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S. 2534: Veteran Families Health Services Act of 2025

This bill, known as the Veteran Families Health Services Act of 2025, aims to provide enhanced reproductive health services to members of the Armed Forces, veterans, and their spouses or partners. Here is a summary of its key provisions:

Title I — Reproductive and Fertility Preservation Assistance for Members of the Armed Forces

Fertility Treatment and Counseling: The Secretary of Defense is required to offer fertility treatment and counseling to active duty members, as well as their spouses, partners, and gestational surrogates, regardless of sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, or marital status.
In Vitro Fertilization (IVF): The bill allows for up to three oocyte retrieval procedures and unlimited embryo transfers for qualifying individuals seeking IVF treatment.
Reproductive Genetic Material Procurement: If a member cannot provide their reproductive genetic material, they may receive fertility treatment with donated material, with the costs covered or reimbursed by the Department of Defense.
Fertility Preservation Procedures: The bill mandates procedures to retrieve and preserve reproductive genetic material from members whose fertility may be threatened due to injury or illness related to military service.
Cryopreservation Opportunities: Members on active duty will have the chance to cryopreserve their reproductive genetic material at no cost, covering the period up to one year after leaving service, including facilitation for continued storage afterward.
Continuity of Care: The Department of Defense will provide support to help members navigate reproductive services and ensure continuous care during relocations.
Coordination with Veterans Affairs: The bill requires collaboration between the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs for offering fertility treatment and counseling.

Title II — Reproductive and Adoption Assistance for Veterans

Inclusion of Fertility Treatment in Medical Services: Fertility treatment and counseling will be officially classified as medical services under the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Eligibility for Veterans: Certain veterans, along with their spouses, partners, gamete donors, or gestational surrogates, can access fertility treatment, with treatment accessibility uninfluenced by various identity factors or infertility diagnoses.
Adoption Assistance: The bill allows for financial assistance to help covered veterans adopt children, with a cap on support based on the cost of three adoptions.
Outreach Programs: The Department of Veterans Affairs will conduct outreach initiatives to ensure that veterans and healthcare providers are informed about available reproductive services and their eligibility.
Research Facilitation: The Secretary of Veterans Affairs will facilitate collaborative research to improve reproductive health care options for veterans, particularly for those affected by conditions impairing their reproductive capabilities.
No Ownership of Genetic Material: The bill clarifies that the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs will not possess ownership or custody of any reproductive materials obtained through fertility treatments, ensuring that such matters are managed between the parties involved.

Regulations and Implementation

The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs must develop regulations within two years of the bill's enactment to effectively implement these provisions.