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Statement

Moms Cheer Biden Actions to Provide Emergency Paid Leave and a Higher Minimum Wage to Federal Contractors, Boost Country’s Child Care System

January 22, 2021
Workplace Justice, Paid Sick Days, Paid Family & Medical Leave, Early Care & Education

Lisa Lederer, 202/371-1996

Statement of leaders of MomsRising, an online and on-the-ground organization of more than one million mothers and their families, on the Biden administration’s actions this week to provide economic relief to working people:

“America’s moms applaud the smart, responsive, badly needed actions the Biden-Harris administration is taking to quickly require federal contractors to provide their workers with emergency paid leave and pay them at least $15 per hour. During the pandemic, working people need paid leave so they can quarantine, recover, or stay home to care for a sick relative or a child whose child care program or school is closed or operating only virtually – and all workers will continue to need paid leave after the pandemic ends. Similarly, a $15 minimum wage helps prevent full-time working people from living in poverty as a result of inadequate wages, and boosts financial security for the moms and women of color who are disproportionately represented in low-wage jobs. It is a racial and economic justice imperative for every contractor who works for our government to pay its workers at least $15 per hour.

“These are important initial steps, but our economic recovery depends on Congress passing the Biden-Harris American Rescue Plan, putting comprehensive, permanent paid family and medical leave in place, and passing the Raise the Wage Act. There is no time to waste.”

-Statement of Ruth Martin, Vice President and Chief Workplace Justice Officer, MomsRising

“At a time when the pandemic has devastated our economy, exacerbating structural racism and longstanding inequities that especially penalize women, moms, moms of color, and the LGBTQ community, we must rebuild with essential worker protections in place. That’s why we are so pleased that the Biden-Harris administration is acting quickly to require fair wages and paid leave for federal contractors, direct the Office of Personnel Management to develop recommendations to pay more federal employees at least $15 per hour, and propose the American Rescue Plan – a well-crafted, essential package that should be the highest priority for Congress.

“Moms commend, as well, the Biden administration’s actions to expand food assistance to those in need, and the Executive Order President Biden signed yesterday to support the safe reopening and sustainability of child care and Head Start programs. It aims to support providers of all types, including those providing home care and working at Head Start and other child care programs, with guidance on data, testing, contact tracing, guidance and technical assistance to operate safely during the COVID pandemic; guidance on distance and online learning, blended learning, and in-person learning; and measures to improve mental health, social-emotional well-being, and effective communication with parents and families. It will strengthen our country’s struggling child care system and support our recovery from the pandemic.”

-Statement of Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, Executive Director and CEO, MomsRising

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MomsRising.org is an on-the-ground and online grassroots organization of more than a million people who are working to increase family economic security, decrease discrimination against women and moms, and to build a nation where businesses and families can thrive. Established in 2006, MomsRising and its members are organizing and speaking out to improve public policy and to change the national dialogue on issues that are critically important to America’s families, including criminal justice reform, immigration policy reform, and gun safety. MomsRising is working for paid family and medical leave, affordable, high quality childcare and early learning, and for an end to the wage and hiring discrimination which penalizes women — particularly moms and women of color — and so many others. MomsRising advocates for access to healthy food for all kids, health care for all, earned sick days, and breastfeeding rights so that all children can have a healthy start. MomsRising maintains a Spanish language website: MamásConPoder.org. Sign up online at www.MomsRising.org — and follow us on our blog, and on Twitter and Facebook.