ASRM Supports Nomination of Lori Chavez-DeRemer to Serve as U.S. Secretary of Labor

The following letter was sent to the Senate HELP Committee from ASRM:

February 11, 2025

The Honorable Bill Cassidy
Chairman
Senate HELP Committee
428 Senate Dirksen Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

The Honorable Bernie Sanders
Ranking Member
Senate HELP Committee
428 Senate Dirksen Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Chairman Cassidy and Ranking Member Sanders:

I am writing to make you aware of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine’s (ASRM) support for the nomination of Lori Chavez-DeRemer to serve as Secretary of Labor. As the professional medical society for practitioners in the field of reproductive medicine, ASRM has not traditionally engaged on the confirmation of Labor Department nominees. However, given Ms. Chavez-DeRemer’s leadership on issues that are priorities for our members and the patients we serve, we felt compelled to make you aware of our position as the committee considers her nomination.

In the 118th Congress, then-Representative Chavez-DeRemer served as the lead Republican sponsor of the HOPE with Fertility Services Act. In case you are not familiar, this bill – the first-ever bipartisan, federal legislation that would mandate coverage of fertility treatments, including in vitro fertilization (IVF) – would amend ERISA to require private health plans to provide access to fertility care. We expect the imminent reintroduction of the HOPE Act in the 119th Congress.

ASRM remains grateful to Ms. Chavez-DeRemer for her efforts in Congress to build a strong coalition of bipartisan support for policy changes that will help more Americans start or grow their families. In our view, it is more important now than ever that the leaders of our government institutions benefit from leadership with a proven track record of working across the aisle on issues related to health care access and affordability, including for fertility treatments. If enacted, Ms. Chavez-DeRemer will play a critical role in the HOPE Act’s implementation.

For this reason, we are thrilled to support Ms. Chavez-DeRemer as she appears before the committee. If confirmed, we are confident that Ms. Chavez-DeRemer will be a strategic partner to President Donald Trump in making good on his promise to mandate that insurance companies pay for IVF. As the leader in the advancement of reproductive medicine through evidence-based ethical practice, education, research, and advocacy, ASRM stands by ready to work with President Trump, his confirmed cabinet secretaries, and Congress to achieve this vision.

ASRM urges the committee to support Ms. Chavez-DeRemer’s nomination to serve as Secretary of Labor. If we can be a resource throughout Ms. Chavez- DeRemer’s confirmation process, or on other issues related to reproductive medicine and fertility care, please do not hesitate to contact me. Thank you in advance for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Sean B. Tipton
Chief Advocacy & Policy Officer