U.S. Military Leaders Agree with Duckworth: Expanding TRICARE Coverage of IVF Would Benefit Servicemembers and Strengthen Military

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today secured support from senior enlisted leaders of the Department of Defense (DoD) that in-vitro fertilization (IVF) coverage for servicemembers and their families, which is currently available only in very limited circumstances, would strengthen our military and benefit our troops. This comes after Donald Trump—who promised to make IVF free for all Americans—did nothing to stop Speaker Mike Johnson from single-handedlykilling her provisionin the National Defense Authorization Act last December, despite wide bipartisan majorities voting to include IVF coverage for troops in both the House and the Senate versions of the bill. Video of the Senator’s remarks at today’s U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) hearing can be foundhere.
“Trump claimed on the campaign trail that he’d make IVF free for all Americans, yet stood aside when Speaker Johnson personally stripped IVF coverage away from our troops at the last minute this past December,”said Duckworth.“Even our top military leaders agree that providing IVF would help our mission—because it would prevent our troops from having to choose between continuing service and building a family. It’s time the Commander-in-Chief makes good on his promise for our nation’s brave servicemembers and works with me to help them achieve their dreams of having a family. It is the bare minimum that we provide them with the same access to IVF coverage that Members of Congress enjoy.”
Throughout her time in the Senate, Duckworth has made protecting reproductive freedom and expanding access to assisted reproductive technology, including IVF, a top priority. Last year, sheintroducedtheIVF for Military Families Act,bicameral legislation that would require TRICARE coverage of fertility services, including IVF, for active-duty servicemembers and their families. Duckworth alsointroducedtheProtect IVF Actto establish a nationwide right to IVF.
In 2024, she led the push to pass herRight to IVF Act—which Senate Republicans blocked notonce, buttwice, that would both establish a right to IVF and other assisted reproductive technology (ART), expand access for hopeful parents, Veterans and federal employees, as well as lower the costs of IVF for middle-class families across the country.
Duckworth was the first Senator to give birth while serving in office and had both of her children with the help of IVF. In 2018, sheadvocatedfor the Senate to change its rules so she could bring her infant onto the Senate floor.
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