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Statement

Moms Group Commends Mayor Bowser’s Decision Not to Veto D.C. Paid Leave Bill

February 16, 2017
Paid Family & Medical Leave

Lisa Lederer, 202-371-1996

Statement from Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, CEO and executive director of MomsRising, an online and on-the-ground organization of more than 1 million mothers and their families
“Last night, Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser made the right decision to allow a strong, comprehensive paid family and medical leave insurance bill to advance to a 30 day congressional review period. For too long, too many working families in D.C. have been forced to choose between their families’ health and a paycheck at the moment they need it most. By allowing this historic bill to move forward, Mayor Bowser respected the will of her constituents and supported a policy that will give D.C. residents access to the leave they need to protect their health and the health of their families.
 
“Moms, dads and caregivers know that workers deserve the Universal Paid Leave Act – a policy that will give more than half a million D.C. workers access to the paid family and medical leave they need to care for a new child, treat a serious illness, or care for a sick family member. Since the bill’s introduction in 2015, MomsRising members across D.C. have come together to make their voices heard by lobbying at the City Council with strollers and babies in tow, hosting ‘Paid Leave Playdates’ in their communities, sending hundreds of emails and letters urging Councilmembers to support the legislation, and sharing their stories through official testimony and media interviews.
 
“Now it is up to Congress to make the right call and allow the Universal Paid Leave Act to become law. Congress should also take this opportunity to follow D.C.’s lead and push for a comprehensive, nationwide paid family and medical leave insurance program. While we’re heartened that cities and states are passing strong paid leave programs, you shouldn’t have to win the ‘location lottery’ or the ‘boss lottery’ to have access to the same kinds of critical workplace protections that are available to workers in every other industrialized nation.
 
“Advancing paid leave is the right choice for families, for businesses, and for our economy. We urge Congress to demonstrate its commitment to the health and economic security of D.C.’s working families by allowing this bill to become law.”
 

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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.