WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) joined Sens. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), chair of the Senate Pro-Life Caucus, and James Lankford (R-Okla.) on legislation to expand access to restorative reproductive medicine for women and men affected by infertility. The cost-neutral Reproductive Empowerment and Support through Optimal Restoration (RESTORE) Act would work within existing federal programs.

“Too many families know the heartbreak and frustration of infertility. While every family’s experience with infertility is unique, our bill aims to empower modern medicine and unlock existing resources to tackle some of the root causes and bring hope to prospective parents,” Grassley said. “The bottom line is, if a family wants to bring life into this world, they ought to be able to do that – and federal programs designed to help could be more effective than they are now.”

“I strongly support treatments such as IVF, which have helped so many families experience the miracle of life.  Healing the actual causes of infertility will only help increase the success rate for couples trying to conceive.  It’s time that we look at paying serious attention helping women and couples affected by infertility by treating the underlying conditions that make it hard, if not impossible, to have a baby,” Hyde-Smith said. “The RESTORE Act would focus federal resources toward promoting research on the leading causes of infertility, while making information on possible treatments more readily available to the women and men struggling with fertility problems. There is no question how heartbreaking it can be for couples challenged by infertility, and I believe we can do more to help couples trying to conceive get the care they need to understand and proactive treat the underlying conditions that cause infertility,”

“Infertility is one of the most difficult challenges couples can face, and most Americans have either faced or know someone who is facing the difficult journey to have a baby. IVF is an incredible scientific advancement that allows families to bring life into the world, but IVF is very expensive and shouldn’t be the only option available to families. The RESTORE Act prioritizes addressing underlying causes of infertility to help families to bring the miracle of life into the world,” Lankford said.

The RESTORE Act sharpens focus on reproductive health conditions including endometriosis, adenomyosis, polycystic ovary syndrome, uterine fibroids, blocked fallopian tubes, hormone imbalances, hyperprolactinemia, thyroid conditions and ovulation dysfunctions. The legislation would additionally:

  • Promote educational tools for women seeking information about reproductive health conditions and restorative reproductive medicine;
  • Provide training opportunities for medical professionals to learn how to better diagnose and treat reproductive health conditions;
  • Direct the Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary and the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health to collect and analyze data to assess women’s access to restorative reproductive medicine and infertility care through proper testing, diagnosis and treatment; and
  • Use existing funding opportunities in Title X and HHS Office of Population Affairs to promote medical training for medical students and professionals called to help women struggling with reproductive health conditions and infertility.

Joining Grassley, Hyde-Smith and Lankford are Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) and Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.). 

View bill text HERE. 

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