supreme Court ruling that frozen embryos are unborn children.
"I have no doubt that Texas will be among the states that will be addressing this issue when we can bring in all the different facts and scenarios about what can happen. But also knowing Texas, as soon as you know, Texas is a pro-life state, and we want to do everything possible that we can to maintain Texas being a pro-life state," Abbott told CNN’s Dana Bash Sunday on "State of the Union."
"But at the very same time, I think Texans agree with what President Trump said. And that is, we as a state, want to ensure that we promote life. We bring more life into the world, and we empower parents to be able to have more children," he added.
Abbott’s comments follow the Alabama Supreme Court ruling that an 1872 state law allowing parents to sue over the death of a child "applies to all unborn children, regardless of their location." The decision was reached after two wrongful death cases were brought forth by three couples who say their frozen embryos were destroyed in an accident at an Alabama fertility clinic.
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"Unborn children are ‘children’ under the Act, without exception based on developmental stage, physical location, or any other ancillary characteristics," Justice Jay Mitchell wrote in the majority ruling.
The ruling subsequently led to a halt of IVF services at some Alabama medical centers.
"There’s some uncertainty lingering from this, but candidly, let’s go to President Trump because President Trump put out a statement on this that I think a lot of people agree with and that is a goal that we all kind of want to achieve," Abbott said. "And that is we want to make it easier for people to be able to have babies. Not make it harder."
"And the IVF process is a way of giving life to even more babies. And so what I think the goal is, is to make sure that we can find a pathway to ensure that parents who otherwise may not have the opportunity to have a child will be able to have access to the IVF process and become parents and give life to babies," the Texas governor added.
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Trump posted on Truth Social last week that if re-elected, the Republican Party "will always support the creation of strong, thriving, healthy American families."
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"We want to make it easier for mothers and fathers to have babies, not harder! That includes supporting the availability of fertility treatments like IVF in every State in America," Trump wrote.
"Like the OVERWHELMING MAJORITY of Americans, including the VAST MAJORITY of Republicans, Conservatives, Christians, and Pro-Life Americans, I strongly support the availability of IVF for couples who are trying to have a precious baby," Trump continued. "Today, I am calling on the Alabama Legislature to act quickly to find an immediate solution to preserve the availability of IVF in Alabama. The Republican Party should always be on the side of the Miracle of Life - and the side of Mothers, Fathers, and their Beautiful Babies. IVF is an important part of that, and our Great Republican Party will always be with you, in your quest, for the ULTIMATE JOY IN LIFE!"
Fox News Digital's Andrew Mark Miller contributed to this report.