Sen. Tom Cotton and CNN’s Kaitlan Collins clash over IVF: ‘You’re not going to stop me here!’

Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins engaged in a tense discussion over fertility treatments Tuesday night, during which the lawmaker forcefully blocked the anchor from interjecting.

“No, Kaitlan, you’re not going to stop me here,” the senator told Collins, whom he accused of misrepresenting his position on IVF.

Collins invited Cotton on her news show “The Source” to discuss a move by Senate Republicans to block a bill introduced by Democrats that would have codified into federal law the right to IVF.

The bill failed to get the 60 votes needed to reach a shutdown after 44 Republican senators voted against it, despite the fact that former President Donald Trump has stated that he supports free IVF treatments.

“Senate Republicans today blocked a bill that would have guaranteed access to what many of them say they support,” Collins said to open her show. Her comments were reported by news site Mediaite.

“It’s also exactly what we’ve heard Donald Trump say that he supports. Democrats tried and failed again to pass that measure, which would have guaranteed access to IVF nationwide, and tonight they’re using this vote to hammer Republicans who said no.

Collins then introduced Cotton, who promptly pushed her opening.

“Well, Kaitlan, first, I have to correct almost everything you said up there, almost none of it was correct about this bill,” the senator said.

“First, there is no risk to IVF in this country. All 49 Republican senators, along with President Trump, support IVF. No state restricts or bans IVF.”

Collins replied, “I didn’t say that in the introduction, but okay, go ahead.”

Cotton responded by accusing Collins of neglecting to mention other aspects of the bill.

“Access [to IVF] it’s guaranteed in all 50 states now,” Cotton told Collins. “You also said it was about IVF. It was about so much more than IVF.”

Cotton went on to say that the bill “would mandate coverage for experimental, controversial procedures like cloning, or gene editing, or providing fertility treatments to men who think they are women, whatever that means.”

“It would also jeopardize religious freedom.”

Cotton then accused Democrats of trying to force Christian hospitals to provide fertility care that is contrary to their faith.

“Okay, Senator, let’s stop you here,” Collins said, prompting Cotton to fire back, “No, Kaitlan, you’re not going to stop me here! Because you’re misrepresenting what the bill is about.”

Cotton went on to criticize other aspects of the proposed legislation.

Collins then said, “Just to be clear, I’m not misrepresenting the bill.”

“You can say you don’t like it, you can say you think it’s a spectacular vote, you can talk about those aspects of it, but this is something that was put out there and would have guaranteed access to IVF. “, said the CNN presenter.