Because of you and MomsRising members like you, earlier this week, New Mexico Senator Martin Heinrich announced his support for the FAMILY Act and signed on as a co-sponsor!

→ Please sign our card to Sen. Heinrich, thanking him for supporting New Mexico families!

New Mexico MomsRising members were key to Sen. Heinrich's decision. Over 3,500 MomsRising members in New Mexico have signed a petition calling on NM's US Senators and Representatives to support paid family leave.

And, just a few months ago, we delivered your signatures to Sen. Heinrich -- urging him to co-sponsor the federal FAMILY Act.

We even met with his staff in Albuquerque during that delivery. That picture in the box to the right -- that's a bunch of MomsRising members, coalition partners, and staff outside of Sen. Heinrich's district office after meeting with his staff to share your stories, notes, and signatures in support of paid leave!

All those actions add up: to one more sponsor of the FAMILY Act!

In the press release announcing his support, Sen. Heinrich said:

“New Mexicans should not face the impossible choice of caring for their health and family or keeping their job. Yet, the reality is that hard working people in New Mexico and across the country have to make this decision if they need medical treatment or if they have to take care of a newborn or sick parent. Meanwhile, the lack of a paid leave program strains employers and the economy. The FAMILY Act will ensure families and businesses have the stability and economic security they need to succeed.”

→ Show Sen. Heinrich that you agree by signing our thank you card today!

Sen. Heinrich announced his support of the FAMILY Act on Feb 5th - the 25th anniversary of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). The FMLA is an important law that has been used over 200 million times over the last 25 years -- helping many families. But the FMLA was always meant to be a starting point, not the stopping point.

Here’s why: It doesn’t cover all working people, and the fact that it’s unpaid means millions who are eligible to use FMLA can’t because they can’t afford unpaid time away from work.

Working families need a paid family and medical leave policy that is more than just maternity and paternity leave. We need an insurance plan that provides a meaningful length of leave, is accessible to all working people, covers all families, and is affordable, cost-effective, and sustainable for workers, employers, and taxpayers.

The FAMILY Act is a great step in the right direction of updating our family leave laws. Sen. Heinrich's support for the bill gets us one step closer to ensuring all New Mexicans have access to affordable and inclusive paid family and medical leave!

→ Please join us in thanking Sen. Heinrich for his strong support for working families in New Mexico!

Together, we’re a powerful force for women and families in NM.

Nearly everyone at some point needs to re-arrange their lives to recover from their own serious illness, provide care for a loved one, or to care for a new or adopted child. Whether it’s to care for a newborn you swear already smiles, a mom who is ill, or a spouse battling cancer, being there for family is what matters. You shouldn't have to give up a paycheck to do it. Lawmakers and decision-makers need to know just how important paid family leave is to New Mexico families. What has your experience been? Share it here and we'll deliver it to your other lawmakers to help them understand why they need to give our leave laws a reboot.