Senate Republicans on Tuesday for the second time blocked a Democratic bill that would have created a federal right to in-vitro fertilization and guaranteed insurance coverage of IVF and other fertility treatments.

Republicans blocked the same bill in June, and the outcome this time around was never in doubt. Just like in June, the GOP decried it as a show vote. Only Republican Sens. Susan Collins (Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) voted with Democrats.

But the vote, held less than two months before the election, was meant to bring the issue back to the forefront of voters’ minds and highlight GOP opposition to IVF and other reproductive rights.

Here are key takeaways from the legislative encore:

Democrats staying on offense

Democrats have focused on IVF in the runup to the November election, and Tuesday’s vote showed they want to continue to hold Republicans’ feet to the fire.

Democratic leaders decided to call the bill up for a vote again after former President Trump called for universal coverage of IVF treatments — without any details.

The fact that the vote was the second in less than three months shows just how vulnerable Democrats think Republicans are on the issue.

“We’ve seen Republicans tie themselves in knots over their support for IVF, claiming they support access to IVF, support insurance paying for IVF treatments, and support helping families pay for IVF. And then when the rubber hits the road, they vote no,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.).

Democrats argue that there’s an ongoing threat to IVF that stems directly from the Supreme........

© The Hill