Lori Chavez-DeRemer Hides Anti-Choice Record, Hypocrisy Behind “Useless” IVF Resolution

Oregon Capital Chronicle: Chavez-DeRemer’s proposal “wouldn’t actually do anything to protect access to the fertility treatment”

New reports from the Oregon Capital Chronicle and HuffPost highlight vulnerable Republican Lori Chavez-DeRemer’s weak attempt to cover up her anti-choice agenda.

Rather than support a bill that would actually protect access to IVF alongside fellow members of the Oregon delegation, Chavez-DeRemer introduced a superficial resolution supporting the treatment – a non-binding statement that “primarily serve[s] as [a tool] for political posturing.”

This isn’t the first time Chavez-DeRemer falsely claimed to support reproductive freedom. Despite telling constituents that she wouldn’t support attacks on Oregonians’ constitutional rights, Chavez-DeRemer has voted to block reproductive care access for members of the armed services, voted for legislation that would target doctors who perform abortions, and supported six-week abortion bans.

Check out highlights of what Oregonians are reading below:

Oregon Capital Chronicle: Chavez-DeRemer introduces resolution praising IVF, Dems slam as ‘disingenuous’
Julia Shumway | March 1, 2024

• U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, R-Oregon, joined with two other vulnerable Republicans to introduce a resolution saying Congress supports in vitro fertilization, though their proposal wouldn’t actually do anything to protect access to the fertility treatment. 

• It follows a February ruling from the Alabama Supreme Court that frozen embryos and fertilized eggs counted as children under state law, causing several IVF clinics in the state to halt their work. IVF relies on producing and harvesting multiple eggs, which are then fertilized in a lab to create multiple embryos and then implanted directly into the uterus. Clinics often store unused embryos in case the procedure doesn’t work or parents want to have another child.

• After the Alabama ruling, Democrats in the U.S. House and Senate introduced bills to protect access to IVF nationwide… The House bill, cosponsored by Oregon Democratic Reps. Earl Blumenauer, Suzanne Bonamici, Val Hoyle and Andrea Salinas, awaits a committee hearing.

• Chavez-DeRemer’s Democratic opponents and national groups including the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and House Majority PAC quickly jumped on her proposed resolution. Democrats view her shifting stances on abortion rights at various points in her political career – Chavez-DeRemer described herself as “pro-choice,” pledged to always vote against abortion and promised to oppose national abortion bans – as a liability in the Democratic-leaning 5th Congressional District.

• The Democratic House Majority PAC slammed Chavez-DeRemer’s resolution and statement as “superficial,” and DCCC spokesman Dan Gottlieb said Oregonians can see through her “disingenuous move.”

• “It couldn’t be more clear that Chavez-DeRemer wants politicians to decide if, how, and when a woman should start a family – rather than just signing onto the bill that would actually protect IVF access nationwide,” he said. 

HuffPost: House Republicans Seek Political Cover Behind Useless IVF Resolutions
Alanna Vagianos | March 1, 2024

• House Republicans are all talk and no action on protecting Americans’ access to in vitro fertilization, after the Alabama Supreme Court granted embryos the same legal status as children last month.

• Several House Republicans introduced two measures this week following the sweeping court ruling as a way to express strong support for IVF protections.

• But neither have any legislative power. Resolutions are non-binding statements that primarily serve as tools for political posturing.

• Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-Ore.) published her resolution, with Republican co-sponsors Reps. Michelle Steel (Calif.) and Juan Ciscomani (Ariz.), on Friday morning. The resolution states that the House “remains committed to commonsense policies that enable families to grow” as well as “recognizes the fundamental truth that life is precious.”

• Republicans have found themselves scrambling to distance themselves from the Alabama ruling in the wake of national public outrage over its sweeping effect. Access to IVF is an issue over 80% of Americans support, including a majority of Republican voters.

• “House Republicans are flagrant hypocrites who have spent their entire tenure in the majority attacking reproductive rights at every turn,” Courtney Rice, a spokesperson for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, told HuffPost. “Now, they are hiding behind toothless resolutions and empty public statements because they know their relentless attacks on reproductive freedoms will cost them at the ballot box.”

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