[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 4]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 5504]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


                  NATIONAL INFERTILITY AWARENESS WEEK

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                            HON. RICK LARSEN

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, May 6, 2016

  Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of 
National Infertility Awareness Week, which ran from April 24-30. The 
CDC recognizes infertility as the inability to get pregnant after one 
year of trying. It affects both men and women, and there are a variety 
of causes. Resolve, the National Infertility Association, estimates 
that it affects approximately 10 percent of the population.
  For couples dealing with infertility, there are a number of options. 
They can choose to adopt, or try to conceive through lUI, medications, 
or assisted reproductive technology like in vitro fertilization (IVF). 
Although none of these methods is guaranteed, improvements to 
technologies and treatments in recent years have increased the 
likelihood of successful therapy.
  Not all families have access to this technology. Under present law, 
the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is expressly prohibited from 
covering IVF for women and men who have served our country in uniform. 
This is especially galling considering that many of these veterans are 
facing infertility as a result of injuries incurred during their 
service. That is why Senator Murray and I introduced the Women Veterans 
and Families Health Services Act--to repeal this outdated policy and 
specifically authorize provision of fertility treatment. Our bill also 
provides other important resources to military families, including 
cryopreservation of gametes and adoption assistance.
  As we recognize National Infertility Awareness Week, it is my sincere 
hope that we not lose sight of Americans experiencing infertility. And 
it is long past time that Congress authorizes VA to cover fertility 
treatments, including IVF to wounded veterans, so they can achieve 
their dreams of starting families.




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