Larsen & Pelosi Push To Help Injured Veterans Start Families

Press Release

Today, Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02, joined House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi in urging the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to help injured veterans get access to advanced fertility treatments.

The VA recently announced that in vitro fertilization treatment is consistent with its goal to support veterans and improve their quality of life, in response to legislation from Larsen. However, a ban on IVF for veterans remains in place. Larsen and Pelosi asked VA Secretary McDonald to help make the case to overturn the ban.

"We are writing to request that you work with Congress as we debate providing essential services to women and men who are dealing with fertility issues as a result of combat injuries caused by explosive devices used against our forces in Iraq and Afghanistan," Larsen and Pelosi wrote. "As Congress begins work on appropriations for Fiscal Year 2017, the time to act is now to lift the ban on IVF for veterans. We ask that you express your support to Members for overturning the ban on IVF and to make any recent findings public."

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