NORFOLK, Va. — Sen. Tim Kaine announced Tuesday that Elizabeth Carr — the first baby born successfully in the United States using in vitro fertilization (IVF) in 1981 — will be his guest at the upcoming State of the Union address.
The announcement follows a ruling by the Alabama Supreme Court which ruled that embryos are children, a decision that has already led to restricted access to IVF in the state.
A group of federal lawmakers responded to the ruling by pushing the passing of the Access to Family Building Act, cosponsored by Kaine, to protect access to IVF.
“I’m thrilled to have Elizabeth Carr joining me at the State of the Union," Kaine wrote in a news release. "The Carr family’s journey with IVF is a point of pride for Virginia and has given hope to generations of families struggling with infertility."
“In the wake of the Alabama Supreme Court’s ruling, it’s more important than ever that we commit to protecting access to IVF services nationwide. We must work to safeguard IVF so the Elizabeth Carrs of the world can continue to be born.”
Carr says, “I am honored and humbled to be able to attend the State of the Union address with Senator Kaine as a representative of how far IVF technology has come in this country—and not just as the first IVF baby in this country, but also as someone who understands deeply just how many people in-vitro has helped build the family of their dreams."
The State of the Union is scheduled for March 7 at 9 p.m.