Schumer expected to vote again on IVF proposal

The New York senator is planning a second vote on a bill that Senate Democrats introduced earlier this summer to capitalize on Trump's recent comments calling for mandatory, free access to artificial insemination.

The effort is expected to take place in the Senate in the next two weeks, according to a report by Axios. Schumer's office did not respond to a request for comment from Washington Examiner.

During Tuesday's presidential debate, Trump presented himself as a “champion” on IVF, seeking to counter attacks from Democrats who say a second Trump presidency would harm fertility treatment. He even went so far as to promise free IVF treatments that would be paid for by health insurance or the federal government.

Many Republicans are resisting his proposal, expressing skepticism and concern about the high costs of such a policy. Republican leaders in the Senate and House of Representatives have not yet commented on whether Trump's plan will be implemented if he is elected.

The move is part of a broader campaign by Senate Democrats to focus attention on reproductive health care in the months leading up to the November election. In June, the bill failed on a procedural vote by a vote of 48 to 47. The bill would have needed 60 votes to pass. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Susan Collins (R-ME) were the only Republicans to vote for the bill.

The Right to IVF Act was introduced by Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), who had her two children through IVF. The bill would make the treatment more accessible to insurance companies and military members and veterans. Senate Republicans tried to introduce their own proposal in June that would prevent states from banning IVF, but Senate Democrats blocked it.

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The Republican bill, called the IVF Protection Act, was far narrower than the Democrats' proposal due to religious freedom concerns. It would strip Medicaid funding from states that ban IVF, a move that gives states wide discretion and does not prevent them from passing restrictions on the fertility procedure.

Schumer has held similar “show votes” in recent months to put issues like abortion rights, the border and gun control in the spotlight ahead of the election. Republicans have criticized the votes as a partisan maneuver by Democrats in a hotly contested election year.