Congress Avoids Key Embryo Question Amid IVF Controversy in wake of Alabama Ruling

House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, stated on Thursday that Congress would not address a critical question regarding in vitro fertilization (IVF) following a contentious ruling by the Alabama Supreme Court concerning embryos.

CBS Mornings co-host Tony Dokoupil questioned Johnson about his views on whether he considered destroying embryos to be equivalent to murder, in light of a recent Alabama Supreme Court decision safeguarding IVF providers from considering frozen embryos as individuals.

Johnson expressed support for access to IVF but chose to avoid giving a direct answer to the question of whether disposing or destroying embryos could be classified as murder. He acknowledged that it is a complex issue that demands careful consideration.

Regarding the limits placed on the number of embryos that can be created in states like Louisiana due to sensitivity around the matter, Johnson emphasized that this is a topic each state must grapple with, commending Alabama for tackling it proactively.

When Dokoupil pressed Johnson on whether discarding an embryo should qualify as a death if life begins at fertilization, Johnson asserted that this was a question that would not be taken up by Congress. Instead, he suggested it was a matter for individual states to address.

Furthermore, Johnson stated that policymakers must deliberate on how to handle the ethical implications surrounding IVF, particularly for those who believe life begins at conception. He made it clear that Congress would not be addressing this question, leaving it to the jurisdiction of states.

Following Johnson’s statements, the White House criticized him for his comments, emphasizing that President Biden will reinforce his stance during an upcoming address to the nation.

White House spokesperson Andrew Bates accused Congressional Republicans, including Johnson, of trying to erase records related to IVF and highlighted the Life at Conception Act, a GOP-led bill that aims to define human life from the moment of fertilization.