U.S. Congressman Matt Rosendale, who is a Republican from Montana with a background in real estate and agriculture, has proposed limiting in vitro fertilization (IVF) services to married heterosexual veterans only.
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| Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-MT), at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 27, 2024. (Graeme Sloan/Sipa USA)(Sipa via AP Images) |
During a recent House Rules Committee hearing, Rosendale introduced an amendment to a Veterans Affairs funding bill. He suggested restricting federal funding for IVF and other assisted reproductive technologies for unmarried and same-sex couples.
He connected the discarding of unused embryos to abortion, claiming that IVF results in the destruction of "millions of unborn children,". The number he suggests exceeds the annual abortions performed by Planned Parenthood.
Rosendale argues that taxpayer dollars should not fund fertility treatments for unmarried and same-sex couples. He stated,
"There is no question that children do best when raised by a father and a mother. Taxpayer dollars should not go to couples that, before their service, couldn’t produce a child anyway. And I hate to break it to you, but same-sex couples can’t produce a child."
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| Rosendale argues that taxpayer dollars should not fund fertility treatments for unmarried and same-sex couples |
Critics have challenged Rosendale's perspective, pointing to research that contradicts his claims about family structures. A BMJ Global Health study analyzed 34 studies from 1989 to 2022, and they found that children of gay, lesbian, transgender, or other sexual minority parents cope similarly, or better than, those with opposite-sex parents in various metrics, including physical health and educational outcomes.
The study even suggested some advantages for children of sexual minority parents, such as greater tolerance of diversity and nurturing attitudes, while also highlighting the challenges of social stigma and discrimination these families face.
In March, Rosendale co-authored a letter with other GOP lawmakers criticizing the Biden administration's expansion of IVF coverage to include unmarried and same-sex couples. The letter described IVF as "morally dubious" due to the creation and potential destruction of excess embryos.
Massachusetts Democratic Rep. Jim McGovern criticized Rosendale’s views, pointing out the inconsistency in the Republican stance on IVF, highlighting that while they publicly support IVF, they privately work to restrict access.
Poverty At A Higher Rate For LGBTQ+ Individuals
The high costs associated with IVF, adoption, or surrogacy present significant barriers for many LGBTQ+ individuals. A 2019 Family Equality report noted that LGBTQ+ people face unfairly high rates of poverty and significant financial burdens when seeking to start families.
For instance, surrogacy can cost between $60,000 and $150,000 or more and it is rarely covered by health insurance. The report also highlighted income differences, showing that 29 percent of LGBTQ+ respondents reported an annual household income under $25,000, compared to 22 percent of non-LGBTQ+ respondents.
Data from the U.S. Census Bureau in 2021 showed that there were approximately 1.2 million same-sex couple households in the United States, with around 15 percent of these households including children, compared to 40 percent of heterosexual couple households. Same-sex couples are also four times more likely to have adopted children or stepchildren and tend to have smaller families overall.