Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) is cosponsoring a bill to expand Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) fertility programs so veterans can grow their families.
As Sen. Gallego explained, fertility assistance programs provided by the VA are extremely limited and difficult to access, even as they received a partial expansion last year.
Named the Veteran Families Health Services Act, Sen. Gallego's legislation permanently authorizes and expands programs such as in-vitro fertilization (IVF) through the VA, such as reducing red tape for qualification and expanding service to infertile and same-sex couples.
Additional provisions allow all servicemembers to freeze their gametes (eggs/sperm) ahead of deployment to combat zones or hazardous duty assignments, expand adoption assistance, and provide support for veterans seeking fertility assistance through third parties.
"Our servicemembers and veterans shouldn't have to give up the dream of having a family," said the Arizona Senator in his press release, adding, "They've put everything on the line for this country, and we owe it to them to make family-building services as accessible as possible. This bill will give veterans and servicemembers the same chance to build a family as the millions of Americans their sacrifices protect every day."
Gallego's co-sponsorship of this bill comes on the heels of his colleague Senator Mark Kelly's (D-AZ) introduction of the Medic Education and Deployment into Civilian (MEDIC) Careers Act, which reduces red tape and bureaucratic barriers for medics to enter civilian medical professions by standardizing training to match civilian medical credential requirements.
At the beginning of August, Gallego also introduced the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment of 2025 (COLA) Act, which increases the payout for benefits such as disability, dependency, and indemnity compensation and clothing allowances.
"Our veterans put their lives on the line for this country, and we owe it to them to make sure their benefits actually cover the cost of living," the Arizona Senator said.
