Reproductive rights seem to be the focus of a message Democrats will be sending at President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address on Thursday.
Among those invited to attend by Democrats is Elizabeth Carr, the first person born via in vitro fertilization (IVF) in the U.S. who will be a guest of Democratic Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia.
And first lady Jill Biden had invited Kate Cox, who was denied an abortion in her state of Texas.
“On Sunday, the president and first lady spoke to Kate Cox, who was forced to go to court to seek permission for the care she needed for a nonviable pregnancy that threatened her life, that threatened her life,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre announced in January.”They thanked her for her courage in sharing her story and speaking out about the impact of the extreme abortion ban in Texas.”
President Biden is set to deliver his annual State of the Union address this week. Multiple Democrats are expected to bring guests with ties to IVF, while some Republicans are likely to bring guests related to border security, @MacFarlaneNews reports. pic.twitter.com/kcQERlTDPL
— CBS News (@CBSNews) March 4, 2024
“President Biden and Democrats are making abortion issues front and center in the 2024 presidential campaign,” CBS News had reported “They are painting Republicans as extremist on the issue and pointing to former President Donald Trump’s appointment of three of the five conservative justices who ultimately voted to overturn Roe.”
BREAKING: Kate Cox, who was forced out of Texas to deal with the horror and heartbreak of a nonviable pregnancy, has accepted first lady Jill Biden’s invitation to be a guest at the State of the Union address. pic.twitter.com/y6tt1vh1mS
— D. Earl Stephens (@EarlOfEnough) January 24, 2024
“Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) invited Kayla Smith, a central Washington resident, as one of her guests. According to Murray’s office, Smith learned at 19-weeks pregnant that the fetus ‘had serious and fatal fetal anomalies’ while living in Idaho in 2022,” The Hill reported.
Smith could not get an abortion due to Idaho’s ban and went to Seattle for the procedure.
“I am honored to have been given the opportunity to sit alongside Senator Murray at the State of the Union address and continue to share not only my story, but the story of so many other women who have unfortunately been forced to flee their home state for abortion care,” Smith said.
And Carr, born via IVF in 1981 will be Kaine’s guest.
Former IVF patients, fertility doctors and families who’ve grown via IVF are increasingly being invited as guests by Congressional Democrats to Thursday’s State of the Union address
A synchronized message is forming
— Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) March 4, 2024
We’re so excited to share that our clients Dr. Karsan and Dr. Dennard will be attending the State of the Union this Thursday, as guests of Congresswoman @LizziePFletcher and @RepColinAllred, respectively.
— Center for Reproductive Rights (@ReproRights) March 4, 2024
“I am honored and humbled to be able to attend the State of the Union address with Senator Kaine as a representative of how far IVF technology has come in this country—and not just as the first IVF baby in this country, but also as someone who understands deeply just how many people in-vitro has helped build the family of their dreams,” she said in a statement.
Kaine, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, has co-sponsored the Access to Family Building Act, aimed at protecting IVF access.
Thrilled that my guest to POTUS’s State of the Union address will be Elizabeth Carr, the first person born via IVF in the U.S. (right here in Norfolk, VA).
As IVF comes under threat from GOP extremists, Elizabeth’s story stands as a beacon of hope—sharing it is critical.
— Tim Kaine (@timkaine) March 5, 2024
Meanwhile, Republicans will be sending their own message about important issues.
House Speaker Mike Johnson has reportedly invited Ella Milman and Mikhail Gershkovich, parents of journalist Evan Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal reporter imprisoned in Russia for nearly one year.
“Other members of Congress are bringing relatives of the American hostages in Gaza,” Daily Mail reported. “In all, 17 relatives of Americans held captive or killed by Hamas terrorist will be in the House chamber on Thursday night, The Times of Israel reported.”
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida. Powers also contributes to BizPac Review.
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