Very early yesterday morning, the House of Representatives passed the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs appropriations bill that funds the entire VA. Included in that package is the authority for the VA to provide fertility counseling and treatment options, including in-vitro fertilization (IVF), to veterans with combat related trauma to the reproductive organs. This is treatment that is available through the DoD, but not at the VA.

This is a historic win for veterans and their families. Once it becomes law, veterans will have access to one of the most effective fertility treatment options available and will no longer be limited by the archaic laws that limit the VA’s ability to provide such treatments. The bill also authorizes reimbursement for adoption costs for those eligible veterans. Simply put, this bill will provide veterans with choices when it comes to starting a family, choices that have previously been unavailable.

Through advocacy days on Capitol Hill and a coalition letter of support, IAVA has worked closely with Wounded Warrior Project and the Woodruff Foundation, among other VSO and fertility groups, to demand Congress allow the VA to cover assistive reproductive technology treatments, including IVF. And while we are pausing to celebrate this win, there are still more hurdles ahead. To become law this bill must now be passed by the Senate and sent to the President for his signature. IAVA is now looking to the Senate for quick passage before the Fourth of July. Veterans who have already sacrificed so much should not have to wait any longer to build a family.